#writingjourney

[brittanyearnestauthor]

How to Write Realistic Characters in Your Stories

Writing realistic characters can be challenging because there's a lot to consider. Even though I've touched on this subject before, it's a complex topic that requires vast knowledge to get it right. Here's a guide on what to consider when writing people in your stories:

1. Similarities to Real People: Just like in real life, your characters need to share traits with real people. This helps readers connect with your story and characters on a more personal level.

2. Negative Traits: It's important to explore your characters' negative traits to make them more believable. For example:

- People often think of themselves first because it's part of our DNA to protect and care for ourselves. Your characters should share these qualities.

- People pretend to be something they aren't or act differently in front of others due to fear of not being liked. This affects almost everyone at some point.

- People are easily distracted and often miss important lessons or moments that contribute to their growth.

- People are dishonest at times to protect themselves, making it hard to fully trust them.

3. Outside Influence: Your characters are also influenced by external factors, just like you are in real life. Consider these suggestions to help you along the way:

- People tell you what to think, feel, believe, and how to act. They often tell you that you're not good enough. These are common issues we go through as humans, making it important to your stories.

4. Realism vs. Idealism: While we sometimes want to write stories filled with fairy tales of a perfect world, sadly, that doesn't exist. There will always be someone who breaks your trust, and writing about this is important. You can take this information and practice cause, effect, and solutions to these situations to see what you come up with.

I hope this helps you on your writing journey. Happy writing!

[enjoy-my-swearing]

I had the absolute pleasure of creating this portrait for @writingjourney for her Vampire Series ✨

You can find Ibi's amazing writing here:

🦇Friday Nights at the Cinema Club | Vampire!Primo x gn!Reader

🦇Friday Nights at the Vinothek | Vampire!Secondo x gn!Reader

Thank you for trusting me <3

[azus-reyan]

"When writing a novel a writer should create living people; people not characters."

Good literature is a good observation of one's surroundings. Of the people around you and events that take place within your society.

Hemingway argues a fundamental point when creating characters that feel 'alive. ' It's not about what you want (as a writer) or where the story must go; it's about what the characters (people) would do if they truly existed at that moment.

Hemingway continues:

"A character is a caricature. If a writer can make people live, there may be no great characters in his book, but it is possible that his book will remain as a whole; as an entity; as a novel."

Hemingway emphasizes the importance of having people in your story, rather than characters, criticizing the latter as caricatured and exaggerated. He says: "If the people the writer is making talk of old masters; of music; of modern painting; of letters; or of science then they should talk of those subjects in the novel. If they do not talk of those subjects and the writer makes them talk of them he is a faker, and if he talks about them himself to show how much he knows then he is showing off."

Hemingway says your character shouldn't be a doll and you, the master. They should express themselves the way they want to. If you force it, you're faking it and risk creating a one-dimensional character. If a writer goes on and on about the character because he knows more than the reader, he's showboating his pretension and nothing else.

"No matter how good a phrase or a simile he may have if he puts it in where it is not absolutely necessary and irreplaceable he is spoiling his work for egotism."

He ends with:

"People in a novel, not skillfully constructed characters, must be projected from the writer’s assimilated experience, from his knowledge, from his head, from his heart and from all there is of him. If he ever has luck as well as seriousness and gets them out entire they will have more than one dimension and they will last a long time."

[ladymorguesart]

IKNBS - CH. 21 The Greenhouse Scene

I couldn’t stop thinking about the greenhouse scene from I KNEW NOTHING BUT SHADOWS by @writingjourney and well this happened. Hope y’all enjoy it. (Also, I’m so sorry things have been crappy lately, Ibi, and that you’ve been going through a lot. Please know that we are all here for you and that you are deeply loved and appreciated in this community xx)

[scoldingdarjeeling]

Criticism is tolerated — so long as it doesn’t disrupt the perfectly curated consensus.

Since a Big Blogger™ offering writing wisdom decided to delete my comment, I’ll post it here instead — because honestly, that act speaks louder than any neatly worded advice.

Here’s what I wrote:

Funny how some people talk about 'newbies' with kindness while still keeping them outside the door — like they’re not ready to be heard until they’ve paid some imaginary dues. I’ve read ‘new’ writers who sound like thunder, and 'veterans' who echo like empty rooms. No — I don’t think you can tell who’s experienced and who’s not just from a fic. And maybe you shouldn’t try.

—I’m the big bad wolf.

