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sometimes you need dialogue tags and don't want to use the same four

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20 Compelling Positive-Negative Trait Pairs

Here are 20 positive and negative trait pairs that can create compelling character dynamics in storytelling:

1. Bravery - Recklessness: A character is courageous in the face of danger but often takes unnecessary risks.

2. Intelligence - Arrogance: A character is exceptionally smart but looks down on others.

3. Compassion - Naivety: A character is deeply caring but easily deceived due to their trusting nature.

4. Determination - Stubbornness: A character is persistent in their goals but unwilling to adapt or compromise.

5. Charisma - Manipulativeness: A character is charming and persuasive but often uses these traits to exploit others.

6. Resourcefulness - Opportunism: A character is adept at finding solutions but is also quick to exploit situations for personal gain.

7. Loyalty - Blind Obedience: A character is fiercely loyal but follows orders without question, even when they're wrong.

8. Optimism - Denial: A character remains hopeful in difficult times but often ignores harsh realities.

9. Humor - Inappropriateness: A character lightens the mood with jokes but often crosses the line with their humor.

10. Generosity - Lack of Boundaries: A character is giving and selfless but often neglects their own needs and well-being.

11. Patience - Passivity: A character is calm and tolerant but sometimes fails to take action when needed.

12. Wisdom - Cynicism: A character has deep understanding and insight but is often pessimistic about the world.

13. Confidence - Overconfidence: A character believes in their abilities but sometimes underestimates challenges.

14. Honesty - Bluntness: A character is truthful and straightforward but often insensitive in their delivery.

15. Self-discipline - Rigidity: A character maintains strong control over their actions but is inflexible and resistant to change.

16. Adventurousness - Impulsiveness: A character loves exploring and trying new things but often acts without thinking.

17. Empathy - Overwhelm: A character deeply understands and feels others' emotions but can become overwhelmed by them.

18. Ambition - Ruthlessness: A character is driven to achieve great things but willing to do anything, even unethical, to succeed.

19. Resilience - Emotional Detachment: A character can endure hardships without breaking but often seems emotionally distant.

20. Strategic - Calculative: A character excels at planning and foresight but can be cold and overly pragmatic in their decisions.

These pairs create complex, multi-dimensional characters that can drive rich, dynamic storytelling.

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I made these as a way to compile all the geographical vocabulary that I thought was useful and interesting for writers. Some descriptors share categories, and some are simplified, but for the most part everything is in its proper place. Not all the words are as useable as others, and some might take tricky wording to pull off, but I hope these prove useful to all you writers out there!

(save the images to zoom in on the pics)

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reminder to worldbuilders: don't get caught up in things that aren't important to the story you're writing, like plot and characters! instead, try to focus on what readers actually care about: detailed plate tectonics

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Why was Odysseus’ bow so hard to string?

(The bow I use in this is Chinese in design rather than Greek, but it hits some of the key shape points)

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Wisdom Among Chaos

Odysseus, committed to Athena’s mentorship, agrees to help Agamemnon and Clytemnestra win the Mycenae throne peacefully. But Athena, determined to earn the respect of her own family, has other plans. Meanwhile, deep in the wilderness, Penelope searches for an exiled sorceress who can show her how to break free from the Olympian’s influence, but a mysterious goddess shadows her every step, determined to mold her into a menace for gods, monsters, and men.

Part 3 of the Shepherds of the Peloponnese series!

Chapters 1-5 are up on AO3!

I think this may be all post for now as I work on rewrites for Weaver/Carver, Wolf/Spider, and other projects, but I wanted to get these first five up as a preview of sorts to show where I plan to take the last installment!

