✎ character survey → mostly complete.
Body and Appearance
1. Describe the character's height and build. Is she heavyset, thin, short, rangy?
Jules is about 5'6" - a little taller than average, but certainly not any kind of badass amazon woman. She's not especially dainty, either, but she does try to run a few times a week, so she keeps herself in shape.
2. How old is she?
27
3. Describe her posture. Does she carry herself well or does she slouch?
Good posture! It's relaxed and easy-going rather than rigid or tense, though, if that makes sense. She usually carries herself well, though she might slack if she is lounging around. If she's drunk or hungover, the good posture disappears into being slumped over tables or against walls.
4. How is her health? Is she fit or out of shape? Any illnesses or conditions? Any physical disabilities?
She's rather healthy, for the most part - the running cannot, sadly, counter the effects of her smoking and drinking, so she's hardly a paragon of good health, but she at least tries to eat well. She doesn't have any illness or physical disabilities, but... she is allergic to cats, if that counts as a condition?
5. How does she move? Is she clumsy, graceful, tense, fluid?
Happily, if that makes sense. She usually looks rather relaxed and has a happy bounce in her step. Graceful, yes, but not immune to occasional clumsiness. She is quite expressive in her movements and inclined to gesturing, and they can seem pretty free, most of the time. If she gets nervous or upset, she tries to keep it under control but it can become apparent by her motions tensing and becoming rather more limited and close to her body.
6. How attractive is this character physically? How does she perceive herself in the mirror?
Jules is rather attractive. She's not some sort of desirable goddess of raburabu, but she is pretty and fairy self-confident. That said, she does put a lot of care into her appearance, most of the time, and it can be a source of insecurity sometimes, much as it can with anyone. Basically: she's not impervious to that sort of insecurity, but she isn't plagued by it any more than the average person.
7. Describe her complexion. Dark, light, clear, scarred?
Her complexion is clear and fair, although she tans fairly easily. It's healthy, for the most part, although it can look rather less radiant after a night of heavy drinking or if she is stressing out and smoking more than usual. Lady moisturises a lot, though.
8. Describe her hair: color, texture, style.
Jules hair is just past her shoulders, and it's pretty straight, for the most part - sometimes she styles it to have waves in it. Mostly she just wears it down or ties it up pretty simply, especially for running. IT IS BROWN. Awww yeah, exciting.
9. What color are her eyes?
8|b Brown
10. Does the character have any other noteworthy features?
She smiles a lot. A lot! She also often has sunglasses around, be she wearing them or just fidding with them. Jules also gesticulates a lot, sometimes making her easy to spot from a distance. Apart from those, there's nothing much.
11. What are her chief tension centers?
Chest, upper back, shoulder blades, neck. She gets nasty tension headaches on occasion, although she tries really hard to appear relaxed and groovy all the time. Sometimes the plan just doesn't work.
12. What is the character's wardrobe like? Casual, dressy, utilitarian? Bright colors, pastels, neutrals? Is it varied, or does she have six of the same suit?
Her wardrobe is pretty extensive and has a lot of range - she wears things to suit the seasons, but cheery, light colours are her favourites. She's fond of accessories - sunglasses (in any weather), sometmes hats, she almost always has at least one or two bracelets on each wrist, always wears earrings. Her clothes are pretty and well put together, but she doesn't really have anything that appears conservative.
13. Do her clothes fit well? Does she seem comfortable in them?
YES. TO BOTH.
14. Does she dress the same on the job as she does in her free time? If not, what are the differences?
She writes novels, so yes, although if she is just curled up with coffee and writing she might be a bit more casual or... just hang out in her pajamas.
15. You knew it was coming: Boxers, briefs or commando?
BEAUTIFUL LACY THINGS. Except for when she's wearing boycut stuff and sports bras, idk.
Speech
1. What does this character's voice sound like? High-pitched, deep, hoarse?
2. How does she normally speak? Loud, soft, fast, evenly? Does she talk easily, or does she hesitate?
She talks quite fast, a habit that was solidified more after years in London. She's pretty animated when she talks, so her tone and volume and emphasis can vary. Talking is pretty easy for her, if she hesitates it's usually because she is uncertain or upset or thinking something over, or for humourous effect.
3. Does the character have a distinct accent or dialect? Any individual quirks of pronunciation? Any, like, you know, verbal tics?
4. What language/s does she speak, and with how much fluency?
Her first language is English, which she speaks very well. She can speak a little French and Spanish, but her French is rusty and limited at best, and claiming to be able to speak Spanish in a conversational way at all is sort of foolish optimism.
