#* Character development

[luna-azzurra]

How to write hospital scenes 

From someone who’s definitely been in too many and would very much like a refund...ツ

⊹ Waiting rooms are emotional purgatory. They’re too bright, too quiet, and weirdly timeless. Fluorescent lights buzzing, TVs playing muted news no one watches, coffee that tastes like burnt stress. People aren’t relaxing in there, they’re just existing, awkwardly pretending their phones are interesting while dissociating at 40% battery.

⊹ Everyone talks in a whisper, but not because it’s respectful, no, it just feels wrong to speak normally. Like the walls might be listening, like if you talk too loud, something worse might happen, even the loud people get quiet in hospitals.

⊹ Overnight stays are hell. hospital chairs? medieval torture devices with upholstery. even if someone’s trying to nap next to a patient, they’re not sleeping. They’re half-listening to the symphony of beeping machines, nurse shoes squeaking, the occasional cough, and distant Code Something crackling over the intercom. it’s anxiety with a blanket.

⊹ The smell is unforgettable, like it’s not just antiseptic. it’s plastic and cafeteria meatloaf and sweat and fear and the smell of a place where people are very much not okay. the first time your character walks in, it’ll hit them like a wall. later, they might not even notice, or maybe it’s the only thing they can smell for days after.

⊹ Talking to doctors is a weird performance. You're trying to be calm, they’re trying to be calm. But no one is calm, your character wants to ask 47 questions and not sound desperate. The doctor explains things like they’re narrating a science video, and when they leave, someone will immediately go “wait... we forgot to ask” every. single. time.

⊹ Monitors beep constantly. half the time, it’s nothing. A wire got loose, someone rolled over. But the second it is something, the vibe shifts fast. Nurses appear like ghosts, machines start going off, and everyone starts moving. And your character? they might freeze, or panic, or forget they have lungs. Go with whatever makes sense for them, but make it visceral.

⊹ Time goes full funhouse mirror. Ten minutes waiting for test results feels like a year. A full hour stretches into eternity, meanwhile, three hours can pass without anyone realizing it. You can use this in your pacing, make it drag when the waiting is unbearable.

⊹ Hospital cafeteria food: Garbage. It’s either offensively bland or stupidly overpriced. The grilled cheese is six dollars and tastes like regret, and someone will 100% cry into a cold sandwich at 3am, because grief doesn’t care where you are.

⊹ People start fixating on tiny, random things. They can’t control the big stuff, so their brain zeroes in on a sock slipping off, a crooked IV pole, the repetitive drip-drip-drip of medication. Let them obsess over something small, it’s how the brain copes with being completely powerless...

[mystic-rox]

Guys, please I wanna talk about Arden

Character asks!

These are more focused on the background stuff rather than the usual "what would the character do in XY situation" kinds of asks. I've been looking for something like this for quite a while and in the end decided to make my own. Feel free to use, go wild, enjoy

What was the original thought that led to the creation of this character?

How long was the process before the character reached its final version? (or a version that would be clearly recognizable as the character?)

What was the first thing you decided on, the character's name, appearance, personality or their role in the story?

And reverse, which one of the four things did you struggle with the most?

How did you choose their name and why? Was it simply based on vibes or is there any specific meaning behind the name? Are the reasons behind their name different in- and out of universe?

What was the thought process behind their appearance? Did you go mostly for the aesthetic or are there other reasons they look the way they do?

What is an aspect of their appearance that you like the most?

What is the origin of their personality? And let's be honest - how much of it is projecting?

How big is their role in the story? Do they make a frequent appearance or are they a character with little "screentime" but big influence? Or are they just a favourite background guy?

What is their main character arc in the story? Where do they start and how do they develop? Do they get a happy ending or is their story a tragic one?

Is there any existing character from other media that your character resembles? Was the resemblance intentional or was it a coincidence?

Do you have a playlist for the character? What songs do you associate with them and why?

Do you have a voice claim for the character? What do you imagine the character sounds like?

Do you have any quotes tied to the character, either from the story itself or from another source that fit them?

Have you ever made a moodboard for them?

Is there any memes or running jokes associated with the character, both in- and out of universe?

Are there any motifs or symbols associated with the character? How are they represented, in their design, personality or in some other way?

Does the character have other characters connected to them? Do you have a family tree and "offscreen" connections made up for them or do they exist in a vacuum purely for the purpose of the story?