[dolceterzo]

for my love, @writingjourney ♡ ♥︎♡ ♥︎

word count: 644

secondo comes in from his early start out in the vineyards. of course it's the growing season right now, everything is beginning to bud and flower, the promise of another great harvest season in the latter months - he'd been walking the grounds with his staff, making sure everything was going as planned, helping secure any wayward vines, or dry spots that needed some extra care. 

it’s midday now, time for everyone to seek shade inside. he’s dabbing at the sweat on his forehead with the handkerchief he keeps in the breast pocket of his shirt, sage green linen that did its best to keep him cool, though there were some damp patches that were unavoidable. 

he removes his sun hat and places it on the hook in the porch, along with his dusty boots. his hands are still slightly damp from a quick rinse outside with the hose, not wanting to bring too much muck into your shared home. he'll give them a thorough scrub with a nail brush in a moment.

next to go is his trousers and socks, plopping them in the wicker washing hamper also kept in the porch for such items. followed by his shirt as he tunes in to the gentle hubbub coming from the kitchen, a smile twitches at his lips, eager to get to you and to lunch. his bare feet pad softly on the wooden floorboards, golden honey in colour as the sun warms the hallway through a skylight that runs to the top of the house. 

only his boxers and his undervest remain as he approaches you, you almost lose the grasp on the icy jug of aranciata you had prepared not moments before, turning to take in the vision of him. something you don’t expect to tire of anytime soon. your eyes are bright, swift hands set down the jug on the table. you move in, quicker than he expects, drawing a surprised chuckle from him as he wraps his arms around you, noting with amusement as you inhale his scent, it’s heady, notes of sweat and cologne, the smell of the rich soil and soaking sun cling to him. he protests half-heartedly, “i need to wash my hands again, bellezza.” trying to pry himself from you, though not with any great effort. “in a minute.” you muffle against his chest, appreciative of all that he is, the softness of his tummy, the strength of his arms and chest, and his hands…grubby or not, well… he knew all too well how you felt about them.

“i’m sweaty.” he murmurs, still falling into the embrace just as snugly, he kisses the top of your head. revelling in return the sweet florals of your hair and perfume. you can feel the dampness of his back against your palms, but you’re far from repelled, you inhale his muskiness again, kissing his chest. remarking with a silent glee that his chest hairs are peeking out from the top of the thin garment. 

“everything going good?” you ask, tracing your fingers along his sides. “si si, we are on schedule, no major problems. perfetto.” he assures, pulling back ever so slightly to look down at you, a tenderness on his face as his thumb strokes your cheek, a faint smudge of soil left behind. he truly loves this, tending to his land, his place, tending to you. watching you paint and create in the small studio atrium he had built for you, little cares beyond your peaceful bubble.

 being papa seems like a whole other dimension, a reality that was enjoyable and exciting for the most part, yes, but this one…here, with the smell of bread, tomatoes from your homegrown vines, and you sharing food with him, sharing conversation, perhaps a cool shower after your meal…that was peace, that was contentment - something he would not trade in any life.

[athenanfaymont]

On Growth, Craft, and the Right to Say: Yes, Sarah J. Maas Got Better ✍️📚

After I posted about Tamlin’s villain arc — or more precisely, the lack of one — I got a lot of responses. Some were supportive (thank you! 💖), and others were… let’s say passionate in their disagreement. So I thought it was only fair to clarify something:

Yes. I do think Sarah J. Maas improves her writing significantly as her books go on.

And no. That doesn’t mean I hate her or her work — quite the opposite.

🌱 Let’s start at the beginning. A Court of Thorns and Roses is a decent book. Enjoyable, romantic, intriguing enough to keep you turning the pages. But let’s be honest: the character development is inconsistent, the pacing shaky, and the prose is a little flat. The book is structured almost entirely around two major events (Feyre entering the fae world, and Under the Mountain), and everything in between feels like it’s still trying to figure itself out. There is a clear intention to create mystery when she is alone in the palace, but the author is unable to achieve it.

If you don't believe this, read it again and you'll see the HUGE difference in pacing, depth, and intention once the Under the Mountain arc begins. The improvement in the writing and plot is clearly evident.

✨ Fast forward to A Court of Mist and Fury, and suddenly you have layers. Inner monologues that actually hold weight. Character decisions that carry consequence. Trauma handled with more subtlety. Useful dialogue. And writing — actual writing — that feels more fluid, vivid, and intentional. 🌊💫

🧱 By A Court of Silver Flames, we’re deep into themes of mental health, recovery, shame, and desire with a complexity that would’ve felt impossible in the first book. We get to Nesta's arc because Maas is already capable of writing something with that complexity. Before, when she tried (and I have to go back to Tamlin), she wasn’t able to.