5. Does she switch languages or dialects in certain situations?
Not really, unless she is traveling and thus attempting to speak French.
6. Is she a good impromptu speaker, or does she have to think about her words?
She can certainly talk a lot on the spur of the moment, but what she says won't always be especially sensible. She's funny and sort of... bouncy and out there, so talking a lot comes easily to her. Sometimes she'll muse over something before speaking, but she isn't really the sort for long silences.
7. Is she eloquent or inarticulate? Under what circumstances might this change?
Eloquent! This might change when she is drunk. :|
Mental and Emotional
1. How intelligent is this character? Is she book-smart or street-smart?
She's intelligent and went to good schools. Her intelligence is probably more book smart, although that isn't to say she's naive or ignorant in other regards; rather, she can be very aware, but tries to hardest to view things optimistically and convey that image, even if it is not realistic.
2. Does she think on her feet, or does she need time to deliberate?
A bit of both. She can think on her feet, but it depends on the scenario, and she tends to to better when she has a chance to deliberate. If she is hit with something unexpected, her kneejerk reaction is to try and play it off as a joke or say it isn't a big deal - this is especially true of unpleasant social situations and passive aggression.
With the chance to deliberate and think things over, Jules can become sad and depressed, but it can also give her a chance to put together a solid response, so the context really depends. Basically she is confident and capable enough to think on hr feet, but the results are generally not her best, especially if she feels sad or guilty about something.
3. Describe the character's thought process. Is she more logical, or more intuitive? Idealistic or practical?
In regards, she is illogical, trying to put a positive and happy spin on things rather than being honest and realistic, as if being happy about things or by glossing over them, those problems won't matter or hurt. She is not totally absurd - she can be realistic and sensible, and even very serious. In a way, it's her capacity for one extreme that drives her to the other. She can pick things apart and worry over them for ages; simply trying to keep them at bay and look on the bright side is just... it's surely better for everyone, right?
Essentially, she tries to be emotionally freer than she really is, and sometimes it just backfires and makes her sadder. Boo, feelings.
4. What kind of education has the character had?
She's had a pretty expensive education - private primary school (all girls), private secondary school (co-ed) and then attending an esteemed university in London. It was rather more directed at the arts and languages as she discovered her tastes, although she had an early interest in the law that was sparked by her father's career.
5. What are her areas of expertise? What, if anything, is she interested in learning more about?
Writing terrible smutty novels. ... Yeah.
She'd like to write more serious novels that she was willing to admit to writing and that she could tell her parents about, but these are sort of a guilty pleasure.
6. Is she an introvert or an extrovert?
Extrovert. he can have more introverted times, but for the most part she is confident and outgoing, even if this isn't 100% genuine all the time.
7. Describe the character's temperament. Is she even-tempered or does she have mood swings? Cheerful or melancholy? Laid-back or driven?
Jules' temperament is a little tricky to describe. She's not really depressed, but things can hurt her quite deeply. She just won't show it. Despite this tendency, though, she tries not to let it dominate her and feels guilty for being down when her life has been relatively trouble free. She is very expressive, which can make efforts to veil her sadness tricky, but it's something that has gotten easier over time. Focusing on the happy things helps her, and sometimes she sends up her own moods to make fun of herself and keep situations light. This can be less effective if she's in a bad mood.
8. How does she respond to new people or situations? Is she suspicious, relaxed, timid, enthusiastic?
She tends to react to new people and situations with a sort of... aggressive cheerfulness and optimism. She can be thrown and bewildered, but usually her default is to just try to make the best of everything. Everything. Her over-eagerness may be off-putting.
9. Is she more likely to act, or to react?
Act, often. She can be a bit domineering, but if she's relaxed and chill she is happy to react and go with the flow.
10. Which is her default: fight or flight?
Depends. Sometimes flight, but if it's something she cares about - like with her brother - she'll fight. She might just be more passive aggressive than out and out BRIIINNGG IIIITTTT.
11. Describe the character's sense of humor. Does she appreciate jokes? Puns? Gallows humor? Bathroom humor? Pranks?
She's quite witty, or at the very least, can appreciate wit. Sometimes things go over her head for a moment, but then she usually gets it.
Jules is a great fan of (friendly) sarcasm, black humour and dry humour. She can appreciate puns. Toilet humour is less to her tastes, but it's probably she'll still laugh unless it's really gross, and then she'll just cover her face with her hands.
12. Does the character have any diagnosable mental disorders? If yes, how does she deal with them?
Nope.
