differentnighttale

[differentnighttale]

Write Characters with Deep Emotional Wounds

(Without Making Them Walking Tragedies)

╰ Start with the scar, not the stabbing. Everyone talks about what happened to your character (The Big Trauma) but honestly? It’s the aftermath that matters. Show me the limp, not the bullet wound. Show me the way they flinch at kindness or double-check locks three times. The wound shapes them more than the event ever did.

╰ Don't make them "Sad All The Time" People with deep hurts aren’t just dramatic sob machines. They make bad jokes. They find weird hobbies. They have good days and then get wrecked by a song in a grocery store. Layers, my friend. Pain is complex and it sure as hell isn’t aesthetic.

╰ Let them almost heal and then backslide. Real healing isn’t linear. One good conversation doesn’t erase ten years of bottled-up grief. Your character might think they’re over it, and then one tiny thing, a smell, a phrase, a look, knocks them right back into the hole. Make them earn their healing. Make us ache for them.

╰ Give them armor and show the cracks. Maybe it’s sarcasm. Maybe it’s perfectionism. Maybe it’s taking care of everyone else so no one notices they're broken. Whatever mask they wear, show us the hairline fractures. Let us catch the moments where they almost drop the act.

╰ Don’t turn their trauma into their only personality trait. Yes, they’ve been through hell. But they also love spicy chips and bad reality TV. They have dumb crushes and secret dreams. A tragic backstory isn’t a substitute for a full human being. Let them be more than the worst thing that ever happened to them.

╰ Let their wound warp their decisions. People protect their wounds. Even badly. Especially badly. They might sabotage good relationships. Or push away help. Or cling too tightly. Make their past live in their choices, not just their flashbacks.

╰ Don’t make the world validate them for existing. Not everyone is going to understand your wounded character. Some people will misunderstand them. Blame them. Get frustrated. And honestly? That’s real. Let your character find their people, after facing the ones who don’t get it. It’s so much sweeter that way.

╰ Wounds can make them kinder—or crueler. Pain changes people. Some become protectors. Some become destroyers. Some do both, depending on the day. Let your character’s hurt make them complicated. Unpredictable. Human.

╰ Don’t heal them just to tie a neat bow on your story Sometimes the best ending is messy. Sometimes the healing is just starting. Sometimes it’s just hope, not a full recovery montage. That’s okay. Healing is a lifelong, terrifying, brave process—and readers feel it when you respect that.

[differentnighttale]

10 Traits That Make a Character Secretly Dangerous

❥ Disarming Humor. They’re the life of the party. Everyone’s laughing. No one’s noticing how much they aren’tsaying.

❥ Laser-Sharp Observation. They see everything. Who’s nervous. Who’s lying. Who would be easiest to break. And they don’t miss.

❥ Unsettling Calm. Even in chaos, they stay still. Smiling. Thinking. Calculating.

❥ Weaponized Empathy. They know how to make people trust them. Because they know exactly what people want to hear.

❥ Compartmentalization. They can do something brutal, then eat lunch like nothing happened.

❥ Controlling Niceness. The kind of kindness that’s sharp-edged. You feel guilty for not loving them.

❥ Mirroring Behavior. They become whatever the person in front of them needs. It's not flattery. It’s survival—or manipulation.

❥ Selective Vulnerability. They know how to spill just enough pain to make you drop your guard.

❥ History of “Bad Luck”. Ex-friends, ex-lovers, ex-colleagues… they all left under “unfortunate” circumstances. But the pattern says otherwise.

❥ Unshakeable Confidence in Their Morality. They don’t think they’re the villain. That makes them scarier.

[differentnighttale]

“We’ll figure it out together” is a love language.

[differentnighttale]

[differentnighttale]

“Be curious about what you’re writing about” is not stock Common Writing Advice but it really, really should be. There are a lot of written works that fail due to the authors just being obviously incurious about what they are writing about.

[differentnighttale]

I have exams.

Hi guys, I have not been active because I am doing my exams.

Wish me luck.

[differentnighttale]

Ways I Show a Character is In Love But Doesn't Know It Yet...