What is your general favourite thing about the character? What is your least favourite?

Bonus question: share any additional thoughts, art, favourite scenes, anything you've been waiting for a chance to ramble about

[enigmaedid]

Y’know, It’s so frustrating when people elevate Shadow as this untouchable “Ultimate Life Form” while simultaneously acting like Sonic is just some weak, overrated blue guy. Like, come on — Sonic’s been through insane cosmic-level chaos, he’s taken down gods and reality-bending villains, and yeah, he has that that shit-eating grin and raw natural power that just feels like a storm waiting to unleash.

Shadow is powerful, sure — but he’s a weapon created in a lab, made for control and precision. Sonic? He’s pure instinct, freedom, and unpredictability incarnate. Shadow might be “ultimate” in theory, but Sonic is obvious in what he actually is — a force of nature.

People acting like Shadow automatically wins because of the “Ultimate Life Form” label are missing the heart of what makes Sonic so special: his untamed spirit, his raw potential, and that unbreakable will. Sonic isn’t just some “blue hedgehog” — he’s a legendary force, sometimes goofy but never weak.

It’s like they’re trying to drag Sonic down to lift Shadow up, but they’re really just twisting the whole story. Sonic’s not perfect, but that’s the whole point — he’s flawed, unpredictable, and that makes him stronger in ways that don’t show up on a stats sheet.

If anything, Shadow being “ultimate” but emotionally stunted and trapped by his origin only makes Sonic’s free-spirited strength shine even brighter. They’re opposites, and that clash is what makes their rivalry so epic.

[ocprompts]

Which parent took care of your oc most?

[nyukaart]

Highschool is funny cause wdym I came to this school with no friends and an insane fear of speaking to ANYONE without stuttering and shaking to being a speaker for the school debate team with some of my closest friends in my senior year🥀

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: Types of Characters

There are 3 ways to categorize character types.

One is via archetypes—broad descriptions of the different types of characters that populate human storytelling.

Another way is to group characters by the role they play over the course of the story.

The third method is to group characters by quality, spelling out the way they change or stay the same within a narrative.

As you craft your own story—whether that’s a first novel, a screenplay, or a short story—consider the way that these character types function within the overall narrative.

If we categorize character types by the role they play in a narrative, we can hone in on 7 distinct varieties:

Protagonist: The main character of the story is the protagonist. They should be carefully crafted with a logical backstory, personal motivation, and a character arc over the course of the story. Often the story will be told from their point of view. From a heroine like Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games to a miserable wretch like Doestoevsky’s Underground Man, the protagonist is the character the audience is most invested in.

Antagonist: The villain of the story is the antagonist. Think Lex Luthor, Lord Voldemort, or Dr. Charles Nichols in The Fugitive. Note that an antagonist is not the same as an anti-hero like the Joker or Walter White. Anti-heroes are villainous people who function in a protagonist’s role.

Love interest: The love interest is the protagonist’s object of desire. A good love interest will be compelling and three-dimensional, like Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby or Rhett Butler in Gone With the Wind.

Confidant: This type of character is the best friend or sidekick of the protagonist, the Sancho Panza to their Don Quixote. Often the protagonist's goal flows through the confidant—although not every story needs one. A particularly famous confidant is Horatio in Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

Deuteragonists: These characters often overlap with confidants. A deuteragonist is close to the main character, but the story’s main plot does not directly correspond with their own character arc. Horatio doubles as a deuteragonist. In Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, Samwise Gamgee is a deuteragonist. In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Benvolio is a deuteragonist who doubles as a confidant, while Mercutio is a deuteragonist but not a confidant.

Tertiary characters: Tertiary characters populate the world of the story but do not necessarily link to the main storyline. These minor characters serve any number of functions and may have varying degrees of personal dynamism. Think of Father Zosima in The Brothers Karamazov.

Foil: A foil character primarily exists to bring the protagonist’s qualities into sharper relief. This is because the foil is effectively the opposite of the protagonist. In the Star Trek series, Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock serve as each other’s foils since their personalities are so notably different.

One way to classify characters is by examining how they change (or don’t change) over the course of a story. Grouped in this way by character development, character types include:

Dynamic character: A dynamic character is one who changes over the course of the story. As such, a dynamic character makes the best protagonist. In Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, both Huck and Jim are dynamic characters. Similarly, each character in the love triangle of William Styron’s Sophie’s Choice—Stingo, Sophie, and Nathan—is a dynamic character.

