2023 Character-Building Challenge: Day 3

For the third day of this challenge, I want you to pick another character to interrogate (I promise this is the last interrogation for this challenge). Don't worry about the character you interrogated yesterday; today's interrogation should only be focused on this new character (and it's alright if the tone of the interview is different today than it was yesterday, whether that means it's more confrontational or less so--or the same, of course).

Once again, if you want a little help figuring out questions to ask, check out "Novel Writing: 10 Questions You Need to Ask Your Characters," by Brenda Janowitz. There are also some great ideas in "How to Create a Character Profile to Write Believable Characters," by Carly Schabowski.

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Name?

Max

Full name?

Claudius Maximus Kuroff

That's a mouthful. How old are you?

I'm sixteen.

Do you have a driver's license?

You bet. I got it on my birthday.

Do you have a car?

Got one of those on my birthday too.

What kind of car do you have?

A fast one.

Is it new?

Yes.

Are your parents well off?

Yes. My dad's a doctor. Actually a brain surgeon.

How are your grades?

Straight A's.

Are you a teacher's pet?

I don't buy into labels, but yes, my teachers like me.

Do you have a favorite subject?

Social studies. I like learning about history.

Do you do any extracurricular activities?

I'm a wide receiver for the football team and a sprinter on the track team. I used to play basketball, but I gave it up this past winter to do an internship at a local law firm.

Are you fast?

Yes, I'm pretty fast.

Do you have any favorite books or stories?

I don't really read books outside of school. Mostly I listen to podcasts and watch videos.

You said you like history. Is there a specific era you like the best?

I like two periods a lot. One is the turn of the century around the 1900s; the other is the turn of the century around the 2000s. Both had a lot of technological and societal changes.

Are you interested in changes?

Yes, but what I like about both those periods is that things, life in general, just started speeding up. One moment, people are walking everywhere or riding horses, then they're suddenly able to drive in cars and fly in planes. And not long after, people are in space, connected by interstates, and connecting with people throughout the world in the snap of a finger (or faster).

So you really like speed?

Yes, I love speed. Fast is cool.

What's your biggest secret?

I'm more than just a jock.

Well, what's your biggest fear?

I don't have any.

What do you want to do when you get older?

I want to be the greatest wide receiver ever (better than Jerry Rice), become a doctor, and then, maybe run for president and fix the world.

Do you have a girlfriend?

Yes, I do.

Anything you'd like to say about her?

She's smart and beautiful and perfect. Like me.

What's the best thing that ever happened to you?

I caught the game-winning touchdown at the state championship last season.

What's the worst thing that ever happened to you?

Nothing bad happens to me.

Anything else you want to share?

The best thing you can do when something doesn't go your way is to pretend like things are going your way. Eventually the tide will turn, and things actually will go your way. So nothing bad can happen, only good. At least, that's what works for me.