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

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

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.

Create a context between this character and other characters.

Why does the UK Labour MP Jess Philips seem to be such a divisive figure?

“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—”

“Exactly.”

“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.

Why have feminists not demanded that females be required to register with the selective service? Are female lives more precious than male lives?

“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?”

“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.”

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

How do I find a luxury service apartment in Gurgaon?

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

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

“I need to do laundry.”

What causes tension between liberals and conservatives? Is it purely based on ideological differences or are there other factors at play?

“You need some tea!”

“Claire! Why are you still up?”

“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.”

Was Adam white or black (African)?

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

“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.”

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

Why do people have trouble accepting the very true fact that "The Blue Marble" photo of Earth is a composite and therefore (just like every other subsequent "picture" of Earth NASA has ever shown us) not a real photo but computer generated?

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

“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.”

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?”

How has your life changed for the past 10 years? Can you share your #10year challenge? Is your life better, worse, or still hopeful?

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

“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.”

“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?”

What does it mean when your husband comments and likes other women on social media? He has private IG and TikTok accounts that I have no access to. He has saved videos and pictures of women on his phone.

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

“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.”

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.

Should You Do Cardio or Weights First? We Finally Have an Answer. - ScienceAlert

Do that and you can ground your characters quite quickly.

“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…”

“No way.”

Why do you think Democrat favorability ratings are so low?

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

“Claire, I—”

“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 the defining characteristics of woke liberals and conservatives in the United States?

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

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?”

“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.”

Why is there a "double standard" applied to sex between a dog and a human? Why is it that to many who are at least mildly okay with bestiality, a WOMAN having sex with a male dog is fine, but a guy with a female dog is not?

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

“I’ll put the kettle on.”

“But they’re cold!”

Can you explain the difference between being a conservative Republican and a liberal Democrat? Can you provide some examples of their ideologies?

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

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

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

Why do some children hate their parents?

“Perv.”

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

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

“Cute girls?”

“Nary a cute boy in sight.”

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?”

“Tart!”

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

Essentially, what you do is show the character:

“It’s not looking at you.”

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

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

“Exactly.”

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

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