Visualizing Characters

I've never really been one to seek out specific actors for my characters, but that has changed to some extent for my current WIP. Part of is has to do with the fact that I'm at home right now and that I have a lot of access to regular Indian television. Considering the fact that western television doesn't have much in the way of South Asian actors and most of my story is populated by people of South Asian descent (obviously, as it takes place in India), I haven't had many chances to look beyond Bollywood. Thanks to Tellywood, though, my choices are varied and wide- and I have a face to the name for most of my characters now!

In fact, the name for my parallel male lead came from the character paired against my actress inspiration for one of my MCs in one of her shows! He was a character that didn't exist until yesterday,but now that he does, he has made my story a) more interesting and b) has solved an inherent problem in the structure of my story--that is, two young women traveling through India entirely by themselves without facing any problems. As optimistic as I tend to be, even I know that's not exactly realistic.

What about you all? Do you like to visualize your characters, or are they entirely imagined?

Interview With a Character! Link 2 in the AW January W1S1 Blog Chain

I am so excited to be participating in the AW W1S1 January blog chain! The prompt this month is "Interview With a Character." I'm number two on the list- number one is the lovely Izz!

I've chosen the characters of Deepika and Vishakha from my work in progress, Like Banyan Trees in Cornfields. They are the extremely sassy twin daughters of Tara Sen, one of my MC's aunts. Tara, Deepika, and Vishakha live in the bustling city of Kolkata, India.

Priyanka: Hi girls. Thanks so much for joining us for an interview today!

Deepika: Sure. Just don't forget to buy me the Sunsilk shampoo you promised you'd get me after this. I want hair like Anoushka Sharma.
Vishakha: And please make sure this doesn't take longer than fifteen minutes! My favorite serial is coming on then and I don't want to miss anything. The current track is very interesting.

Priyanka: ...Right. Anyway, so why don't you tell the readers a little bit about yourself? What are your dreams and goals?

Deepika and Vishakha: We're twin sisters.
Deepika: I want to be an actress.
Vishakha: And I want to be a screenwriter!
Deepika: I thought you wanted to be a poet?
Vishakha: Well what happened to you wanting to be a musician? [to audience]: She's a great singer.
Deepika [shrugging]: I changed my mind.
Vishakha: You're always changing your mind! And you've never even been in a play. Who's going to let you be in a serial?
Deepika: Everybody knows you just have to be good looking to be an actress. How many girls in Bollywood started out as models? I can do the same.
Vishakha: I can't believe we're twins.
Deepika: You're one to talk. You write and write in those notebooks of yours and you don't show anyone. You'll never get published if you don't try and sell it.
Vishakha: I don't need to sell my writing to know I'm good at it.
Deepika: And you think I'm delusional?


Priyanka: Okay!! So, moving on, how old are you?

Vishakha: We're 14.
Deepika: She's two minutes older than me.
Vishakha; Personally I think it's quite obvious.
Deepika: Okay Madam-ji. What are you, forty years old? "I think it's quite obvious." Stop talking like a textbook.
Vishakha: I'm going to tell Ma that you're being rude to her guests.
Deepika: Two can play that game. If you do that, I'll tell her it was actually you who taped over her favorite movie to record Bollywood's Sexiest Leading Men last week.
Vishakha: But that was you!

Priyanka: Okay, girls, let's try just one more question. What impression do you make on people when they first meet you?

Deepika: Obviously they love me.
Vishakha: Us. They love us.
Deepika: Yes, we're quite popular at school.
Vishakha: We're the only twins in Class 8. And all the boys are all flat for Deepika.
Deepika: Oh yeah,Vish,that reminds me- Rina told me the other day that Aditya Chatterjee has a crush on you.
Vishakha: Really? But wasn't he dating Anjali?
Deepika: Just to make you jealous.
Vishakha: Oh my god Deepu, I think I need a second to breathe. Adi is so cute.
Deepika: [grinning] Vishakha doesn't do so well with surprises.

Priyanka: No problem, take your time! Speaking of which, we're out of it, But I really appreciate you taking the time to join us-"

Deepika: Sunsilk. Don't forget the Sunsilk.
Vishakha: Deepu! Can't you at least wait until we're off the air?
Deepika: What? If I'm going to be an entertainment star my hair needs to look good.
Vishakha: Sometimes I question how it's possible that we share the same DNA.

Next up is rialrees! A complete list of participants can be found here.