When writing a novel, how can a character be developed well, but QUICKLY?

“Nope, I mean a cat followed me home. A black cat, to be exact. All the way from the club. Probably still out there, for all I know.”

Engaging in conversation that also shows something about their intelligence, personality, wit (or lack thereof); and

Here’s how we presented the character Claire when she was introduced, which the agent particularly singled out:

Do all therapists specialize in one specific type of therapy, or are they trained in multiple types?

“I need to do laundry.”

Doing something they enjoy, that expresses their personality, and that is in some way unusual or noteworthy;

“Number one, it’s not porn, it’s ecchi, and number two, why would I waste a perfectly good Saturday doing anything else?” Claire pulled at her tea and sighed. “The only thing that could make this day better is if you'd come home with some cute boy, so that after you kicked him out tomorrow I could live vicariously through you.”

Why does my 5-year-old daughter keep repeating the words 'they will come for us, they will find us and touch us'? I'm quite scared.

“May! You’re home late! Early, I mean. Well, I mean, it’s early in the morning, but you’re home before I expected. Er, after. Before?”

“I’m just a fan of your catch and release program.”

They both burst out laughing. “I’m right, though,” Claire went on.

What exactly is female squirting? Is it only urine or a combination of liquids?

Claire, one of May’s three flatmates, former university roommate, and best friend in all the world, shrugged expansively. “It’s a Saturday night. What else would I be doing?”

“Why is that always your first suggestion? I do not need some tea. It’s three o’clock in the morning! If I have tea, I’ll never get to sleep.”

May studied the black and white comic panels. “Oh, my. She looks…anatomically implausible. What is she doing to that poor man? Wait, are those cat ears?”

What is your review of the Redmi 9A? Is it worth buying?

“Tart!”

“No, about the cat. You don’t need a cat. You remember what happened to your spider plant, right?”

“Hang on, are they playing ping-pong?”

Are miracles real or do they just have natural explanations?

“Well, maybe if you’d wear more clothes, they wouldn’t feel so cold. Hussy!”

“It’s not looking at you.”

“You don’t need a cat. You can’t take care of a cat. You can’t take care of a ficus.” Claire flopped on the other side of the sofa and wriggled her feet beneath May.

Watch ULA launch Amazon's 2nd batch of Kuiper internet satellites today - Space

“I try not to, but thank you for reminding me. I know I don’t need a cat. I don’t want a cat. What would I do with a cat?”

May pushed Claire’s feet away. Claire rose to peer out the window. “Huh. It’s still there.”

“Thanks. You’re looking pretty ratty yourself. Have you been in that bathrobe all day?”

What are the possible reasons for people feeling depressed after the holiday season? Why does being alone exacerbate these feelings?

“Claire, I—”

“Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs!” Claire turned the book around.

“Perv.”

Why are black people harassed more by police officers?

“None of those either. Look upon the wasteland that is my sex life, and see that it is barren. Naught but a moggie followed me home.”

“I’m serious!” Claire said. “It’s staring straight at me.” She let the curtain fall. “Weird.”

Do that and you can ground your characters quite quickly.

How can I watch porn on TikTok?

“No way.”

After Eunice and I finished London Under Veil, I entered the first chapter in a contest at a convention where you could submit something and have it critiqued by a professional book agent.

May yelped. “Hey! Your feet are cold!”

Is it common for Americans to feel "trapped" due to the size and distance of their country from other countries/continents? Is this feeling an exaggeration or a reality?

“They are! He broke the rules of the boarding house by petting this character while she was in cat form, so they invoke the ancient rules of single combat via ping-pong, and—”

“Cute girls?”

“I’m glad my sex life is so entertaining.”

How should one handle an uninvited guest at a small, intimate wedding ceremony? Is it appropriate to ask them not to attend?

“You know what? Never mind,” May said. “I am way, way too drunk to be having this conversation.”

In the kitchen, Claire set out a battered pair of mugs: May’s black, with “PEBKAC: Problem Exists Between Keyboard and Chair” in white letters; Claire’s white, with “This must be Thursday. I never could get the hang of Thursdays” in dark blue. She carried both mugs into the living room. “A moggie followed you home? Is this some weird Internet slang I’m not current on?”

“You need some tea!”

Why does my dog keep licking at her privates now? She is 7 years old and has barely started licking there. The vet said she’s fine but she keeps doing that.

“But they’re cold!”

“Yes way. It’s washing itself under the street light. Uh-oh, I think it spotted me. It knows I’m watching it. I swear it’s looking at me.”

“Yep!” Claire chirped. “There’s this schoolboy, see, and he’s homeless, so he lives in this boarding house that used to be a hot springs bathhouse, which is cheap because it’s haunted, so he decides—”

What are some prime examples of gibberish from the bible?

Essentially, what you do is show the character:

“So you didn’t meet any cute boys at the club tonight?” Claire called as she bustled about the small kitchen.

“Fine.” May collapsed into the warm spot Claire had just vacated.

This moon in the solar system continues to surprise scientists with the discovery of alternating water forms on its surface. - Farmingdale Observer

“It’s a cat. All cats are weird.” May sipped from her mug, inhaling the warmth. She closed her eyes. The room spun. She opened them again. “Ugh. I think I drank too much.”

“Exactly.”

“Nary a cute boy in sight.”

“I don’t know. Partying. Going to a pub. Anything besides sitting on the couch reading…” She squinted. “What the hell are you reading?”

Create a context between this character and other characters.

“Well, maybe if you didn’t spend all day reading—” May prodded the book with its garishly-coloured cover with her foot. “Bizarre comic book porn…”

“About wearing more clothes? How am I supposed to catch any fish if I don’t show off the bait?”

“I know! That’s why I’m putting them under you!”

“I’ll put the kettle on.”

Claire sat back down, legs tucked elegantly beneath her. “You are looking a bit sloppy,” she said, inspecting May through narrowed eyes.

“Damn straight. So get to it! This time next week, I want to hear some moans coming through that wall.”

“From the look of you, if you try to sleep now, you’ll spend the next three hours hanging onto your bed trying to stop the world spinning. Since you’re not going to sleep anyway, you might as well keep me company.”

“Exactly.”

“Claire! Why are you still up?”

The agent had only one bad thing to say (the synopsis was crap; writing synopses is hard!), but praised the characterization and particularly how well we introduced a character’s personality quickly.