For folks who've read the first two and checked these next chapters out, thank you so, so so much! I can't tell you how much the kind words, kudos, comments, and encouragement have meant to me over the years and inspired me to take these stories to another level! Updates soon, and thank you! <3

https://archiveofourown.org/works/63181309/chapters/161815897

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Wisdom among Chaos

Odysseus, committed to Athena’s mentorship, agrees to help Agamemnon and Clytemnestra win the Mycenae throne peacefully. But Athena, determined to earn the respect of her own family, has other plans. Meanwhile, deep in the wilderness, Penelope searches for an exiled sorceress who can show her how to break free from the Olympian’s influence, but a mysterious goddess shadows her every step, determined to mold her into a menace for gods, monsters, and men.

Part 3 of the Shepherds of the Peloponnese series!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/63181309/chapters/161815897

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I think a lot about how in Ice Age 1 a huge theme is the slow but unstoppable advancement of the human species as they start to threaten previously unchallenged megafauna (hunting the pack of the antagonist sabertooth and killing Manny the mammoth’s family) and then in all the sequels they just fuckin disappear

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Sheryl Chee (Harding's writer) on the state of things

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I’ve seen the “get thee to a nunnery” scene done where hamlet has no idea he’s being spied on and just goes off on ophelia because he’s hangry. I’ve seen the “get thee to a nunnery” scene done where hamlet knows he’s being watched from the start and the whole thing’s an act. I’ve seen the “get thee to a nunnery” scene done where hamlet figures out he’s being watched half way through and gets super mad at ophelia for betraying him. now I want to see the “get thee to a nunnery” scene done where ophelia covertly nods at where polonius and claudius are hiding, hamlet gets the idea, and they’re both in on the performance the whole time. I want classically trained shakespearean actors to give us their best best show of bad acting. I want ophelia to mouth some of the most cutting lines to hamlet before he says them. I want hamlet to frown exaggeratedly at her and for her to take this as a cue to start crying. I want hamlet to go grab her by the wrist, her to wince, and him to automatically loosen his grip. I want them to stage hamlet dragging her around by the ear using classic stage-fight techniques. I want them to be aggressively in cahoots with one another because they know each of their bastard father-figures are watching. 

I want this for the lols of seeing them trying to fake-fight on the spot, to give ophelia more to do than just be the victim, and so it never crosses ophelia’s mind that hamlet’s actually losing it a little bit.

that is, until she hears how her father died.

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A fox wood cutout I made last summer!

Michelle McGaughey | Instagram

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An owl wood cutout I made last summer!

Michelle McGaughey | Instagram

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Been working on a new children's picture book portfolio! Here's a little preview of my newest paintings!

michellemcgaughey.com

Instagram

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Some bird wood cut outs I recently made for commission!

Michelle McGaughey | Instagram

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The Shepherds of the Pelopenese Series

The Weaver and the Carver When Penelope of Sparta disrupts a break-in at her home in the middle of an Argonaut reunion, she weaves through a tangle of egotistical “heroes” and her barely functional family to discover the culprits before they can strike again. For better or worse, she isn’t alone in her search and finds help from a prankster prince from the middle of nowhere, Odysseus of Ithaca.

The Wolf and the Spider After seven years apart, Odysseus sets out to Sparta to win Penelope’s hand. But when her outcast uncle, Hippocoon, gets there first and seizes the palace, Penelope escapes with her cousins and finds a reluctant ally to protect them. With Sparta in chaos and the armies of the Peloponnese scattered, Odysseus must rely on the ambitious Agamemnon to unite the kingdoms and find Penelope.

Wisdom Among Chaos (in progress)

Odysseus, committed to Athena’s mentorship, agrees to help Agamemnon and Clytemnestra win the Mycenae throne peacefully. But Athena, determined to earn the respect of her own family, has other plans. Meanwhile, deep in the wilderness, Penelope searches for an exiled sorceress who can show her how to break free from the Olympian’s influence, but a mysterious goddess shadows her every step, determined to mold her into a menace for gods, monsters, and men.

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read all of the shepards of the peloponese it was amazing <333

Thank you so very much, anon! I really appreciate the kind words!