This isn’t slander. This is growth. You can love a series and still acknowledge its early flaws. You can be grateful for what it gave you and still wish it had been tighter, smarter, deeper from the beginning.

🌟 SJM didn’t start as a literary genius — few authors do. But what matters is that she got better, that her books are now of higher quality, and that we can enjoy them more fully.

And that’s something to appreciate. 💜📖

[amyrosabell333]

The Sinister Tales Cauldron Masterlist 🥀✒️

Writer's Note 📝

• The Sims 4: Yandere Vladislaus Straud 🦇 The Sims 4 Headcanons (Repost and Revised)

• CountryHumans: Yandere Third Reich x Reader Headcanons ✖️🔪 Yandere Third Reich x Soldier Reader ✖️🔪

• Hazbin Hotel: Yandere Father Vox x Child Reader (Platonic Headcanons) 📺⚡️

• Morel Orel: Ongoing (WIP)

• Death Note: Ongoing (WIP)

• Puss in Boots: The Last Wish: Ongoing (WIP)

• Your Turn to Die: Ongoing (WIP)

• Jack Stauber’s Opal (Mirror Man): Ongoing (WIP)

• Wadanohara and the Great Blue Sea: Ongoing (WIP)

• Welcome Home: Ongoing (WIP)

• Skyrim: The Elder Scrolls V: Ongoing (WIP)

• The Lorax: Ongoing (WIP)

• All Tomorrows: Ongoing (WIP)

• Inglourious Basterds: Ongoing (WIP)

• Bloodborne: Ongoing (WIP)

Tagging: @welpthisisboring

[87percentcreativity]

Howdy! It's your secret Santa again! (Aka your writing admirer). Wanted to wish you a very happy holidays if you celebrate! Stay warm out there 😭

Oh my god thank you 🥺 You too!🎉 I would hate to think anyone so kind trembling in this freezing cold😖 Every year it feels colder and yet it really isn’t🥶

Also regarding your first ask :D I always liked writing and imagining stories, but I never actually tried to write them down seriously until, well, a few weeks ago when I was very bored😂 My inspiration for the story I’m currently working on (Forget Me Not) was inspired by a scenario I saw on Tumblr by @sychenb and the story written by @anomalyaly (an AU where MC died in the final battle and Sebastian made a magical portrait of her) and I thought, “This is so bittersweet, and kinda unhealthy if this becomes an obsession.” Not to hate on anomalyaly! But, like, logically, it would be unhealthy if Sebastian doesn’t really come out of that stage. I’ve hardly read any fictions that deepdive into characters with mental illnesses, and I lost a family member three years ago, so I wanted to give it a shot and try to write down the things I felt during the first year. The chapters were so short at first (not even 500 words🥲) But the words came flowing after the story started getting deeper and I found inspiration to write longer and supposedly better chapters!

Here’s a few highlights I made (I can’t put 500 so I put five

[brittanyearnestauthor]

Adding More Depth to Characters

Character development is an ongoing journey, with endless opportunities to create realistic and authentic characters that bring your story to life. In this post, I’ll share ways to help you deepen your characters and make them stand out.

Ways to Make Your Characters Stand Out

- Realistic Reactions: Ensure your characters react authentically to the events around them. For example, when something makes them happy, show it through smiles, laughter, or gestures of joy. When faced with sadness, anger, or disgust, portray those emotions believably to immerse readers in their experiences.

- Social Outings: Let your characters interact with others to reveal their personality. Consider scenes where they hang out with friends or family at parties, movie theaters, or other settings relevant to your story.

- Hobbies & Interests: Real people have hobbies that shape their identity. Give your characters hobbies or interests and let them share their passions with others. This adds layers of realism and connection.

Examples of Emotions

Here’s a variety of emotions to consider when writing your characters:

- Sadness, Happiness, Anger, Disgust, Fear, Surprise

- Shame, Panic, Jealousy, Frustration, Envy

- Pride, Love, Amusement, Gratitude, Grief

- Kindness, Pleased, Unhappy, Anticipation

- Awe, Calmness, Enjoyment, Guilt, Pity, Wonder

Use these emotions to showcase your characters' depth and adaptability as they face challenges or triumphs.

Examples of Places to Go

Need ideas for where your characters can interact with others? Here are some examples:

- Park

- Restaurant

- Movie Theater

- Library

- Museum

- Amusement Park

- Zoo or Aquarium

- Sports Game

- Mall

These settings can help your characters showcase their personalities while advancing the plot.

