#characters journey

[enchantingepics]

Story Prompt 49

In a quaint little neighborhood, nestled among the trees and chirping birds, there lived a curious soul. This person, hidden behind curtains and peeking through blinds, found solace in observing the lives of others. Every day, they would watch from their window, unnoticed by the world outside.

One sunny afternoon, the mysterious observer spotted something unusual. Across the street, in a house bathed in sunlight, a couple engaged in an animated conversation. Their gestures were lively, their laughter infectious. But something about their interaction seemed off. It wasn't the typical banter of lovers or friends; it was tense, almost strained.

As the days passed, the observer became increasingly intrigued by the couple's peculiar behavior. They watched as arguments erupted and reconciliations followed. They witnessed tears shed and smiles shared, all from the safety of their hidden vantage point.

One evening, as dusk painted the sky in hues of orange and pink, the observer noticed a change in the couple's routine. They began to spend more time apart, their once animated conversations replaced by silence. It was as if an invisible wall had been erected between them, dividing their once harmonious relationship.

Unable to resist the urge to delve deeper into the mystery unfolding before them, the observer decided to take matters into their own hands. They ventured out into the twilight, their footsteps silent against the pavement.

Approaching the couple's house, the observer hesitated for a moment before ringing the doorbell. To their surprise, the door swung open, revealing the couple standing on the threshold.

"Can I help you?" the woman asked, her voice tinged with suspicion.

The observer hesitated, unsure of how to explain their presence. "I-I'm sorry, I couldn't help but notice… I mean, I've been watching… from across the street," they stammered.

The man exchanged a knowing glance with the woman before stepping forward. "You've been watching us?" he asked, his tone laced with curiosity.

The observer nodded, feeling a surge of embarrassment wash over them. "I know it sounds strange, but I couldn't help but notice… things seemed different between you two."

The woman's expression softened, and she exchanged a glance with her partner. "Come inside," she said, gesturing for the observer to follow.

[ruporas]

your love returns in tragedy (ID in alt)

[whatohitsonfirewelp]

You know what? I don’t WANT an awkward double date. I don’t WANT buck coming out and people having the ‘I know’ reaction or the ‘is it Eddie’ reaction.

You know what I do want?

I want Buck panicking over what to wear for the date. I want Buck flopping on his bed like very teenager after their first kiss all giggly and happy and touching his lips because he kissed a boy

I want Buck smiling every time he says Tommy’s name because maybe it isn’t forever and maybe he’s not even looking for forever anymore but he’s so happy and he’s so light and being with Tommy feels good

I want Tommy to keep calling him Evan, because before Buck was Buck he was Evan and Evan deserves to be happy to be treated so softly and lovingly and Evan deserves to be free.

I want Buck to be happy. To be happy and free and queer in the way we all deserve.

[theambitiouswoman]

How to Be The ✨Main Character✨ of Your Life 👑

Being the main character of your life means taking charge of your own narrative, making intentional choices, and living authentically. This doesn't mean life will be perfect. It means you're actively participating in your journey, making choices that align with your values, and striving to live a fulfilling life.

Understand yourself. Your desires, strengths, weaknesses, and emotions. What you like and do not like. Reflect on your actions and decisions regularly.

Figure out, decide and commit to the life you want.Both short term and long term. Break these goals down into small steps.

Take action. Don't wait for things to happen; make them happen.

Every main character faces obstacles. They build you. They show you, and others, how bad you want it. Instead of avoiding challenges, face them head-on. They're opportunities for growth.

Physical, emotional, and mental well-being are crucial. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, meditation, and adequate sleep can make a huge difference. How you treat yourself is how much you do or do not love yourself.

Surround yourself with positive influences and people who uplift you. Limit exposure to negative media or toxic individuals.

The world is full of knowledge. Always be curious. Read books and take courses. Always learn.

Connect deeply with others. Genuine relationships add richness to life.

Be true to yourself. Don't live to meet others' expectations. Celebrate your uniqueness.

Regularly acknowledge and appreciate the good in your life. There is always something to be grateful for. It shifts your focus from what's lacking to what's abundant. How you look at life is what you will attract.

Find balance in work, relationships, and personal time. Create a life that is fulfilling. You are not just one aspect of your life.

Imagine yourself succeeding and achieving your goals. This positive visualization can be a powerful motivator. Live your life as if it is already done.

