I've been writing a lot lately for a character in my novel named Alyran. Just been really inspired to work with him. I've found that when I'm in the right mood to work on a character, I should just go ahead and write whatever is on my mind and decide later where or if it fits in the actual novel.
One thing that often gets me into the mood for writing about a specific character is a song that just seems to sum them up. With my character Jerush it is "Believe Me Now" by Stephen Curtis Chapman... Orlagh is "Stand in the Rain" by Superchick... Ludoran is "Backstabber" by Disciple. The songs just make me think about that character, where they are and how they act and react. I heard a song on the radio the other day that made me think about Alyran so I looked it up on iTunes... and found another song by the same group that is just as good! Now I have two songs and can't decide which one works better. Alyran is a man who has a lot, has lost some (some big things too) and has this deep need for something more... for something beyond the physical world. He knows there is a real God out there but has never been introduced to Him. In his search, he's tried every god and idol out there (even a few horrific ones) and found them all hollow.
The two songs, both by Tenth Avenue North, address this search from both sides: from Alyran's perspective and from God's perspective. "By Your Side" is a song written as God calling out to a person and saying "I'm already right here, why are you still looking for me?" "Hold My Heart" is about a person calling out to God saying "I need You and keep looking for You... when am I going to find You?" Both are really great songs and evoke the mood that I'm looking for. Now I just have to decide which is better