[Writing Notes] All Madmen are Not the Same - Lili/Cecilia/Emma
Okay, first off, this contains spoilers (I don't think it's anything huge, but just saying), so if you don't want to be spoiled, wait until after chapter 16 to read it.
For reference, Lili has two alters (she has dissociative identity disorder), Cecilia (first appeared at age 10) and Emma (first appeared at age 16). If applicable, I'll answer the questions as if they are three separate characters.
Body and Appearance
Describe the character’s height and build. Is he/she heavyset, thin, short, rangy?
5'0, petite.
How old is he/she?
18
Describe his/her posture. Does he/she carry himself/herself well or does he/she slouch?
Lili: Carries herself very properly, sitting straight and walking slowly and gracefully.
Cecilia: Not necessarily a sloucher, but she tends to be somewhat curled up. A crouched, cornered animal, is the best image I can conjure.
Emma: Like a normal small child, I suppose…
How is his/her health? Is he/her fit or out of shape? Any illnesses or conditions? Any physical disabilities?
She's averagely healthy. She isn't especially fit. She has dissociative identity disorder, Cecilia had biploar II disorder, and Emma has dependent personality disorder.
How does he/she move? Is he/she clumsy, graceful, tense, fluid?
Lili: Smooth and graceful
Cecilia: Tense
Emma: Clumsy and energetic
Describe his/her complexion. Dark, light, clear, scarred?
Fair, scarred in several places, but she covers them.
Describe her/his hair: color, texture, style.
Honey blonde, very light, wispy and soft, in a bob cut with short bangs.
What color are his/her eyes?
Aquamarine
Does the character have any other noteworthy features?
No
What is the character’s wardrobe like? Casual, dressy, utilitarian? Bright colors, pastels, neutrals? Is it varied, or does she/he have six of the same suit?
Cutesy and dressy, often in colors that are contrast in saturation.
Speech
What does this character’s voice sound like? High-pitched, deep, hoarse?
I really don't want to explain it omg it's a fanfiction, she has a voice
How does he/she normally speak? Loud, soft, fast, evenly? Does he/she talk easily, or does he/she hesitate?
Lili: Soft and slowly
Cecilia: Hesitates at first, but also tends to be snappy
Emma: Quickly and soft, somewhat like a noblewoman
Does the character have a distinct accent or dialect? Any individual quirks of pronunciation? Any, like, you know, verbal tics?
No
What language/s does he/she speak, and with how much fluency?
English
Does he/she switch languages or dialects in certain situations? Does he/she curse?
No and no.
Mental and Emotional
How intelligent is this character? Is he/she book-smart or street-smart?
Lili: She loves studying and has many interests, very quick to pick up anything she wants to learn.
Cecilia: Self-portrays as very street-smart, but it's really a defensive thing.
Emma: Averagely intelligent, doesn't really have a big interest in learning.
Does he/she think on her/his feet, or does he/she need time to deliberate?
Lili: Thinks decently well on her feet, but not rash.
Cecilia: Makes very quick and often stupid decisions.
Emma: Needs a little time to think.
What kind of education has the character had?
Decent up to age 9, pulled from school and "homeschooled" (wasn't really educated that well) to hide her abuse until the Zwinglis adopted her at age 13, currently in grade 12.
What are his/her areas of expertise? What, if anything, is he/she interested in learning more about?
Okay, I'm not going to lie, I'm too lazy to fill this one in.
Is he/she an introvert or an extrovert?
Lili, Emma: extrovert
Cecilia: introvert
Describe the character’s temperament. Is he/she even-tempered or does he/she have mood swings? Cheerful or melancholy? Laid-back or driven?
Lili: Calm, cheerful and eager.
Cecilia: Irritable, tends to be a drama queen.
Emma: Generally excitable and childish.
How does he/she respond to new people or situations? Is he/she suspicious, relaxed, timid, enthusiastic?
Lili: Loves meeting people and enjoys the challenge of new situations. Generally relaxed.
Cecilia: Tends to go in to shut-down mode when faced with new things, but less so with new people, although she is somewhat socially anxious.
Emma: Very enthusiastic, much like a child.
Is he/she more likely to act, or to react?
Lili: Act
Cecilia: React
Emma: React
Which is his/her default: fight or flight?
Lili: Flight
Cecilia: Flight
Emma: Fight
Describe the character’s sense of humor. Does he/she appreciate jokes? Puns? Gallows humor? Pranks?
Lili: Modest and in general, "lady-like".
Cecilia: Doesn't really get humor.
Emma: Childish, slightly prankish.
What are his/her hopes or aspirations?
To be able to reach out and help others, not necessarily others with DID, but others in general that have mental issues and/or are unfairly stigmatized by society (woops, if there a reason Basch volunteered her to befriend Sigurd? Yes. Yes, there is.)
What is something he/she doesn’t want anyone to find out about him/her?
She generally is an open-book, but Cecilia hides a lot of the abuse that they suffered (seeing as those memories have broken off into Cecilia's persona rather than Lili).
Relationships
Describe this character’s relationship with his/her parents.