Life will have its ups and downs. Resilience is the ability to bounce back from setbacks and keep moving forward.

[smashwolfen]

I noticed something really REALLY cool about Legends arceus while looking up references, and it's so little, I don't know how many other folks have noticed it!!

The pokedex you get at the beginning of your journey;

Perfect, crisp and brand new! So many pages to fill! Untouched by anyone ever, the first to ever exist! The original pokedex.

But at the end, with a completed pokedex;

The title of the book is all ripped and damaged! It's been through so many surveys and treks out in hisui's wilderness! The edges of the blue cover are faded and dulling, maybe got wet a few times with run ins with outbreaks, being jostled around in a pack exploring around the region. The black binder holding it together after all this time is equally as banged up, probably barely keeping the stuffed pages inside safe and tucked away, but still doing its job.

This is the first ever pokedex, this is the one that began the understanding of pokemon as we know it, bringing humans and pokemon together as friends in the distant future. Before technology advanced and made the pokedex we were first introduced to in Kanto so many years ago.

It's falling apart and has been waterlogged a few times, it's recorded so much and survived raging lords, hordes or pokemon, alphas, an exile, gods of time and space, a banished deity, and faced almighty sinnoh.

And it was written, filled out, carried and protected all this time, by a kid who did their best to help the professor who first met them in Hisui.

And it survived.

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

"What do you mean their name isn't Beef?"

(for @moondal514)

[aangarchy]

I just saw a post from someone saying "zuko obviously never wanted to be firelord" and.... did we watch the same show?

Like at this point i've gotten used to people grossly misunderstanding the show's characters (mainly aang and katara) but i've never seen it happen so blatantly, and to ZUKO of all characters.

Zuko, the guy that asked his uncle to let him into the war meeting when he was only 13 because "he'll be firelord one day" and he wants to learn as quick as possible. Zuko, the guy that interrupted said war meeting also at age 13 because even that young he already felt a massive responsibility for his nation and the people in it, and he couldn't just stand by as these generals were planning on killing them. Zuko, who at age 13 BEGGED his father not to punish him, because he only had the Fire Nation's best interest at heart.

Zuko, who despite what his father did to him, still traveled to the world's most desolate places for a chance of getting his honor, his family and his throne back. Zuko, who at age 16, looked his father in the eye and told him he was going to free his people, and the whole world of his tyranny. Zuko, who at age 16, said he wasn't betraying his nation by joining the Avatar, he's saving it. Zuko, the teenager with so much love for his nation that he questioned his own uncle when he suggested Zuko should be firelord, because he didn't feel like he deserved it, because his people deserve a leader that hasn't made as many mistakes as Zuko.

And you're telling me you think this kid never wanted to be firelord? What version of atla have you watched, genuinely?

[enchantingepics]

Story Prompt 28

In a bustling city where the echoes of honking cars and hurried footsteps filled the air, there lived a woman with dreams bigger than the skyscrapers around her. She navigated the concrete jungle with a determined stride, her mind always buzzing with ideas and aspirations. Yet, despite her relentless efforts, there was one thing that eluded her—a title that seemed to slip through her fingers like grains of sand.

Our protagonist worked diligently in a nondescript office, surrounded by the hum of computers and the occasional ring of a phone. She was the unsung hero, the one who kept the gears of the company turning smoothly, yet recognition remained elusive. It wasn't about climbing the corporate ladder; it was about earning a title that resonated with her true capabilities.

One day, after another routine meeting where her ideas were acknowledged but not credited, she decided it was time for a change. Frustration and determination brewed within her like a storm ready to break. She approached her supervisor with a sense of conviction, "I've been contributing a lot to the team. I believe it's time for me to have a title that reflects my role and efforts."

[candlecoo-sideb-art]

Decided to attempt to draw myself in my favorite medias, which was such a fun challenge!

[mobius-m-mobius]

Owen Wilson and Tom Hiddleston at the FYC Emmys 'Loki' panel, April 13, 2024

[luckthebard]

Continues to be baffling to me how much of the CR fandom refuses to understand that, by the end of C1 (and frankly way earlier in that campaign than many people realize) Vax’s vow to the Raven Queen was totally voluntary, important and meaningful to him, and not something he wanted a trick or lawyer to “get him out of.”

