ABOUT ZORA -IN DEPTH PROFILE
Name: Zora Andrews
Zodiac Sign: Virgo
Age: 26 - soon to be 27
Family background: Talk about the parents. The siblings. The rich uncle who’s going to leave your MC a fortune when he dies. If they’re relevant, write about them. Write down everything you’d say if I asked you to talk about your family.
Zora has a mother and father that she has lost contact with during her travels. She has tried to call them every so often to moderate success. But now she feels pretty alone - disconnected from her hometown and the world at large. Her older brother has luckily managed to get away from this peculiar unnamed small town. She doesn’t care to speak its name anymore and wouldn’t be surprised if she ended up back there again. And probably not too accepting of the effects of staying in the small town for so long. Her mother is a rather eclectic lady that she tends to take after in her interest in the supernatural and bizarre though it’s pretty apparent from her academic father who tends to do a lot more of the at-home things these days since retiring, that she has a drive to be more organized.
Relationship with family: Zora has always been a little closer with her mother since childhood where she would accompany her practically everywhere. Including to some meetings with rather unusual figures that the ‘local authorities’ would probably her not mention or believe exist whatsoever. However, she does like spending some time with her dad though it tends to mostly consist of laying back and catching the radio and speculating over what is actually going on in regards to the city council. And whether or not a dragon could be mayor.
Physical
Overall description: Do it as thoroughly as possible. Describe the build/body type and the facial features. Add a few pictures or names. (I write things like ‘think of a Dianna Agron when writing about her legs’, and that’s a much better reference than any long essays.)
Light-skinned African American girl with shoulder length curly hair. Though she could appear to be of a more mixed background. A small round nose and full lips. Generally a bit on the leaner side of things though that doesn’t preclude from having a small amount of curves to her body.
[I just think of Britne Oldford. that is who I have in my head]
Height: You don’t need to be specific here. But having a notion of the character’s height will give you a notion of how they handle the world. (FYCD, I guess, has a post about that somewhere.) It’s not the time yet to say how they feel about it, though.
Approximately 5'5. Not too far off from average though her habit of not wearing too many heels doesn’t really help with that situation.
Hair colour/style: Pictures are welcome, too. Dark brown and curly with light brown highlights
Eye colour: * Brown though they flash white when rather upset.
These last three points may be added to the overall description, but I keep them separated because it makes it easier to find the specific informations.
Wardrobe: How’s your character’s style? What is their favourite outfit? (We all have those.) What kind of shoes they wear? Our clothes reflect our personalities more than we realize. You can skip it and answer this one after outlining the personality, if you need.
Accessories: Jewellery, tattoos, piercings. Even the ones your character dreams about getting.
Zora’s style is very much casual and yet she mixes it up somewhat. She likes button-downs with the sleeves rolled-up and jeans. This she will usually wear with colorful sneakers and accessories. She rather likes hoodies, generally the more patterned and strange the better. As for accessories, she wears large clunky bracelets. On her upper back towards the right, she has a tattoo of mathematical pattern that she forgets the exact title of those sorts of neat illustrations.
Grooming: * Does your character wear make-up? What kind/How much/When? If it’s a man, how is his beard? Does he shave every morning, or only because of work? If it’s a woman, how does she feel about waxing/shaving?
She generally goes light on the make-up reserving it to lipgloss and maybe eyeliner if she feels putting in the effort. Some days it’s only chapstick. As for waxing/shaving, she doesn’t really care for it and doesn’t exactly have a lot of hair outside of her head and thus generally leaves it alone. She does trim on a regular basis though.
Mannerisms: Try to go further than ‘she bites her nails’. When/why does she? If you find it necessary, you can briefly describe how they feel about it. I mean, I bite my nails and feel bad about it because I wanted them long, so it seems natural to me that a character would feel something too.
Zora gestures a lot when she talks especially when she gets rather enthusiastic. It’s almost as if words and expressions aren’t nearly enough to express the feelings that she goes through during those times. She’s quite aware of it and tries to keep it under control in a professional setting or meeting someone for the first time. But friends will see the full extent of the gestures..that may or may not include shaking others in excitement now and again.
She also has a tendency to fiddle with her clothing when she’s nervous. She often finds herself confused as to what she should do with her hands and that is a common reaction that she has.
