I’m blown away by all the different types of people you portray in The Stormlight Archive (different cultures, social classes, genders, varying levels of…morality). What kinds of things help you create such diverse casts of characters? I’m imagining that you have a secret encyclopedia somewhere that helps you keep all your cultures and customs straight!
I do, actually, have a secret encyclopedia. It’s a wiki on my computer, filled with information. That helps me keep things straight. However, specific inspirations are often in the people I meet. I do spend a fair amount of time looking through the internet for blogs/forums populated by people who think very differently from myself. This helps me create realistic portrayals.
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