This one’s for the emotional masochists writing the slowest of burns, where your readers are screaming “just kiss already!” by chapter twenty... I Love and Hate you... ♥

They compare everyone else to the person… and everyone else comes up short. Even when they’re not consciously doing it. No one’s laugh is as warm. No one’s eyes crinkle that way.

They remember the weirdest little things about them. Birthdays? Whatever. But that time they snorted laughing at a dumb joke? Locked and loaded.

They feel weirdly guilty when flirting with someone else. Like they’re cheating… except they’re not even dating. Or are they? Or—ugh, feelings are the worst.

They notice every damn detail when the other person isn’t around. "They’d like this song." "This smells like their shampoo." "I wonder what they'd say about this weird squirrel."

They use weird, overly specific compliments. Not “You look good,” but “That color makes your eyes look like a storm in a novel I’d cry over.”

They get weirdly intense about that person being hurt or in danger. Like, irrationally intense. "He’s just a friend," they say while planning to murder anyone who makes them cry.

They feel safer around them than anyone else, and it freaks them out. Like: “I’m always on guard. Except with you. That’s... suspicious.”

[differentnighttale]

My personal guide to AO3 posting and tags - how to get more hits!

Though I don’t claim to be an expert myself, I’ve been using the website AO3 for a few years now, both as a reader and a writer. I think my fics gain a decent amount of hits, and so feel like I’m able to discuss this topic. 

I genuinely will avoid fics with too many tags. I think it looks cluttered and confusing, and I never bother to read them all. But if you have too little, how do you even get noticed? Personally, I think you have to be very strategic, and it can be tough to find the right balance.

For the purposes of ease, I’m going to go through this with a fake fic idea. This guide can apply to many fandoms, but due to the following I have on Tumblr, my example is going to be a Yuri On Ice Mafia AU (as it will give me the most interesting range of tags). 

The rating

I think the easiest way to look at is is film ratings.

General audiences is kind of where I’d put PG, nothing you would be concerned about a child old enough to use the internet consuming. A bit of slapstick violence, maybe. I don’t think it needs to be completely inoffensive, and as long as you accompany it with appropriate tags later, there shouldn’t be an issue.   Teen and up is where I’d imagine the sort of 13-15 range to go, non graphic violence, swearing, light sexual references etc.Think your sort of YA fiction, CW TV show kind of content.  

Mature is where I’d put a film rated 18, grittier subjects, much more graphic violence, heavier sex. I wouldn’t put full porn in this category. I hate to say it, but imagine the Fifty Shades Of Grey films - which depict sex without showing all the ins and outs. 

Explicit, then, is where you’d put anything worse than mature. Violence with no censorship, highly described pornography, etc. 

AO3 also has an ‘unrated’ feature, but my advice is to ignore it. I’ve never really seen a good reason to use it, and I think it comes off as misleading. 

Now, IMPORTANT, I do think you don’t need to go straight for the highest rating when first posting a chaptered story. As long as you add, in the additional tags section, ‘rating will later change’, you’re not tricking your readers with a false sense of security. If the majority of a fic is T rated, and there’s a porn scene towards the end, you’re making the meat of your story more accessible. As long as you do change the rating, and make use of chapter notes to warn your readers about the more mature content, you should be fine. Of course, don’t over use this, use your best judgement.  

So to put this into practice, with my example, already a mafia AU needs to go teen at the very least. Because I’m (theoretically) going to be going into quite a lot of detail (rather than say, have it be a background feature with not too much relevance), I’m automatically rating the story ‘mature’ due to subject matter and violence.

If you’re still not sure, click the little question mark symbol. AO3 have their own description, I’m just spelling it out the way I usually choose to view it. 

Archive warnings

 As it says on their website, these are essentially just trigger warnings. It doesn’t include all common triggers, but some that typically show up in fanfiction.  I don’t LIKE to use these unless completely necessary, to be honest. Somehow, it comes off as a little spoilery. However, this kind of thing can really bother people, so I think it’s best to bite the bullet and add them, especially for a one shot. 

From what I’ve experienced, the one people tend to get most het up about is ‘major character death’, so I’d always tag that one, or at the very least make some sort of reference in your additional tags such as ‘tragedy’. 

