(a) Um, that she's like me. No, really. First of all, she looks like me, which is entirely superficial. But we also share a lot of the same traits: a semi-precocious, talented, mature young woman in a man's world who can be extremely insecure and sometimes has a really hard time knowing how to deal with other people and doesn't really understand the basic nature of "feelings" and how to express them.
(b) Motivated, talented, efficient
(c) Desperate need for acceptance/approval
(d) Actually, it depends. Normally I find Quistis very, very easy to write. However, if it's a bad day, we have serious arguments inside my head problems.
(e) Well, Shine Like Gold is all about her, but I don't necessarily think it's my best portrayal - although maybe the first chapter is still pretty good. HNtDB has also been successful.
(f) Um, all the time. Finishing HNtDB, and my cracked-out Sorceress FFVIII Prequel.