Okay, so the discussion I've been having with Professor Q about various television shows prompted an important question: have you considered the role of religion or mythology in your story? This isn't only for fantasy or sci-fi writers. Whether writers like it or not, some sort of religion or system of beliefs is a pervasive part of most societies. Unless people give up and shrug their shoulders of the question, they generally have strong feelings one way or another about religion.

If your story is set in the real world, where does your character fall? Depending on the time period, what are the prevailing sentiments about religion? Is your character religious? Is their reason for holding/not holding these beliefs significant to their development as a person?

And then the fun part:

If you're writing in a different world of some sort, does religion exist? If so, how? Are there multiple religions? What god(s) exist, and how are they characterized? Are they worshiped? How? Have any phrases or religious customs found their way into everyday language (think "[God] bless you" as a response to someone sneezing)?

It can be tedious, but it can also enrich your world and make it more intriguing and believable.

And, of course, if you're using an existing religion or mythology for whatever reason, research (it would seem), is paramount.

Anyway.

I'm gonna be shot for flooding the forum. >_>;;