You can use 'choose not to use warnings’, as a 'read at your own risk’ kind of thing, which is totally valid, if you really don’t want to give away any plot twists. However, if you’re doing that, I still believe it’s courteous to add ‘contains subjects that may be triggering’ to your chapter notes. 

For my example, I’m just going to select violence, which is a given with the subject matter. 

I will skip fandom tag, as that’s pretty self explanatory 

Category

AKA, what gender pairings occur. I usually just go for the important ones. If you’re writing a fic about two guys, and one has a brother with a girlfriend, you don’t need to tag 'multi’ just because it appears. If you have two or more relationships highly significant to the plot and focused upon, that’s when you use 'multi’. 

For my mafia AU, I’m going with M/M. The main characters of YOI are male, and although I may want to add some pairings involving female characters, they’re only going to be in the background and not focused on much. 

Relationships

Similarly, I wouldn’t bother tagging every single relationship that gets mentioned. A lot of the time, it’s just irrelevant. If you’re worried, just tag the main one, and then add the tag 'minor or background relationships’. That’s kind of like saying ‘this work contains other pairings, read at your own description’, in my mind. An exception to this, maybe, is if you have a pairing you know is pretty out there and controversial, but that’s more a courtesy thing, so long as you’ve added another warning.

My mafia fic is mostly going to focus on Viktor and Yuuri, so I’m adding that in as my first tag. However, I also like the otayuri pairing, and their relationship is important enough to my plot, and mentioned frequently enough, that I’m adding it as a secondary tag. As there may be other mentions of pairings outside of these two, I’m adding a third tag. 

Characters

The same goes for characters. If they’re significant to the plot, tag them. You don’t need every single named character to be tagged - this will make your fic look like a mess on AO3, and is often what causes me to avoid some stories. My preferred way of doing this is also in order of appearance, so the eye catches the most important details first. 

In terms of my fic, the main characters are going to be Viktor and Yuuri, so they’re getting tagged first. I don’t really have much of a plot for this, but let’s say we’re focusing on a Russian faction, and Yuri and Yakov are significant characters. Otabek is also going to have an influence on the plot, so he’s also getting tagged. 

A little trick I have, to make character tags less cluttered, is to group characters together. In this example I’m using Yuuri’s family, three characters, in one tag. A more extreme example of this I’ve used in the past is just tagging ‘Class 3E’ for an Assassination Classroom fic, rather than individually naming another 26 characters who aren’t the most relevant. 

It’s totally fine to add something like “additional background characters” or “additional original characters”, if you want to for completeness. 

Additional Tags

Which is where most people tend to get a little lost. I have two separate views to this. Think of it this way, whenever you write a chaptered fic, it gets bumped to the top of the default page for your fandom when updated. If it’s a one shot, it’s only showing at the top of the default one time. When you take that into consideration, the only way a one shot is going to continue to get views is if you tag it really well. 

Chaptered fics

I like to tag with the main and most important tropes. If I’m writing an AU, I’ll add one or two tags to describe what the AU is (for the purpose of people finding something specific when they look for fic). If it’s canon, I tend to add ‘canon verse’ regardless. Anything additional, I reserve for something that could bother a person, that isn’t touched upon by archive warnings. This could be anything from 'mpreg’ to 'swearing’. You shouldn’t need to rely on tags to sell your fic for you, write a strong summary and only tag what’s NECESSARY. This is very much down to your own judgement. If you’re not sure, just add ‘more tags to be added later’, and make sure to content warn at the start of your chapters. 

  One shots 

Without going too crazy so your  tags are flooded, I like to add a little more detail. You need to work harder to get a potential reader’s attention. Plus, after a day or two, your fic is only going to show up in specific tags - take advantage of that. Unless your market your fic elsewhere, AKA posting it around, you really need to use the tag system to your own advantage. 

The best comparison I can think for this is the difference between watching internet pornography and an erotic movie. The movie gives you a brief overview of the plot, but not the entire story. Porn is trying to sell itself in a quick burst, and needs to play out what happens to catch attention and get views. 