Examples of Hobbies

Incorporating hobbies adds realism to your characters. Here’s a list to inspire you:

- Painting or Drawing

- Yoga

- Pottery

- Playing an Instrument

- Creating Models

- Bird Watching

- Hiking

- Reading

- Watching Movies or TV Shows

- Collecting

- Photography

- Dancing

- Video Gaming

- Writing

- Gardening

- Cooking

- Sports (Basketball, Baseball, Football, Soccer, Tennis)

- Jigsaw Puzzles

- Exercise

Feel free to pick hobbies that align with your characters' personalities or storyline.

Conclusion

By incorporating realistic emotions, hobbies, and interactions into your characters, you can create layered personalities that resonate with your readers. Taking the time to add depth ensures your characters connect and leave a lasting impact.

Happy writing!

[leezlelatch]

Secondo x @writingjourney is my OTP.

I haven’t read another author who can take an emotionally distant, hurt man and give him a love that lasts eternity like her. I’d love to recommend her vampire Secondo work Friday Nights at the Vinothek.

Enter a world where wine isn’t the only vintage, and love is infinitely more potent.

[azus-reyan]

Punctuation marks (? , ! .), with fun facts. 

The comma ( , )

✅ Serial comma: Ted played with Jack, Jason, and his dog Max.

✅ Bracketing comma: A tortoise named Jonathan, the oldest living land animal, is aged 192 years. Or: Jonathan, aged 192 years old, is the oldest living land animal.

✅ Joining comma: The Eiffel Tower was originally made for Barcelona, but was built in Paris.

✅ Introductory comma: With 116 lanes, the largest bowling alley in the world is in Japan.

Period or the full stop ( . )

✅ The longest English word has 45 letters.

✅ Abbreviations: Dr. William Macewen was the first doctor to successfully remove a brain tumor.

✅ Initials: The first satellite launched by N.A.S.A was called Explorer One.

✅ Decimals: The value of Pie is 3.14.

Question mark ( ? )

✅ Did you know that honey never spoils?

Did you know that octopuses have three hearts?

Exclamation point ( ! )

✅ Bananas are berries but strawberries aren’t!

A shrimp’s heart is in its head!

Semi color ( ; )

✅ Koalas sleep up to 22 hours a day; they’re basically professional nappers.

Cows have best friends; they get stressed when separated.

Colon ( : )

✅ List: The world is full of fun facts: Flamingos aren’t born pink, your ears and nose never stop growing, and Russia has eleven time zones!

✅ Elaboration: The shortest war was between Britain and Zanzibar: it lasted 38 minutes. 

✅ Quotation: He said: “Saturn’s rings can tell us how the solar system was born.” 

Em dash ( — )

✅ Interruption: The Great Wall of China—spanning over 13,000 miles—was originally built to protect against invasions.

✅ Additional information: The giraffe—the tallest land animal—can grow up to 18 feet tall.

En dash ( – )

✅ Range indication: The day–night cycle influences all living creatures.

✅ Connection of related items: The land–sea balance affects the planet’s climate.

Hyphen ( - )

✅ Joining parts of words: The ice-cream cone is enjoyed all around the world.

✅ Dividing a word by the end of a line: In the past, hyphens were used at the end of lines to split long words, helping maintain neat a-nd consistent text layouts in printed books and newspapers.

Parenthesis ( )

✅ Clarifying a point: The cheetah is the fastest land animal (it can reach 60 miles per hour).

✅ Minor thoughts: The Amazon rainforest produces 20% of the world's oxygen (it's called the lungs of the Earth).

Brackets ( [ ] )

✅ The giant panda's diet consists mostly of bamboo [despite being a carnivore]

Apostrophe ( ‘ )

✅ Showing possession: Shakespeare's plays are still performed all over the world.

✅ Forming contractions: “Can't” is one of the most common contractions in the English language.

 Quotation marks ( “ “ ) 

✅ Indication of speech: Albert Einstein once said, "Imagination is more important than knowledge."

✅ Highlighting words or phrases: “A Temporary Matter” is the first short story in ‘Interpreter of Maladies’.

Ellipses ( … )

✅ Omission: In the famous phrase "To be or not to be... that is the question," the ellipsis is used to omit part of the original quote.

Pausing or trailing off: People often say, "I saw something strange... but I can't explain it," pausing to build suspense.

Slash ( / )

✅ Indication of alternatives: Some people are team dog/cat when it comes to pets, but did you know that people who own both often live longer?