13. What moments in this character's life have defined her as a person?
Just being raised wealthy shaped her a lot, but in terms of major moments, a blow out with India about being wealthy and spoiled impacted her a lot, and then realising she was attracted to Daisy was a big deal. Getting dumped for being bisexual also had a big impact, she's still not really over how much that hurt, despite acting fine about it.
14. What does she fear?
Bees. Roaches. Leeches. Needles. Horrible diseases that her brother talks about.
More significantly, being alone or isolated.
15. What are her hopes or aspirations?
Jules just really wants to be happy and other people to be happy. She'd like her brother to be happy, despite his horrible taste, and she'd like her parents to be a little more understanding. So far as professionally, she'd like to write a book she isn't ashamed to put her name to.
16. What is something she doesn't want anyone to find out about her?
SMUTTY ROMANCE NOVELS sob
Relationships
1. Describe this character's relationship with her parents.
Good, mostly. Jules' parents are very supportive, although they don't really now how to deal with her bisexuality. It makes them a bit uncomfortable, and her mother has commented that it would be easier if she'd just commit one way or the other, which was pretty... upsetting, as one can imagine. Mostly they get along well, and they do love her, it's just an awkward issue that she tends to ignore.
2. Does the character have any siblings? What is/was their relationship like?
Brother - Freddie, who is four years older. They have a good relationship, although Freddie is much more understated and quiet, where Jules is talkative and out there. He's a bit shy, in some regards, and Jules is quite protective of him. She's frustrated with him for being engaged to a vicious she-devil and apparently being more invested in Poppy than in his relationship with his sister, but they get along better now that Poppy's ploy to get her to move out is more in the past.
3. Are there other blood relatives to whom she is close? Are there ones she can't stand?
Her mother is an only child, but her father has a couple of sisters who both have children. Jules likes her cousins, but they live further away so she's not terribly familiar with them. She is very fond of her grandparents, though.
4. Are there other, unrelated people whom she considers part of her family? What are her relationships with them?
Jules considers her friends from primary and secondary school as family. India and Sarah she's known since she was very young (and Ben, Sarah's brother) and even when they're far apart, they keep in regular contact. Vijay and Ben joined their circle in secondary school, and she's very close to both of them, and Daisy is family, although Jules still has some attraction to her, so calling her family is a little awkward. She's close enough, though! And then there is Greg, who is definitely family.
5. Who is/was the character's best friend? How did they meet?
The above are all close friends, but her best friends will forever be India and Sarah, and more recently, Greg. The girls have been together since primary school, but Jules met Greg at a bar where he was working.
6. Does she have other close friends?
SHE DOES but I sort of crammed them all into family, because Jules is v. attached.
7. Does she make friends easily, or does she have trouble getting along with people?
Jules is very outgoing and social and eager to meet people. She can be a bit offputting, purely because she's so intensely cheerful and out there, which can take a bit of getting used to until she sort of chills out a bit.
8. Which does she consider more important: family or friends?
Well... her closest friends are basically family, so :| SHE COULD NEVER CHOOSE.
9. Is the character single, married, divorced, widowed? Has she been married more than once?
Single.
10. Is she currently in a romantic relationship with someone other than a spouse?
NO.
11. Who was her first crush? Who is her latest?
Her first crush... well, she and Ben made out a bunch in high school, so probably him, although it was a very casual, silly thing. Her first big crush was Daisy, which took her a long time to even think about acting on because ahhhhh a giiirrrrlll. Her most recent crush, although that might not be the right word for it, was Richard. Richard was dumped very quickly after a serious faux-pas, though, so it wasn't that big of a crush. Her last SRS!!! crush was Rachel, and she hasn't really seriously dated anyone since That.
12. What does she look for in a romantic partner?
Jules is pretty open minded, to be honest. If she has fun with someone, then she's happy. She enjoys trying to get quiet or more serious people out of their shell, though, and the process of getting to know them, so she can be a bit more inclined to that.
13. Does the character have children? Grandchildren? If yes, how does she relate to them? If no, does she want any?
No! And... possibly, although she hasn't really given it much thought.
14. Does she have any rivals or enemies?
Poppy Chadwick. Worst future sister-in-law ever.
15. What is the character's sexual orientation? Where does she fall on the Kinsey scale?
Jules is bisexual, a Kinsey three. She doesn't have problems with that herself, but she does get a bit miserable at the negative reaction it seems to earn her in some scenarios.
16. How does she feel about sex? How important is it to her?
Sex is rad. She enjoys it. She doesn't need it desperately or anything, but it's fun and she has had the odd one night stand in her time. Usually she prefers to be dating someone, though. It depends on the person, maaaan.
