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I've always had a compassion for characters in novels - the sense that they are, whatever they might think, living in a world that has a shape they don't know and can't finally alter.

You have to have empathy, knowledge and compassion for your characters if you're a writer.

I have a lot of compassion for human beings in life experiences, so I allow myself to feel what these characters are feeling and don't have a problem accepting that.

Part of me becomes the characters I'm writing about. I think readers feel like they are there, the way I am, as a result.

Although I'm not particularly troubled myself, I do have a lot of empathy for troubled characters.

What can I say: I'm a writer - I enjoy forcing pain and suffering on my characters!

I have a huge emotional attachment to characters I've created, especially the viewpoint characters.

To act, no matter how the character is, you have to love and have compassion for the character you're playing.

The easiest way for readers to connect with characters and feel sympathy is to make the character entertaining, sympathetic and likeable.

I don't really distinguish between sympathy and honesty when I'm writing. The two go together - I'm interested in inhabiting my characters, seeing the world through their eyes.