Now in terms of my fic, I’m going to make it chaptered, and thus only use tags I think are necessary to prepare the reader. I’m only using two to detail the universe we’re set in, and the rest are essentially content warnings. I’m using my best judgement here, and tagging common things that could potentially turn somebody off a story. I don’t need to add violence, as I tagged it earlier. I’m also adding an ‘additional tags’ notice, so that if I decide to add anything to the fic else not covered in these tags, the reader has made that agreement, in clicking on my story, that they’re prepared for that (so long as I add the correct warnings before posting).

Like I said, I’m no expert, and this is in no way the rule that everybody needs to follow. This is just a little bit of advice, drawing from my preferences and knowledge, for those who struggle making these kind of decisions with their fics. We all have out different ways of going about it! For reference, here is what my completed fic would look like on AO3:

When you actually click on the story 

What it looks like on the website. Still a little cluttered, but most fics probably don’t require this many archive warnings, due to the subject. You also have to imagine that most stories wouldn’t have such a short summary, which would space out the eye and make it seem a but less busy on the screen. 

I’m going to throw in my most recent fic, to demonstrate what this really looks like in practice. 

[differentnighttale]

Physical One-Liners Part IV

"Even your snoring sounds adorable."

"Your warmth feels like home to me."

"I could spend forever tracing the lines of your smile."

"Every time you hold me, the world seems to fade away."

"Your hugs are my favourite kind of comfort."

"I swear, you're addicted to being close to me."

"Are you memorizing the way I smell?"

"You're always finding excuses to touch me, aren't you?"

"I want to catalogue every detail of your body."

"Your arms are the safest place in the world."

"Every scar tells a story, and I want to listen to all of them."

"Do you want me to help with your hair?"

"When your hand brushes mine, I can't function anymore."

"I want to forget where your body begins and where mine ends."

"Your heartbeat is my favourite song to listen to."

More: One-Liners Masterpost

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[differentnighttale]

Body Language Cheat Sheet For Writers 

╰ Facial expressions

These are your micro-signals, like the blinking neon signs of the soul. But they’re small, quick, and often lie harder than words.

Raised eyebrows — This can mean surprise or disbelief, sure. But it can also be a full-on, silent “Are you serious right now?” when someone’s being ridiculous. Or even curiosity when someone’s too emotionally repressed to askthe damn question.

Furrowed brow — That face people make when they’re doing long division in their head or trying to emotionally process a compliment. It’s thinking, yes—but also confusion, deep frustration, or quiet simmering rage.

Smiling — Can be happiness… or total fake-it-till-you-make-it energy. Some smiles are stiff. Some don’t reach the eyes. Show that.

Frowning — Sure, sadness. But also: disappointment, judgment, or the universal “I’m about to say something blunt, brace yourself.”

Lip biting — It’s not just nervousness, it’s pressure. Self-control. Anticipation. It’s the thing people do when they want to say something and decide, at the last second, not to.

╰ Eye movement

The window to the soul? Yeah. But also the window to when someone’s lying, flirting, or deeply trying not to cry in public.

Eye contact — Confidence or challenge. Eye contact can be gentle, curious, sharp like a blade. Sometimes it’s desperate: “Please understand me.”

Avoiding eye contact — Not always guilt. Sometimes it’s protectiveness. Sometimes it’s “I’m afraid if I look at you, you’ll see everything I’m trying to hide.”

Narrowed eyes — Calculating. Suspicious. The look someone gives when their brain’s saying “hmmm...” and it’s not a good hmm.

Wide eyes — Surprise, yes. But also sudden fear. The oh-God-it’s-happening look. Or when someone just found out they’re not as in control as they thought.

Eye roll — Classic. But try using it with tension, like when someone’s annoyed and trying very hard not to lose it in public.

╰ Gestures

This is where characters’ emotions go when their mouths are lying.

Crossing arms — Not just defensive. Sometimes it’s comfort. A self-hug. A barrier when the conversation is getting too personal.

Fidgeting — This is nervous energy with nowhere to go. Watch fingers tapping, rings spinning, sleeves tugged. It says: I’m not okay, but I’m trying not to show it.

Pointing — It’s a stab in the air. Aggressive, usually. But sometimes a desperate plea: Look. Understand this.