Intellectual
Educational background: As most of my characters are in college, I focus mainly in their academic life. What kind of school they went to and how this experience was for them? I also say what college they’re at, if they got in at the first attempt (it’s not that common in Brazil), if they tried another major before (Brazil works differently than US and you must go through the whole ‘selective process’ to change your major) and what their major is. If your character has an impressive IQ, you’ll find a chance to mention that here.
Zora has graduated with a degree in Graphic Design for University of Advancing Technology. She hadn’t mind not being on campus since she has more than enough things going on at home and with work. She’s a very smart girl though she hasn’t had her IQ tested and probably would never do so thinking that those tests are hardly ever appropriately accurate for most. Considering going into literature but might just pursue a small minor just for the interest of it.
Now she isn’t entirely sure what she wants to do with her life - having spent a few years in and out of different realms. She makes art based of what she has seen and what she has dreamt. Maybe she’ll go into writing a little bit more now.
If your character is older, you can skip this question and answer the ‘Vocational’ ones instead.
Personality: Now the zodiac sign may be relevant, if you care about it - if you don’t, blame the ascendant or something. The personality of a character is the hardest part for me to build before they ‘come to life’, and I must confess I can only have a good notion of what to write here after having written with them for a while. The level of self-confidence fits in here, too. Try to keep in mind that someone’s personality usually has a huge influence on professional choices - therefore, it’ll justify the major/profession.
A little bit of an introvert, Zora generally has a pretty bright personality which shows just from the way she carries herself. She tends to have energy at most times. It’s conveyed through the way she’s willing to smile at practically anyone she meets and is pretty kind to new people. However, she doesn’t exactly trust all that easily and it takes a while for someone to get to know her fully. She tends to be a somewhat sarcastic and the more impatient she gets, the more obvious this is. To the point that her remarks can be very cutting. But usually, it’s at a level that it’s more amusing than hurtful.
She’s naturally curious about people yet doesn’t exactly consider herself nosy. She likes to know what is going on but never more than what newcomers are willing to tell her. Of course when it comes to her hometown it’s different since there are always layers and layers of things to figure out. Even if she perhaps shouldn’t. Time has changed her to the fact that she no longer really asks too many questions about people. She’s willing to learn and maintains a small bit of curiosity - but it’s no longer the same. When she is upset, she gets rather quiet and most of her expression comes from how she uses her face which can say a lot of words even with completely silent.
She tends to get a little emotionally invested in people rather quickly- even f she has just met them. As a result, she often finds herself extra wounded when people are hurting are attempt to hurt her. She may not have thought they were friends right away but she couldn’t help but at least feel a little something for the person.
Sensitive or analytic? How does your character perceive the world?
She’s sensitive and while she does employ some logic, Zora has lost track of any possible expectations that she has had about the world around her. It seems to change every day and she’s not sure if she’s fascinated or scared by them. Her perception tends to be unreliable just because she is no longer confident in certain ideas being true or otherwise. Things tend to seem very vivid in her mind and her active imagination has set of various scenarios for the so-called ‘mundane’.
Makes decisions based mostly on emotions or on logic?
Decisions on logic. Despite being sensitive, the way she was raised has instilled in Zora a strong sense of thinking before she acts. Of course, there are some impulsive decisions that she has made and will continue to make no matter what, but still, at least, tries to weigh the consequences of an action when she comes across something.
Cautious or daring?
Daring
Optimist or pessimist?
Optimist - a lot more cautious about it now.
Extrovert or introvert?
A little more towards the introvert. Once comfortable, she’s pretty sociable all in all.
Again, these questions could be answered in Personality, but I kept them separated because it’s easier to find the answers.
Gifts/talents:Use with care. This is where disasters are born.
Zora has pretty illustrative skills especially in digital mediums. But if you got a look at her traditional work, even it ist’s sketches they’re pretty impressive. Though her subjects tends to be rather bizarre visions and dreams that she has. Though she figures that it’s not entirely uncommon given where she came from. Besides who needs sleep. Rather intelligent and she has modest singing skill. No professional but not entirely unpleasant either.
