Play (Modified) Liebster Blog with Me: Questions for Your Character

February 22, 2013

Dear Writers,

Thanks to Samir at Cecile’s Writers for nominating me for the Liebster Blog award! I love the blog world! I love Cecile’s Writer’s, too. They are that awesome group based in The Hague who wax dramatically and poetically and beautifully on all things writerly. Their blogs are truly thoughtful and inspiring, and I’m addicted to them.

How to Play Liebster Blog

1. Post the award image on your blog. There are several varieties. Google them and find the one you like the most.
2. List 11 random facts about yourself.
3. Answer the 11 questions asked by the person/people who nominated you.
4. Make up 11 questions for those to be nominated.
5. Nominate 11 people to receive the award. They should have fewer than 200 followers on their blog.
6. If you’re nominated, your name and/or link will appear at the bottom of this post. Follow the same script and spread the love.

Eleven Facts About Myself

I am: (1) from an itty bitty town in Idaho called Bruneau, where my dad ran a tavern; (2) prone to talk to myself; (3) prone to get caught talking to myself and be embarrassed but then not really; (4) apt to watch a film I like or read a story dozens of times until I fully understand it, which is sometimes never; (5) a writer who isn’t necessarily lyrical on the page but have found that there’s a place for my type of prose, often the language of the working class that raised me; (6) a slave to my dog, who is now snoring in her cot next to my desk; (7) kind of tired at the moment so not fully sure if these answers are making sense, but what the hell, this is oddly fun; (8) hungry; (9) really very hungry; (10) a teacher at times and very grateful to my talented students, many of whom have become dear friends; (11) happy.

Answers to Samir’s Questions

1. Do you prefer literature or entertainment fiction? – Literature.
2. Introvert or extrovert? – Introvert, although for work I have had to learn to act otherwise.
3. If you could promote (and succeed) in one cause, what would it be? – There are a lot of things, but one big one would be to cure bulimia/anexoria, which cost my dear little sister’s life and affects so many beautiful little girls.
4. Movies or books? – No fair! I think great stories can dwell in lots of different mediums. I love movies, books, mimes, ballet dancers, and the occasional clown.
5. Which writer’s books can’t you stand (please be honest)? – I can’t remember the name of the dang writer, which was probably a pen name anyway, but I got this used paperback novel off the rack as an example of superficial writing, it was a formula romance story, and my students and I found a scene where the name of the character changed in the middle of the scene for no reason. It was hilarious.
6. What’s your favorite cuisine? – Sushi, then licorce, then more sushi.
7. Can you tell the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you? – That’s a long list, but I used to work in downtown San Francisco and was early thirties at the time. I put on this cute little dress and had a backpack in a matching color. I got off the BART train and was walking to the office and noticed that simply everyone was starting at me. Of course I was thinking, well, I still have it! Maybe put a little strut in my step until a guy took pity on me and told me that my dress was stuck completely underneath my backpack, so I’d walked two city blocks with my ass hanging out.
8. Dreamer or realist? – Dreamer when drafting. Realistic when revising.
9. Who inspires you? – Writing wise: Dagoberto Gilb, Michael Jaime-Becerra, Mark Twain, and Junot Diaz are the ones I relate to stylistically. In life, my Dad and Mom, both of whom I write about, my family, and my friends, and my dog Chloe!
10. Favorite sport? – Gymnastics, and I have thrown a double back on a wrestling mat, many many moons ago.
11. The perfect Saturday night is…? – Curling up with my dog and a favorite book or film and lots of licorce.

Questions for my Dear Writers — I made these questions about your character and would love to see some of the answers!:

1. Does your character like their own name?

2. How does it feel to be in your character’s body? Any aches or pains? Hunger? Fermenting illnesses?

3. What is your character’s greatest fear?

4. How does that fear play out in a scene?

5. Is the fear overcome or does it overcome the character?

6. What is your character’s source of strength?

7. How does the character put that strength into play when overcoming an obstacle in the way of their guiding desire?

8. What is your character’s deepest secret?

9. Is the secret revealed in the story or does it merely reside within the character and inform their actions?

10. Who does your character love?

11. Is that love returned with similar affection, unconcern, or extreme dislike? How would it feel for your character to love someone who disliked them in return?

[Extra credit questions]

12. What does your character want most of all?

13. What are they willing to do to get it?

14. What is the after story of your character? What happens to them after the told story ends that may inform how you decide to present them in the story?

Thanks again for a fun assignment, Samir! Happy writing!

XO Laurel Leigh