✅ Separation of lines of poetry: In "Bohemian Rhapsody," the lyrics "Is this the real life? / Is this just fantasy?" slashes are used instead of "or", to separate lines.

[jungwnies]

girl the ai….

this is the second time i’ve received this message in my inbox, so i feel it’s necessary to address it because frankly, this accusation is absurd. i’m certain i’m not the only writer being accused of using chatgpt or some form of ai to craft my stories, and while i can’t speak for others, i’ll clarify my own position.

when i began writing stories on wattpad back in 2017, i was far from skilled. i was also quite young, with a vocabulary that reflected my middle school self. later, i started writing on tumblr in 2021 and officially on this account in 2022. at that time, i was still in high school, and my writing was undoubtedly rough around the edges, which is evident in my earlier works. however, as i progressed into university, the growth in my skills became increasingly apparent.

through my coursework and education, my writing style has naturally evolved becoming more polished, articulate, and coherent. yes, my stories now have proper grammar and flow better, but that’s a testament to growth, not automation. while some might find similarities in storytelling structures, that isn’t because of ai; it’s simply how creative minds often process and develop ideas.

furthermore, i am a psychology major, a significant part of my academic work involves learning how to articulate and convey ideas effectively. when it comes to crafting one concept for a broad audience, there’s only so much I can adjust in terms of wording and setting before certain elements start to feel repetitive. storytelling, much like academic writing, often requires structure and clarity, and if that results in some overlap in phrasing or themes, it’s a reflection of the process, not a lack of originality.

to reduce years of effort, practice, and learning into a baseless claim of me using ai is both dismissive and insulting. i hope this clears things up for those who seem quick to jump to conclusions.

[ghuleh-recs]

I Knew Nothing But Shadows by writingjourney

Papa Emeritus IV x Female Reader (Explicit, WIP)

Curious circumstances and a questionable curse from your childhood led you to becoming the resident artist of the local Satanic Church – and a sinister night you’d truly rather forget. Years later, you’re presented with another chance at proving your artistic worth. Only this time, you’re kind of falling for the awkward anti-pope who sits for you and he is oddly interested in the intricacies of your past that you’re so desperately trying to hide.

I am admittedly pretty late to this party but on the off chance even one of you hasn't started reading this masterpiece, I wanted to share.

This is hands down one of the most immersive fics I have ever read. There is an overabundance of expertly crafted moments to be found here. It must be a combination of pacing and characterization--but the result is something so satisfying that you will physically ache with how lovely it is.

Copia is a delightful combination of awkward, tender, patient, and (obviously) swoon-worthy. We get some wonderful cameos from the other Emeritus boys that made me grin from ear to ear. And reader, herself is such an intriguing and sympathetic protagonist. You will be totally hooked as Ibi leaves increasingly compelling breadcrumbs of the past that haunts her from chapter to chapter.

Thank you Ibi for sharing your incredible words with us and taking us along on this journey!!!

Please read, comment, & subscribe on AO3

[zeitforge]

Writing a book series with the same characters is a gift and a curse!

You know them better than anyone. You know how they like, what they fear, the way they react to the smallest things. You've spent so much time in their heads, you sometimes forget they aren't real.

But keeping their story alive? Making it matter—again and again? That’s the real challenge.

It’s easy to fall into the comfort of them—their familiar habits, the patterns you’ve built. But with each new book, the question looms: how do you keep it from going stale? How do you make their journey feel fresh, earned, meaningful?

You don’t want to repeat yourself. You don’t want to throw in conflict just for the sake of drama. And you definitely don’t want to change who they are just because the plot demands it.

It becomes a delicate balancing act: growth vs. consistency, surprise vs. authenticity. You’re always chasing that line between who they’ve always been—and who they’re still becoming.

Sometimes, you get stuck. Sometimes, it feels like there's nothing left to say. But then something small happens—an image, a line of dialogue, a sudden thought—and suddenly, you’re back. Not because you forced it, but because you listened. Because deep down, their story wasn’t over. It just needed time.

Writing a series isn’t about reinventing the wheel every time. It’s about deepening the characters, letting them evolve naturally—even when it feels uncomfortable.

And yeah, it’s hard. But it’s also kind of magic. And maybe that’s what keeps us going—not the pressure to top the last book, but the quiet hope that there’s still something left to discover. Something true. Something real.

[dolceterzo]

a very late and extra happy birthday to beautiful @writingjourney who is always just brimming with kindness, compassion and talent! please accept my humble offering of bingo!papa love you, ibi! <3

bingo cards

bingo poster