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

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

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

“I’ll put the kettle on.”

What are the beliefs of those who think climate change is a conspiracy theory? What do they predict will happen if we do not address it?

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

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.

“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—”

Have you ever been physically attacked by a demon?

“Nary a cute boy in sight.”

“Claire, I—”

Essentially, what you do is show the character:

Why are white women so overly emotional?

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

“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.”

“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.”

New COVID variant linked to painful ‘razor blade throat’ symptom - San Francisco Chronicle

Do that and you can ground your characters quite quickly.

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

“You need some tea!”

Is it considered rude to comment on someone's weight? Is it simply stating a fact?

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?”

“Exactly.”

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

Is it possible to achieve spiritual enlightenment while being in a romantic relationship?

“Tart!”

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

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

What are some common examples of human hypocrisy?

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?”

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

“But they’re cold!”

Chime prices IPO at $27 a share, above its expected range - MarketWatch

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

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.

Why is Reddit blocked by the Indonesian government?

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

“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?”

“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.”

When was the first time you felt discriminated against because you were female?

“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.”

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

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?”

Mariners' vibes turn ugly after sweep: 'Nobody feels sorry for us' - The Seattle Times

Create a context between this character and other characters.

“No way.”

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

Do all rocket engines emit harmful gases into the atmosphere during launch?

“I need to do laundry.”

“Exactly.”

“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…”

What are you wearing under your clothes today?

“Perv.”

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

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

How do professional musicians handle their equipment during gigs? Do they bring their own or use the venue's sound system?

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

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

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

“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.”

“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.

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

“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.”

“It’s not looking at you.”

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

“Cute girls?”

“Claire! Why are you still up?”

“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.”

“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—”

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