She was abused by her father, who had taken her from her mother as a toddler. Her relationship with her adoptive parents is very warm.
Does the character have any siblings? What is/was their relationship like?
Biologically, no.
Are there other blood relatives to whom he/she is close? Are there ones he/she can’t stand?
No.
Are there other, unrelated people whom he/she considers part of his or her family? What are his/her relationships with them?
No.
Who is/was the character’s best friend? How did they meet?
All of her friends were cut off from her as a child. Right now, her best friend is Basch.
Does he/she make friends easily, or does he/she have trouble getting along with people?
Lili and Emma are very good with friends, however, the other kids in school tend to ostracize her because of her DID.
Which does he/she consider more important: family or friends?
Family.
Does the character have children? Grandchildren? If yes, how does he/she relate to them? If no, does he/she want any?
Pffft, no. She doesn't know yet.
Does he/she have any rivals or enemies?
Not necessarily, but she had a lot of people who are very prejudiced against her.
Daily Life
What is the character’s financial situation? Is he rich, poor, comfortable, in debt?
Moderately rich.
Where does he/she live? House, apartment, trailer? Is his/her home his/her castle or just a place to crash? What condition is it in? Does he/she share it with others?
The Zwinglis' house is a decent sized house, but not really that big (like the Indians' houses that live in the neighborhood next to mine XDD /shot). It is her castle because it is the one place where she can be herself without judgment.
Besides the basic necessities, what does he/she spend his money on?
She has a very big love of knickknacks.
What are his/her interests or hobbies? How does he/she spend her/his free time?
(Listing all of them for all three personas) Sewing, gardening, baking, jogging, painting, clay crafts.
What are his/her eating habits? Does he/she skip meals, eat out, drink alcohol, avoid certain foods?
She has relatively stable eating habits. The family eats dinner together every night, which everyone takes part in cooking.
Associations:
Which of the following from these categories do you associate with your character, or is their favorite?
Color: Lili: Rose. Cecilia: Brick red. Emma: Mint green.
Smell: Lili: Lavender. Cecilia: Honey. Emma: White tea.
Time of day: Lili: Evening. Cecilia: Twilight. Emma: Sunrise.
Season: Lili: Summer. Cecilia: Autumn. Emma: Winter.
Place: Lili: The back garden. Cecilia: Her room. Emma: The local playground.
Memory: Lili: The first summer she spent with the Zwinglis. Cecilia: The first Thanksgiving with the Zwinglis. Emma: The first snowfall she saw (would have been almost two years ago)
Plant: Lili: Tea roses. Cecilia: Maple trees. Emma: Iris.
Animal: Lili: Deer. Cecilia: Domestic cats. Emma: Squirrels.
For reference, Lili has two alters (she has dissociative identity disorder), Cecilia (first appeared at age 10) and Emma (first appeared at age 16). If applicable, I'll answer the questions as if they are three separate characters.
Body and Appearance
Describe the character’s height and build. Is he/she heavyset, thin, short, rangy?
5'0, petite.
How old is he/she?
18
Describe his/her posture. Does he/she carry himself/herself well or does he/she slouch?
Lili: Carries herself very properly, sitting straight and walking slowly and gracefully.
Cecilia: Not necessarily a sloucher, but she tends to be somewhat curled up. A crouched, cornered animal, is the best image I can conjure.
Emma: Like a normal small child, I suppose…
How is his/her health? Is he/her fit or out of shape? Any illnesses or conditions? Any physical disabilities?
She's averagely healthy. She isn't especially fit. She has dissociative identity disorder, Cecilia had biploar II disorder, and Emma has dependent personality disorder.
How does he/she move? Is he/she clumsy, graceful, tense, fluid?
Lili: Smooth and graceful
Cecilia: Tense
Emma: Clumsy and energetic
Describe his/her complexion. Dark, light, clear, scarred?
Fair, scarred in several places, but she covers them.
Describe her/his hair: color, texture, style.
Honey blonde, very light, wispy and soft, in a bob cut with short bangs.
What color are his/her eyes?
Aquamarine
Does the character have any other noteworthy features?
No
What is the character’s wardrobe like? Casual, dressy, utilitarian? Bright colors, pastels, neutrals? Is it varied, or does she/he have six of the same suit?
Cutesy and dressy, often in colors that are contrast in saturation.
Speech
What does this character’s voice sound like? High-pitched, deep, hoarse?
I really don't want to explain it omg it's a fanfiction, she has a voice
How does he/she normally speak? Loud, soft, fast, evenly? Does he/she talk easily, or does he/she hesitate?
Lili: Soft and slowly
Cecilia: Hesitates at first, but also tends to be snappy
Emma: Quickly and soft, somewhat like a noblewoman
Does the character have a distinct accent or dialect? Any individual quirks of pronunciation? Any, like, you know, verbal tics?
No
What language/s does he/she speak, and with how much fluency?
English
Does he/she switch languages or dialects in certain situations? Does he/she curse?
No and no.
Mental and Emotional
How intelligent is this character? Is he/she book-smart or street-smart?
Lili: She loves studying and has many interests, very quick to pick up anything she wants to learn.
