I focus on personality traits. In Eileen’s case I knew she’d be as awkward as they come, often to her own detriment, but she would also be brave, honourable and prepared to make considerable sacrifices for causes she considers worthy enough. So being prepared to give up what the Queen considered a privileged lifestyle for a much more humble life on Earth with a mere human male is something someone like Eileen would do without that many qualms.
I have since fleshed Eileen out physically with chestnut hair, a good figure and great skin. But I do think the physical attributes are less important (though Eileen has been known to use her physical wiles to help her cause, especially when she was living in the Kingdom). Had I been stuck for physical attributes, one good idea often repeated in writing circles is to take photos from magazines and so on and “blend” different features from pictures you like to create your heroine.
I’ve found it helpful to “see” my heroine in action, doing things, speaking (and getting a good idea of her voice did help give me her class and as a result ideas as to what she’d look like – she’d be unlikely to be a blonde bimbo) and from that other aspects of Eileen’s life, including her looks, fall into place.
Do you believe in writers’ block?
No. I do think it’s normal for writers to have days when the words flow easily and others when they don’t. On latter days, I find it helpful to just write my diary or edit a piece I’m working on rather than write something new. I know others say write anything and I do sometimes have brainstorming sessions where I do just put anything that comes into my head into my notebooks. Writers write – even if some days not much comes out or if it all has to be scrapped/improved later on.
What do you think of computer spell and grammar checkers?
I could be very rude here but I’ll refrain. These checkers must be seen as aids only. Never, ever rely on their total accuracy. They will not pick up on words with the same sound that are spelt correctly but are not what you meant to put in (for example shore and sure, sew and so). My grammar checker for reasons best known to itself doesn’t like the word “their”. It wants me to put in “his or her” every time, which is hardly the most elegant writing in the world. Always have a decent dictionary close to hand and a grammar/English usage guide. I use the Concise Oxford Dictionary and Thesaurus and Elements of Style. One good thing about grammar checkers is they are generally against the passive voice (though for a writer where some passive use is appropriate this can also be very irritating).