17. What are her turn-ons? Turn-offs? Weird bedroom habits?
Jules is a pretty playful person, so I think different things could work in different scenarios or depending on the person; for example, she can probably be pretty dominant if the person she is with is more shy. Flirting and just... having fun with someone that she likes romantically, but attention to her neck and stomach are turn ons. As for bedroom habits, I think she'd be into light hearted stuff - playing with whipped cream, biting, impromptu restraints and... idk random locations, that kind of thing. Whatever seems fun and can be impulsively pulled together, basically - nothing hardcore, she's... playful and curious, but on the vanilla side.
Beliefs
1. Do you know your character's astrological (zodiac of choice) sign? How well does she fit type?
Jules was born on July 27 1980, making her a Leo born in the year of the Monkey.
She fits many aspects of both pretty well, especially the bright, cheery disposition.
2. Is this character religious, spiritual, both, or neither? How important are these elements in her life?
Her parents were both raised Anglican, and she and her brother attended an Anglican school, but it was more because of the quality of education rather than for the religious aspects. Her family are not religious or atheist, and Jules is not religious either, although she is open-minded. They usually go to church altogether on Christmas eve and maybe for Easter, and that's about it.
3. Does this character have a personal code of morals or ethics? If so, how did that begin? What would it take to compromise it?
4. How does she regard beliefs that differ from hers? Is she tolerant, intolerant, curious, indifferent?
Jules is a pretty open-minded person. So far as religion and spirituality goes, she's very much of the attitude that different people will like different things. In a more general sense, she does try to be open-minded but can sometimes be dismissive of things, especially if she doesn't realise how important they are to someone and it doesn't register as being a big deal for her. She's assertive, so in assertive things she likes she might put down something else, even if it typically isn't deliberate.
5. What prejudices does she hold? Are they irrational or does she have a good reason for them?
Not many, although she is very privileged and tends to be a bit naive or uninformed about the sort of difficulties other people might have to deal with. It's something that gnaws at her, and she does try but... there's still a lot of stuff that she's just never had to deal with for herself.
She will forever be prejudiced against Poppy, though, because Poppy is a bitch.
Daily Life
1. What is the character's financial situation? Is she rich, poor, comfortable, in debt?
She is rich! Her parents are both from wealthy families, and now she also has her... absurd literary career, she is starting to earn a decent amount of money independently.
2. What is her social status? Has this changed over time, and if so, how has the change affected her?
Upper class. She is extremely privileged, and that didn't really register with her until she was in secondary school and it kicked up some tensions between her and her friend, India. Jules has been called spoiled, brattish, naive, sheltered, bossy and she can be all of those things, but she's also gotten to be more aware. She feels really guilty sometimes when money comes up, and while she can still be thoughtless about it, in scenarios where people talk about being limited by money or how money is tight and the problems it brings, she can feel awful.
3. Where does she live? House, apartment, trailer? Is her home her castle or just a place to crash? What condition is it in? Does she share it with others?
She lives in a flat near Tower Bridge with her friends Vijay and Greg. She loves her flat, loves having friends over, loves... chilling out and relaxing there. It's definitely her castle, although her favourite place will possibly always be her parents house in Oxford.
4. Besides the basic necessities, what does she spend her money on?
Clothes! Travel! Parties! Going out with friends! Accessories! Books!
All the things!!!
5. What does she do for a living? Is she good at it? Does she enjoy it, or would she rather be doing something else?
She used to write book reviews, but now writes awful smutty novels under a nom de plume and hopes her parents, brother and future sister-in-law never find out. She enjoys writing ridiculous things, but... would like to write something she wouldn't be mortified to put her name to, one day.
6. What are her interests or hobbies? How does she spend her free time?
Jules has the leisure of being able to do a lot of things because of not having to work flat out and worry about money. She loves hanging out with her friends, going out to eat and party and be silly, going to movies, reading, shopping. She likes to travel a lot, too.
7. What are her eating habits? Does she skip meals, eat out, drink alcohol, avoid certain foods?
A lot of snacking, although Jules tends to try and eat very healthily to counter the fact that she drinks and smokes. Sometimes she indulges, but for the most part she eats very well.
Associations
Which of the following do you associate with the character, or which is her favorite:
1. Color? White and pink
2. Smell? Croissant. Especially chocolate ones.
3. Time of day? Morning, or evening.
4. Season? Spring/summer.
5. Book?
6. Music? HAPPY STUFF with a bouncy beat
7. Place? France, Spain. Tower Bridge.
8. Substance?
9. Plant? Cocoa bean
10. Animal? Not cats :| Horses, maybe.
END
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