Over the years, she has managed to develop a few gifts for entering and exiting different realms - she never knows where she will end up - and this sometimes happens in her sleep. It usually makes for very awkward situations. Additionally, she channels a few of her artistic talents into the world around her - being able to create illusions based on color and energy. It remains unknown whether if she can use these projections as a means to grab objects and/or people. She remembers her mother being able to do so - therefore, there is a chance she retains this same ability, she’s just been to scared to actually test it in public though.
Shortcomings :Try to keep a balance between the gifts and the shortcomings, but use this field with care, too. Compensating superhuman gifts with devilish flaws can be just as disastrous.
Can be rather impatient and prone to giving people the cold shoulder when something doesn’t work out. Occasionally rather callous about the danger in a given situation, more likely to find it interesting.“Perhaps another subject!” And if angered, her eyes flash until they are completely white and she emits a rather unpleasant aura to those around her that may or may not inflict some sensitive psychological damage. Oh encounter with strange beings when she was 10, what have you done to her. And the fact that her mother has some rather hidden changes suggest that this might not be the end of it for her.
Additionally, Zora is a bit blunt about her tone so that directness can come a little too close to home. And the aforementioned sarcasm has been taken to rather cutting levels before. And is likely to do so again. Likely to purposely ignore people if they don’t catch her attention right away.
Style of speech:This reflects the personality, the educational level, the social status, the place where your character is from and much more.Talk about accents. If they speak clearly or not. If they curse or prefer to use more ‘polite’ words. Does your character use a more technical vocabulary all the time? Is he or she a loud speaker?
Zora sounds like she’s from the southwest but she doesn’t exactly have a tone that one would expect from being in a small town. She speaks rather clearly and freely curses when things are frustrating. Or just casually, though she generally tries to keep her language relatively clean. She has a large vocabulary from reading a lot when younger and this shows through in the word choices that she makes. She gets louder when she is excited but generally has a pleasant, level and cheerful speaking voice.
Life philosophy: I usually pick a quote for that.
Stay alive and have fun. Avoid parks that may contain canines.
Religious stance: Includes the character’s relationship with (other) religions.
Generally indifferent to religion, she might playfully look up parody-religions to see what they’re all about and adopt a few phrases from there now and again. Pretty much an apatheist over all though.
Biggest vulnerability: The fact that she doesn’t really know exactly what she wants to do with her life though it has to do with art. Her feelings about finally leaving her hometown - she isn’t sure if she regrets this decision or not. It makes her rather self-conscious. Some self-confidence issues since she is considerably more reserved than she projects herself as and this whole process is terribly draining at times.
She is pretty scared of the future at times - she feels aimless and alienated. And she doesn’t know if that means she should return to her home own or just keep on the move for the rest of her (extended) existence. This fear has been exacerbated by the reality of the one sure thing she had her family had been hiding a major fact from her. The betrayal has left her feeling increasingly alienated to the point of being tempted to truly self-isolate herself.
Relationships
How does he/she see relationships? * I have all kinds of characters, from the one who overrates freedom and thinks relationships are prisons to the one who isn’t sure if he knows how to be single. Sometimes, like these two, they’re supposed to be a couple, so I have to know exactly what sacrifices I’m asking from each of them in order to make it work. Try to give an explanation for those views, if possible.
Zora is open to relationships but isn’t exactly gunning for one. She has been in a few, while trying to figure who exactly she is even attracted to in general. I think she finds them interesting although a little scary because it’s hard for her to try and reveal so much of herself. She doesn’t know how people will react to her in-born oddities and inhuman traits. Gives her more time to draw and pursue her interests. However, she wouldn’t mind if some nice guy came along who could deal with the strangeness to spend some company strolling the city and talking about where they draw inspiration for projects from. As for why she feels this way, perhaps the fact that she knows that her parents didn’t really rush into a relationship has provided her a stable model as for how to deal with this sort of situation. Just go with whatever happens.
Current relationship status: Single.
Sexual orientation: There is a whole spectrum between straight and gay, and I have characters in many of those spots. Knowing the difference between bi-curiousness, heteroflexibility and bisexuality - and knowing which characters are in each group - makes a huge difference when you’re writing about their sexualities. If not straight, is your character in the closet? If yes, why? If not, how did he/she come out?