Cecilia: Self-portrays as very street-smart, but it's really a defensive thing.
Emma: Averagely intelligent, doesn't really have a big interest in learning.
Does he/she think on her/his feet, or does he/she need time to deliberate?
Lili: Thinks decently well on her feet, but not rash.
Cecilia: Makes very quick and often stupid decisions.
Emma: Needs a little time to think.
What kind of education has the character had?
Decent up to age 9, pulled from school and "homeschooled" (wasn't really educated that well) to hide her abuse until the Zwinglis adopted her at age 13, currently in grade 12.
What are his/her areas of expertise? What, if anything, is he/she interested in learning more about?
Okay, I'm not going to lie, I'm too lazy to fill this one in.
Is he/she an introvert or an extrovert?
Lili, Emma: extrovert
Cecilia: introvert
Describe the character’s temperament. Is he/she even-tempered or does he/she have mood swings? Cheerful or melancholy? Laid-back or driven?
Lili: Calm, cheerful and eager.
Cecilia: Irritable, tends to be a drama queen.
Emma: Generally excitable and childish.
How does he/she respond to new people or situations? Is he/she suspicious, relaxed, timid, enthusiastic?
Lili: Loves meeting people and enjoys the challenge of new situations. Generally relaxed.
Cecilia: Tends to go in to shut-down mode when faced with new things, but less so with new people, although she is somewhat socially anxious.
Emma: Very enthusiastic, much like a child.
Is he/she more likely to act, or to react?
Lili: Act
Cecilia: React
Emma: React
Which is his/her default: fight or flight?
Lili: Flight
Cecilia: Flight
Emma: Fight
Describe the character’s sense of humor. Does he/she appreciate jokes? Puns? Gallows humor? Pranks?
Lili: Modest and in general, "lady-like".
Cecilia: Doesn't really get humor.
Emma: Childish, slightly prankish.
What are his/her hopes or aspirations?
To be able to reach out and help others, not necessarily others with DID, but others in general that have mental issues and/or are unfairly stigmatized by society (woops, if there a reason Basch volunteered her to befriend Sigurd? Yes. Yes, there is.)
What is something he/she doesn’t want anyone to find out about him/her?
She generally is an open-book, but Cecilia hides a lot of the abuse that they suffered (seeing as those memories have broken off into Cecilia's persona rather than Lili).
Relationships
Describe this character’s relationship with his/her parents.
She was abused by her father, who had taken her from her mother as a toddler. Her relationship with her adoptive parents is very warm.
Does the character have any siblings? What is/was their relationship like?
Biologically, no.
Are there other blood relatives to whom he/she is close? Are there ones he/she can’t stand?
No.
Are there other, unrelated people whom he/she considers part of his or her family? What are his/her relationships with them?
No.
Who is/was the character’s best friend? How did they meet?
All of her friends were cut off from her as a child. Right now, her best friend is Basch.
Does he/she make friends easily, or does he/she have trouble getting along with people?
Lili and Emma are very good with friends, however, the other kids in school tend to ostracize her because of her DID.
Which does he/she consider more important: family or friends?
Family.
Does the character have children? Grandchildren? If yes, how does he/she relate to them? If no, does he/she want any?
Pffft, no. She doesn't know yet.
Does he/she have any rivals or enemies?
Not necessarily, but she had a lot of people who are very prejudiced against her.
Daily Life
What is the character’s financial situation? Is he rich, poor, comfortable, in debt?
Moderately rich.
Where does he/she live? House, apartment, trailer? Is his/her home his/her castle or just a place to crash? What condition is it in? Does he/she share it with others?
The Zwinglis' house is a decent sized house, but not really that big (like the Indians' houses that live in the neighborhood next to mine XDD /shot). It is her castle because it is the one place where she can be herself without judgment.
Besides the basic necessities, what does he/she spend his money on?
She has a very big love of knickknacks.
What are his/her interests or hobbies? How does he/she spend her/his free time?
(Listing all of them for all three personas) Sewing, gardening, baking, jogging, painting, clay crafts.
What are his/her eating habits? Does he/she skip meals, eat out, drink alcohol, avoid certain foods?
She has relatively stable eating habits. The family eats dinner together every night, which everyone takes part in cooking.
Associations:
Which of the following from these categories do you associate with your character, or is their favorite?
Color: Lili: Rose. Cecilia: Brick red. Emma: Mint green.
Smell: Lili: Lavender. Cecilia: Honey. Emma: White tea.
Time of day: Lili: Evening. Cecilia: Twilight. Emma: Sunrise.
Season: Lili: Summer. Cecilia: Autumn. Emma: Winter.
Place: Lili: The back garden. Cecilia: Her room. Emma: The local playground.
Memory: Lili: The first summer she spent with the Zwinglis. Cecilia: The first Thanksgiving with the Zwinglis. Emma: The first snowfall she saw (would have been almost two years ago)
Plant: Lili: Tea roses. Cecilia: Maple trees. Emma: Iris.
Animal: Lili: Deer. Cecilia: Domestic cats. Emma: Squirrels.