Round character: Closely related to a dynamic character, a round character is a major character who shows fluidity and the capacity for change from the moment we meet them. By contrast, some dynamic protagonists do not change until actions in the story force that change. Round characters can be noble, like Konstantin Levin in Anna Karenina, or morally dubious, like Humbert Humbert in Lolita.

Static character: A static character does not noticeably change over the course of a story. Sometimes known as a flat character, these characters often play tertiary roles in a narrative (think of various parental figures in Roald Dahl’s children's books). Many villains are also static: They were evil yesterday, they’ll be evil today, and they’ll be evil tomorrow.

Stock character: A stock character is an archetypal character with a fixed set of personality traits. Shakespeare’s various fools are stock characters, as are some of his comic creations like Sir Andrew and Sir Toby in Twelfth Night.

Symbolic character: A symbolic character represents a concept or theme larger than themselves. They may have dynamic qualities, but they also exist to subtly steer an audience’s mind toward broader concepts. Most are supporting characters, but some stories have symbolic protagonists, such as Dostoevsky’s The Idiot. When it comes to symbolic supporting characters, Boo Radley in To Kill A Mockingbird is an example, representing a much larger legion of outcasts.

Characters in a work of fiction can usually be grouped into archetypes. These archetypes have been categorized by Swiss psychologist Carl Jung, the American literary theorist Joseph Campbell, and generations of authors, screenwriters, and storytellers. Here are the 12 commonly discussed character archetypes:

The Lover: the romantic lead who’s guided by the heart. Their strengths include humanism, passion, and conviction. Their weaknesses include naivete and irrationality. Some famous lovers are Romeo, Juliet, and Scarlett O’Hara.

The Hero: the protagonist who rises to meet a challenge and saves the day. Their strengths are courage, perseverance, and honor. Their weaknesses include overconfidence and hubris. Some famous heros are Achilles, Luke Skywalker, and Wonder Woman

The Magician: a powerful figure who has harnessed the ways of the universe to achieve their goals. Their strengths may include omniscience, omnipotence, and discipline, while their weaknesses center on corruptibility and arrogance. Prospero, Gandalf, Morpheus, and Dumbledore are famous magician characters.

The Outlaw: the rebel who won’t abide by society’s demands. The outlaw can be a bad guy, but not always. The outlaw’s strengths include independent thinking and skepticism. Their weaknesses may include self-involvement and criminality. Among the famous outlaws are Han Solo, Dean Moriarty, and Humbert Humbert.

The Explorer: a character naturally driven to push boundaries and find what’s next. Their strengths: They are curious, driven, and motivated by self-improvement. They are weak in that they are restless, unreliable, and never satisfied. Famous explorers include Odysseus, Sal Paradise, and Huckleberry Finn.

The Sage: a wise figure with knowledge for those who inquire. Strengths of the sage include wisdom, experience, and insight. In terms of weakness, the sage may be overly cautious and hesitant to actually join the action. A few famous sages: Athena, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Hannibal Lecter (an evil sage).

The Innocent: a morally pure character, often a child, whose only intentions are good. Their strengths range from morality to kindness to sincerity. Their weaknesses start with being vulnerable, naive, and minimally skilled. Famous innocents are Tiny Tim, Lennie Small, Cio-Cio-San.

The Creator: a motivated visionary who creates art or structures during the narrative. Their strengths include creativity, willpower, and conviction. Their weaknesses include self-involvement, single-mindedness, and lack of practical skills. Famous creators include Zeus, Dr. Emmett Brown, and Dr. Moreau.

The Ruler: a character with legal or emotional power over others. The ruler’s strengths include omnipotence, status, and resources. Their weaknesses include aloofness, being disliked by others, and always seeming out of touch. Famous rulers include Creon, King Lear, and Huck Finn’s Aunt Sally.

The Caregiver: a character who continually supports others and makes sacrifices on their behalf. Among their strengths, caregivers are honorable, selfless, and loyal. Among their weaknesses, they lack personal ambition or leadership. Sometimes they even lack self worth. Famous caregivers include Dolly Oblonsky, Calpurnia, and Samwell Tarly.

The Everyman: a relatable character who feel recognizable from daily life. When it comes to strengths, they are grounded, salt-of-the-earth, and relatable. In terms of weaknesses, they typically lack special powers and are often unprepared for what’s to come. Famous everymen: Bilbo Baggins, Leopold Bloom, Leslie Knope.