Zora does not really have a label for how she identifies anymore. Chances are that she could fall comfortably within the idea of being a biromantic grey-ace. But she really wouldn’t say that for her self since these kind of issues aren’t really relevant to her anymore.
She only managed to come out after her first break-up. She found that she was attracted at least a little bit to people other than men - and so biromantic seemed to work at the moment.
Primary reason for being broken up with: We all have flaws, right? And we’ve gone through that already. But there are some flaws that only exist when you’re in a relationship. What is your character’s biggest in-relationship flaw?
The fact that she’s more than willing to leave at any time. She can commit sure - but if a break-up happens, it will almost appear like it didn’t mean that much to her in the first place.
Primary reason for breaking up: Like with the flaws, we all have pet peeves that only appear in relationships. What is that one thing your character can’t stand?
She can’t stand those who are closed-minded, it will probably annoy her to no end since she will feel like that person can never accept the true extent of herself.
How does he/she see sex? * Sex is an important part of every romantic relationship - even if it doesn’t happen. But what is the importance of sex for the character? From waiting until marriage to thinking it’s not a big deal, where do they fit?
Zora doesn’t see it as a big deal whatsoever. She’s gotten some experience and tends to enjoy it when she has it. So she’s capable of having fun with it. But it is not something that she needs, it’s just a casual desire- which she has gone without and will be open to being without for some time. She’s much more interested in emotional closeness in general - any physical intimacy is a plus. It’s just not terribly important to her to be happy with someone.
Story of first kiss: It always means something, even if will end up being just a story about how terrible it was. Write that.
About 12 years old, Zora had been idly crushing on this youth that she would work with on projects during art class. One day, they had been working on something together and she tried to kiss him - telling him that it was something that she had saw in her dreams. Neither one of them knew what they were doing so it was more of a matter of trying not to smash too many teeth together if they can help it. It was a little awkward and they didn’t really pursue anything afterwards but she does remember it as being something of a fairly sweet moment.
Story of loss of virginity: Required, unless your character is a virgin. Try to remember not everyone will have a perfect first time. Someone will end up doing it drunk in the bathroom of a dance club.
Zora only remembers getting involved with her ex for the first time. And honestly, she misses him dearly and regrets leaving him - probably wonders how he is doing now and if he had moved on.
Is he/she a social person? There are social introverts. It’s for this people that this question exists.
Zora is definitely a social person. Despite being a little quiet initially, she always tries to be friendly because she genuinely likes meeting new people and finding out their stories.
How important are friends form him/her?
Friends are very important as outside of family, they’re the only relations that she has. She holds her friends that she makes rather closely and tends to rely on them as confidantes. Because why not have someone that she can share secrets and suspicions with. Though the secret police always listening don’t exactly count as friends.
Vocation - Freelance illustrator for 23.00/hour.
Profession:
Past occupations: You don’t need a full resume with companies and years and all that. But it’s useful to know how your multimillionaire playboy philanthropist became the CEO of his own company at the age of 27.
Music shop assistant
Library assistant
Museum greeter
Illustrator
Attitude towards current job: Is it your character’s dream job, or is he/she doing it because there’s no other choice? Do they wake up everyday and curse themselves for not quitting, or do they love what they do?
As for illustrating, she likes what she does quite a bit and now finds herself able to do what she wishes with her job without additional income. At least the money she has saved up over the years of traveling and working little odd jobs in her travels helped her build up a solid amount of savings.
Attitude towards current co-workers, bosses, employees: How are your character’s in-work relationships? Remember that hating your boss is no excuse to be rude to him.
Co-workers at the shop, Zora tends to talk to them quite a bit and considers a few to be close friends as they can get off of work and go get food together. A few of them get together to listen to the radio and chat about the happenings when she’s not visiting her dad about the topic.
Salary: A quick Google search can give you accurate information on how much your character can earn in the real world. Roughly 45,000 per year.
Secrets: Well when she was 10, Zora had accompanied her mother to yet another unusual meeting in the desert and had found herself exposed to quite a dangerous..energy? Her mother afterwards had warned that it might provoke some strange physical representations over time. Which she more or less embraced as being typical area weirdness..so far this has only resulted in the white eyes and psychically haunting auras sent out when highly upset.