Open palms — Vulnerability. Honesty. Or a gesture that says, “I have nothing left to hide.”

Hand on chin — Not just thinking. It’s stalling. It’s delaying. It’s “I’m about to say something that might get me in trouble.”

╰ Posture and movement

These are your vibes. How someone occupies space says everything.

Slumped shoulders — Exhaustion. Defeat. Or someone trying to take up less space because they feel small.

Upright posture — Not always confidence. Sometimes it’s forced. Sometimes it’s a character trying really, really hard to look like they’re fine.

Pacing — Inner chaos externalized. Thinking so loudly it needs movement. Waiting for something. Running from your own thoughts.

Tapping foot — Tension. Irritation. Sometimes a buildup to an explosion.

Leaning in — Intimacy. Interest. Or subtle manipulation. (You matter to me. I’m listening. Let’s get closer.)

╰ Touch

This is intimacy in all its forms, comforting, protective, romantic, or invasive.

Hugging — Doesn’t always mean closeness. Could be a goodbye. Could be an apology they can’t say out loud. Could be awkward as hell.

Handshake — Stiff or crushing or slippery. How someone shakes hands says more than their words do.

Back patting — Casual warmth. Bro culture. Awkward emotional support when someone doesn’t know how to comfort but wants to try.

Clenched fists — Holding something in. Rage, tears, restraint. Fists mean tension that needs somewhere to go.

Hair tuck — Sure, flirtation or nerves. But also a subtle shield. A way to hide. A habit from childhood when someone didn’t want to be seen.

╰ Mirroring:

If two characters start syncing their body language, something is happening. Empathy. Chemistry. Shared grief. If someone shifts their body when the other does? Take notice. Other human bits that say everything without words...

Nodding — Not just yes. Could be an “I hear you,” even if they don’t agree. Could be the “keep going” nod. Could be patronizing if done too slow.

Crossed legs — Chill. Casual. Or closed-off, depending on context. Especially if their arms are crossed too.

Finger tapping — Time is ticking. Brain is pacing. Something’s coming.

Hand to chest — Sincerity, yes. But also shock. Or grounding—a subconscious attempt to stay present when everything feels like too much.

Tilting the head — Curiosity. Playfulness. Or someone listening so hard they forget to hide it.

Temple rub — “I can’t deal.” Could be physical pain. Could be stress. Could be emotional overload in disguise.

Chin stroking — Your classic “I’m judging you politely.” Often used in arguments between characters pretending to be calm.

Hands behind the back — Authority. Control. Or rigid fear masked as control.

Leaning body — This is the body betraying the brain. A tilt toward someone means they care—even if their words are cold.

Nail biting — Classic anxiety. But also habit. Something learned. Sometimes people bite because that’s how they self-soothe.

Squinting — Focusing. Doubting. Suspicion without confrontation.

Shifting weight — Uncomfortable. Unsure. Someone who wants to leave but doesn’t.

Covering the mouth — Guilt. Hesitation. The “should I say this?” moment before something big drops.

Body language is more honest than dialogue. If you really want to show your character’s internal world, don’t just give them lines. Give them a hand that won’t stop shaking. Give them a foot that won’t stop bouncing. Give them a mouth that smiles when their eyes don’t. And if you’re not sure what your character would do in a moment of fear, or love, or heartbreak, try acting it out yourself. Seriously. Get weird. Feel what your body does. Then write that down.

[differentnighttale]

Romance Dialogue Starters

Tender / Confessional Moments

"Come here. Just for a minute."

"You don’t have to be strong all the time."

"Stay. Please, just stay."

"You make me feel safe. That’s terrifying."

"I missed you so much it hurt."

"When I’m with you, I forget to be afraid."

"Is it okay if I hold your hand?"

"You’re not a burden. You never were."

"I wish I’d met you sooner."

"You’re my favorite ‘what if.’"

Protective/Overprotective Behavior

"Where were you? I’ve been calling for hours."

"You could’ve died, you idiot."

"Don’t ever scare me like that again."

"Next time, I’m going with you. No arguments."

"You’re hurt. Let me see."

"I’m not letting you do this alone."

"Overreacting? You bled through your shirt!"

