In-depth Questions for Writers of Angels or Angel-like Characters
(1.) What species/type is your character? (e.g. cherub, astral being, common angel, archangel, seraph, etc.) Name one physical characteristic or personality trait of your character that identifies them as that species or type.
(2.) Is your character canon or an OC? If they are a canon character, what is your character from and why did you feel compelled to write them? If they are an OC, what was your inspiration for creating them? What made you decide to bring your character to Tumblr?
(3.) Does your character adhere to any sort of pre-established religion (Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, etc.) or canon mythos (from a book, movie, anime, etc.)? If yes, how much of it enters into your writing of your muse? If not, are there other supporting characters or background information that you’ve created for your muse?
(4.) How many pairs of wings does your character have? Describe them physically. Does your character have an emotional attachment to their wings? Could your character survive major injuries to their wings (e.g. breaking bones or even having one severed?) Do they enjoy flying? Can they retract their wings and make them invisible to humans, or are they always physically present?
(5.) Angels in various religions are not always good and kind guardians or helpers. Some are vengeful, violent, or rebellious. What is your character’s personality like and is it within the realm of what one might expect from their particular species/culture?
(6.) In modern cinema and books, Christian angels have struggled with obedience to their god. Some blindly follow orders, some follow orders reluctantly or bitterly, and other choose to defy their orders. Does your character answer to a higher power or powers? What is their relationship with this higher power? Are they an obedient follower or do they feel oppressed? If they are obedient, is that obedience forced or voluntary? If they do not serve a higher power, is there some moral code or other set of rules they follow or do they just wing it (no pun intended, haha)?
(7.) Is your character capable of any magic (e.g. healing, smiting evil, etc.)? If so, where does the power come from, themselves, their environment, or a higher power? If not, what is their opinion of magic? Would they ever want to be capable of it if they could learn?
(8.) Does your character get along with others of their kind? What about with humans? Are there any creatures, people, or beings your character will not associate with? Why or why not?
(9.) One significant aspect of angel lore is the concept of the Fall. Is it possible for your character to fall from grace? If so, are they worried about that potentially happening to them? If they were to go through a Fall, what would happen to them? Are there physical or spiritual changes or consequences that would result? Is atonement possible after a Fall?
(10.) Does your character fight? If so, does your character use weapons? Wear armor? Do they take on a leadership role during a battle or are they more solitary or low ranking? Describe your character’s fighting style. If your character does not fight, what is the reason (fear, pacifism, etc.)? Is there any situation in which they could be made to fight?
(11.) What is your character’s default time period? Have you ever written your character outside of that time period? If so, what things about your character change according to the time they live in? If not, would you ever consider writing them in a different time period?
(12.) What is the extent of your character’s natural potential lifespan? Short, long? Are they immortal? Invincible? Can they be killed, and if so, what are the most effective methods? What is their life expectancy? For example, is it likely that they will live a long life or do dangers in their world or personal life make it likely that they will die before their time? If your character may die young, how do they feel about that? Does it affect how they live their lives? If they are immortal and/or invincible, do they consider that a blessing or a curse?
(13.) In various lore, angels can be gendered, genderless, genderfluid, or hermaphroditic. What is your character’s physical gender? Is that the same as or different from the gender they identify as mentally and personality-wise? What is your character’s sexual orientation? In some cases, angels are forbidden to mate with humans (or even just mortals in general) and may be punished for doing so. What is your character’s opinion on mating with mortals? Would they ever do it themselves? Are they accepting of half-blooded characters or do they shun them?
(14.) Angels can be pretty damn arrogant sometimes, depending on the mythos/religion involved. Does your character think they are better than others simply because they are an angel or are of an angelic nature? If so, does this perceived superiority manifest as arrogance or as something more constructive? If not, why?
(15.) Introduce us to another character with which yours is very familiar. This can be another muse on Tumblr, a character from their canon material, or a character in their background story. What is/was the relationship between the two characters? What effects does/did this character have on your character’s life? Are they still in contact with this character? If so, how do you see their relationship changing over time? If not, what caused the separation?