Other the years the physical strangeness has branched out to include: moving tattoos, the ability to make colors project from her body, literally lighting up in color, some weird teleportation thing. It is now believe that the traits did not come from the exposure, those were inherited traits but the exposure only made them reveal themselves earlier then they would have naturally. (it probably would have been around puberty if not for the accident.)
She has been known to talk to her sentient shadow on a regular basis when she’s bored though.
Greatest fears/phobias: From being afraid of spiders to fearing being unsuccessful. (Does this word even exist?) Fear of rejection, fear of aimlessness and not finding a purpose in life.
Life goals/dreams: Have a comfortable and happy life exploring the bizarre and illustrating to her heart’s content.
Compulsions/obsessions: The supernatural, paranormal and outright surreal.
Secret hobbies: Trying to run into a hooded figure. She would sincerely like to talk to them one of these days,
Secret skills: Be. Careful.
What does he/she most want to change about his/her current life? She would like to hang out with a few more people and find some kind of direction because she honestly isn’t sure what the hell she is doing.
What does he/she most want to change about his/her appearance? Perhaps just be a little more good-looking in general. She’s cute but she’s kind of weirdly anxious about not looking a bit older. Then again perhaps she might not worry as much as more the effects of her early exposure kicks in. Look good or look strange. Both if she can help it.
Details
Daily routine: It includes what they do in the weekends. Zora gets up at about 7 and works on projects for clients until about noon. Takes a break and works until 5-6 each evening. Some days that she works later, others she doesn’t have as much that she needs to do - but it really depends.
Night owl or early bird? I guess a night owl
Light or heavy sleeper? If you need to, sleepwalking and insomnia can be added here. Zora doesn’t seem to sleep very much but it seems to be common to her original town. if rumors of citizens pretending to sleep rather actually doing so are true. At least they are for her, but she gets enough visions at night to at least feel like she’s dreamed.
Try to be as general as possible in the next few questions. Unless your character has a particular taste for Fettuccine Alfredo, you’ll probably be just fine with saying ‘Italian’, when you have to talk about food. Use extra attention in the questions about movies/books/songs. You don’t want to date your story unnecessarily. Or the copyright issues.
Favourite cuisine/food: Japanese
Favourite type of book/author/book: Science-fiction, horror, fantasy. Been reading a lot of Lovecraft and Lovecraft-inspired works.
Favourite type of movie/director/movie: Science-fiction and horror movies. But she is a lot more fond of psychological horror than straight out gore.
Favourite musical style/artist/song: likes indie and some electropop. Occasionally rap. Keeps her music taste kind of dream-like and ethereal. Though she has also has a nice collection of new wave records.
Type of car he/she drives/wants to drive: Your dream car says a lot about your personality. If you have a character who can afford it, give it to them. Also, if he/she can’t, write how they feel about the car they do own.
She has a small grey car for longer trips should she choose to make them. She’s not really too picky about cars since she bikes to a lot of her regular places anyways in the first place.
Lefty or righty? Right.
Favourite colour: Many people think it’s irrelevant, but you make lots of choices (especially, though not exclusively, wardrobe-related) based on your favourite colour. I have a friend whose favourite colour is orange and drives a red car, and I could bet it’s because an orange car is too uncommon for him and red is the closest normal option. There’s a big chance that, if you take a look at the past questions, this answer will come easily.
Bright blue and purple.
Smoker/drinker/drug user? College experimenting counts here.
Sometimes smokes hookah sticks. That’s the extent of her use personally though if someone offers some experimental stuff, she can’t say that she’ll definitely refuse whatsoever. Perhaps makes her ‘dreams’ even more fascinating..or dangerous.
OOC trait: Everyone has an out-of-character trait. What is your character’s? (I’ve written about it on my other Tumblr, if you want a lo
Zora’s seems like the type to just be constantly looking and seeking out new information but will unexpectedly shut down and withdraw at moments where it will seem rather random for her to do so. Sometimes that withdrawal is purposeful as she has found out something unwillingly that she didn’t really want to know which is reflected in a rather uncomfortable expression on her face. Or it’s because she’s dug herself too deep in the situation and is now wanting to get out ASAP. Or it could be at random.
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