The Jester: an intentionally funny character who provides comic relief but may also speak important truths. Strengths include the ability to be funny, disarming, and insightful. Weaknesses include the capacity to be obnoxious and superficial. Famous jesters range from Sir John Falstaff to King Lear’s Fool to George’s parents in Seinfeld.

Source ⚜ More: Notes & References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[oc-loving]

has your oc ever failed miserably at something they are/were very passionate about?

[luna-azzurra]

Writing Advice #3

Try roasting your setting like you’re ranting to your group chat after a bad road trip. Seriously, don’t just tell me it’s a “quaint village.” Is it the kind of place where time forgot it existed? Does it have, like, three shops that all close at 2pm for mysterious reasons and a town square statue of some guy named “Jedediah” who absolutely committed tax fraud?

The more lovingly hateful you are, the clearer the place gets. Because when we roast things, we get weirdly specific. That specificity is PURE gold. “Dusty” is whatever. “A town where the post office smells like expired glue” is a vibe. It tells me everything I need to know and makes me want to keep reading just to see how much worse it gets.

Bonus points if your narrator is also sick of being there. Angry characters describe places way better than calm ones, it’s just science.

[officialnostradamus]

Please ask me! Let's continue the train of why our characters suck 😈💖

Ugly OC Asks

Let's get messy 🔥

Questions compiled with @monocytogenes. Reblog with your OCs tagged and enjoy the crunch!

(I'm not numbering these so people have to copy the questions into the ask box.)

😈😈😈😈

What is your OC petty about?

When's the last time your OC hurt someone emotionally? What did they do?

What's an unsavory detail about your OC or opinion they have (to a modern Tumblr audience)?

What's an unsavory detail about your OC or opinion they have (to their peer group)?

What does your OC's love interest dislike about them?

Is your OC ever wrong? Big ways? Small ways? About what?

What does your OC lie about?

In what way(s) is your OC bad at life?

What's the fatal flaw in your OC's relationship(s)? What could destroy those relationships?

What fills your OC with envy? Alternatively who does your OC envy and why?

What physical trait(s) is your OC insecure about?

What personality trait(s) or habit(s) is your OC insecure about?

What's a moment your OC is ashamed to remember?

What's your OC's biggest fuck up?

What unconscious biases or expectations does your OC have regarding other genders, races or sexualities?

What skill does your OC need to work on improving?

What uncharitable takes would your OC have about you if they met you?

What's the longest grudge your OC has ever held? Against whom and why?

In what way is your OC worse than you?

Have there been any horrible consequences to well-intentioned choices your OC made? How did they cope with that?

Who hates your OC? Why?

What do your OC and their LI fight about?

[margotlovessally]

The character development in this shoooooow

[kiera-raelyn]

Useful info.

Can even be used to pick your own children's names, if my Mammaw was anything to go by. She went with 16, but with a sound instead of a letter. Her name was Mary. The father of (most) of her children? Larry. Her children: Gary, Terry, Jerry, and—wait for it—Sherry.

I gotta give her credit for commitment to the bit. Especially since Larry was not her last husband/partner.

25 Cheap and Easy Tricks for Naming Your Characters

Because I hate coming up with new names. I hate it. I write fantasy. Why do I do this to myself?

The credits of your favorite movies, video games, and TV shows

Scroll through your old yearbook

Pick a theme and go with it a la Sirius, Regulus, Arcturus or Pearl, Opal, Amethyst

Any baby names list, pick a year

Obscure mythological figures, full name or nickname derivative

Obscure or famous historical figures, like philosophers, politicians, artists, and reformers

Unabashedly Latin-based

Unabashedly literal a la every character in My Hero Academia

Biblical figures

Scrabble/Bananagram word salad until you get to something legible (my personal favorite, highly recommend)

Pick a regional dialect, go ham, a la “Mc-” or “Mac-” prefixes, “-sky” or “ski” suffixes (just make sure you aren’t being racist)

Rare colors, especially if they’re themed after said colors or color associations

The She-Ra/Thundercats method

The Transformers method

Pick two names. Create a ship name. Voila

Pick a letter and go with it, especially if they’re siblings or all related, like Jane, Jill, Julie, Jackie, Janet

Old magazines, newspapers, and local news, both author and subject

Go to library/bookstore, pick a random book off the shelves and scavenge their names

Wander Google Maps, steal the names of roads and towns

Dusty phone book/encyclopedia for address and authors

Your own ancestors

Name them after their hometown/region a la “da Vinci”

Name them after their most infamous act or notable trait a la “Frederick Hamhands”

Pick a real name. Make up a nickname and have them go by that

Let them pick their own name so it’s weird/quirky/unique/boring/cringey, but with reason 

[literaryvein-references]

When your Character...