"You think I care what they say? I care about you."

"If anything happens to you, I’ll burn the whole damn world down."

Conflicted Longing

"If I kiss you now, I won’t be able to stop."

"We can’t do this." – "Then don’t look at me like that."

"You’re the last person I should want."

"Tell me to go, and I will."

"I want to hate you. But I don’t."

"This changes everything."

"Just tonight. Just this once."

"You’re always in my head. I hate it."

"You deserve better. But I’m selfish."

[differentnighttale]

How Body Language Changes When a Character Is Falling in Love (Whether They Admit It or Not)

When someone starts to fall, it shows up everywhere—not in the love confession (that’s the easy part), but in the twitch of a smile, in the silence that suddenly feels charged, in the way someone’s hand almost reaches out before pulling back.

╰ They start listening… with their whole damn body

Suddenly, they’re turned toward this person all the time. Full body facing them. Chin tilted slightly in. They lean forward during small talk like it’s breaking news. They notice things, like the rhythm of their voice, the way their lips move when they think too hard. They stop fiddling with their phone. Their knee bounces until the other person speaks, and then, stillness. They’re so present, it hurts.

╰ Their eye contact gets… weird

Sometimes they can’t stop looking. Sometimes they can’t look at all... There’s that moment—the pause, the flicker—where their eyes land on the other person’s mouth for just a second too long. Or they track their hands. Or notice how their hair falls into their face. It’s not about lust. It’s yearning, and it’s quiet and stupid and full of panic. And when the person catches them looking? Immediate eye dart. Back to their drink. To the sky. To anywhere else. Guilty. Flushed. Terrified.

╰ Their hands get stupid

They’re suddenly very aware of what their hands are doing. They fidget more. Or freeze. They keep their arms close to their body, like they’re worried they’ll accidentally reach out. If they touch the other person, even casually, it lingers. Not long enough to be noticed, but long enough to matter. Sometimes they adjust the other person’s collar or brush something off their sleeve and then have a tiny meltdown inside. That kind of touch feels too intimate. It’s not flirtation. It’s reverence.

╰ Their silence means more than their words

They trail off mid-sentence. Laugh at things they don’t usually laugh at. Start saying something and stop themselves. It’s because their brain is trying to do too many things at once—act normal, sound chill, don’t make it weird, try not to look like you’re in love. Meanwhile, the body is over here sweating, shifting, subtly turning toward the other person like a sunflower in denial.

╰ Their whole vibe gets softer

There’s a gentleness that creeps in. Even if they’re a sharp, snarky character, there’s a moment where they look at the person like they’re a planet they’ve just discovered. It’s brief. It’s devastating. It’s involuntary. And they might pretend it didn’t happen. But the reader saw it. The love interest definitely saw it. And suddenly, everything is different.

╰ Bonus: They mirror the other person without meaning to

Their arms cross when the other person’s do. Their head tilts. They laugh a beat after. This is subconscious connection at work. Their body wants to match this person. Sync with them. Be close without being obvious. And when they stop mirroring? That’s a sign too. Maybe something hurt. Maybe they’re trying to pull away. But the body always tells the truth, even when the character’s mouth is lying through its teeth.

[differentnighttale]

how is trump alive?? like hes rlly gone thru his whole life like That …. and no one has ever just fuckin decked him?? gave him the ole one two? knocked his lights out??? incredible

[differentnighttale]

[differentnighttale]

tweet

Something like this would be so colossally helpful. I'm sick and tired of trying to research specific clothing from any given culture and being met with either racist stereotypical costumes worn by yt people or ai generated garbage nonsense, and trying to be hyper specific with searches yields fuck all. Like I generally just cannot trust the legitimacy of most search results at this point. It's extremely frustrating. If there are good resources for this then they're buried deep under all the other bullshit, and idk where to start looking.

[differentnighttale]

awwww thanks,

I LOVE YOUR WRITING!!! ONLY WROTE ONE WORD? BEAUTIFUL. WROTE TEN PAGES? AWESOME. HAVENT WRITTEN IN MONTHS? YOURE STILL DOING GREAT SWEETIE

[differentnighttale]

Not now kitten daddy's googling his symptoms