Gets into: A Fight ⚜ ...Another Fight ⚜ ...Yet Another Fight

Hates Someone ⚜ Kisses Someone ⚜ Falls in Love

Calls Someone they Love ⚜ Dies / Cheats Death ⚜ Drowns

is...

A Ballerina ⚜ A Child ⚜ Interacting with a Child ⚜ A Cheerleader

A Cowboy ⚜ A Genius ⚜ A Lawyer ⚜ A Pirate ⚜ A Spy

A Wheelchair User ⚜ A Zombie ⚜ Beautiful ⚜ Dangerous ⚜ Drunk

Funny ⚜ In a Coma ⚜ In a Secret Society ⚜ Injured ⚜ Shy

needs...

A Magical Item ⚜ An Aphrodisiac ⚜ A Fictional Poison

A Coping Strategy ⚜ A Drink ⚜ A Medicinal Herb ⚜ A Mentor

Money ⚜ A Persuasion Tactic ⚜ A Quirk ⚜ To be Killed Off

To Become Likable ⚜ To Clean a Wound ⚜ To Self-Reflect

To Find the Right Word, but Can't ⚜ To Say No ⚜ To Swear

loves...

Astronomy ⚜ Baking ⚜ Cooking ⚜ Cocktails ⚜ Food ⚜ Oils

Dancing ⚜ Fashion ⚜ Gems ⚜ Herbal Remedies ⚜ Honey

Mushrooms ⚜ Mythology ⚜ Numbers ⚜ Perfumes

Roses ⚜ Sweets ⚜ To Argue ⚜ To Insult ⚜ To Kiss

To Make False Claims ⚜ Wine ⚜ Wine-Tasting ⚜ Yoga

has/experiences...

Allergies ⚜ Amnesia ⚜ Bereavement ⚜ Bites & Stings

Bruises ⚜ Caffeine ⚜ CO Poisoning ⚜ Color Blindness

Facial Hair ⚜ Fainting ⚜ Fevers ⚜ Food Allergies

Food Poisoning ⚜ Fractures ⚜ Frostbite ⚜ Hypothermia

Injuries ⚜ Jet Lag ⚜ Kidnapping ⚜ Manipulation ⚜ Mutism

Pain ⚜ Paranoia ⚜ Poisoning ⚜ More Pain & Violence

Scars ⚜ Trauma ⚜ Viruses ⚜ Wounds

[these are just quick references. more research may be needed to write your story...]

Writing Resources PDFs

[imastoryteller]

20 Ways to Show Extreme Fear in Your Writing

As I dive into researching signs of fear for my horror WIP, I wanted to share some of the most compelling and visceral reactions I’ve come across. Whether you’re writing a chilling scene or crafting a character’s panic, these 20 signs of fear can help bring tension and realism to your story.

Physical Reactions

Hyperventilating — sucking in air but never feeling like it’s enough

Chest tightens — feels like a weight or hands pressing down

Limbs shaking violently, knees buckling

Complete loss of muscle control — collapsing or unable to stand

Cold sweat soaking through clothes

Heart hammering so hard they feel it in their throat or head

Tunnel vision — the world narrowing down to one terrifying focal point

Ringing in the ears or sudden deafness, like the world drops away

Dizziness / feeling faint / vision blurring

Dry mouth — unable to speak or even scream

Uncontrollable Behavior

Screaming / sobbing / gasping — involuntary vocal outbursts

Panic run — bolting without thinking, tripping over everything

Clawing at their own skin / chest / throat — like trying to escape their body

Begging / pleading out loud even if no one’s there

Repeating words or phrases — “No, no, no” / “This isn’t happening”

Hiding instinctively — diving under tables, closets, or corners

Desperate grabbing — reaching for someone, anything solid

Loss of bladder or bowel control (for extreme terror)

Total mental shutdown — frozen, slack-jawed, staring blankly

Memory blackout — later can’t recall what happened during the worst moment

[ocprompts]

which oc has a big family?