I guess it surprises me to still see this because an intense disagreement about this was perhaps the biggest point of contention (and indeed one of the most interesting parts) of Vax and Keyleth’s relationship. I loved the disconnect they had about it as characters and that they stayed together in spite of it. (It’s part of what made me such a fan of Vaxleth as a romantic story.) But the Vax side of that disconnect they had about faith and fate and the gods seems to have been totally lost in the fandom memory of the campaign.

Vax does not see his service to his goddess as something he would need “rescuing” from and he would resent the assumption. De-orbed Vax would probably first go back to his duty and service, because that was meaningful to him. Breaking the rules a few times to try to save Keyleth doesn’t negate that, it’s just on-brand for a character who wore his heart on his sleeve and often made brash decisions to protect people he loved without thinking it through.

[feminineenergylife]

I am that girl 🖤

[hayleyolivia]

Head Advice #1: Everybody’s head is the same size.

Okay, not really, but basically. There’s a reason you don’t have to know your head circumference to find a sunhat. We all have pretty similar head sizes, especially from the visual distance we usually draw characters.

The only exception to this is babies or children under 10. Those guys definitely have smaller heads! (But did you know our skulls are already over 90% their full adult size by the age of 5?)

Different style choices demand different proportions, but in general, it’s good advice to pick a head size, and stick with it!

Head Advice #2: You can use head size to indicate a character’s size.

Big characters don’t look like average sized people scaled up. And you can’t just scale down to get a small person!

You can make a character look very big and tall or very very small — even if they are standing alone in a vast white nothingness — just by how how they are proportioned! The most important proportion (in my humble opinion) is their head size. Look me in the eyes and tell me you can’t tell which of these characters are big and which are small.

Head Advice #3: Don’t go shrinking anyone’s head.

The most common head sins I see happen when an artist is trying to indicate (body) size difference in a couple, and use their heads to do it. The result is an image that looks something like this:

If you don’t want your lovers to look like they belong in different animated tv shows, don’t go shrinking anyone’s head! Use their bodies (hands and feet and bellies and muscles) to show off their size differences.

Anyway, that’s all. Having fun giving head. I mean doing head. I mean drawing heads.

[sailor-arashi]

"Wait here, four-eyes. I'm going to get your bottle back."

[tskimberlee3]

Can you slide it in my booty🥵?

[writingwithfolklore]

Writing Character Arcs

                Here’s an easy secret about character arcs—they fit the same structure as plots (that’s because your main character’s arc is the main plot, but I’ve already talked about that here).

                That means, your character arc will somewhat follow this structure:

Normal world

Inciting Incident

Big thing happens 1

Fun and Games

Midpoint

Things get worse

Big thing happens #2

Crisis

Climax

Resolution

It begins with your character in their ‘normal state’—who they are from their backstory. They have some sort of problem that they aren’t addressing, because why would they? Change is hard.

Then, inciting incident. Something happens that sends them into a “change spiral”. They’re forced to face something they’ve been ignoring or avoiding. This incident can be just about anything that turns their world upside down—a new person comes into their life, an old person they left behind reappears, a close one dies, or a friend moves on. Etc. Etc.

Big thing #1 is the first action they take to “right” what happened in the inciting incident. An old flame reappears in their life, maybe they decide to meet up with them. A close friend dies—maybe they decide to take a trip away for a little while. It is an action taken by your character because of what happened in the inciting incident.

Fun and Games is the part where things seem to be going okay for them. Or things can be going terribly for them—it’s up to you. Either way, it accumulates to…

The midpoint. Something happens and it’s terrible and probably their fault. The old flame reinforces why they stopped going out by breaking your character’s heart again. The funeral for the friend is happening and MC missed it. Etc.

Things get worse is just hammering home this point. From their actions, things are going downhill.

Big thing happens #2 is the second action they take to right things again. This time they’re changing strategies from the first thing they tried. Maybe if they tried avoiding their problem first, they’re going to confront it (for better or for worse).

The crisis is the recognition of their initial problem or flaw. Leading to:

The climax, in which the character either chooses to change or to stay the same. Grow and do the right thing knowing what we now know, or stay stagnant and do the thing they would have done in the beginning. What you choose here depends on if your story is a tragedy or a comedy—tragic characters don’t recognize their flaw and grow from them.

Resolution is the consequences of their actions. For tragic characters, things are probably bad and remain that way—we need to show the readers their choice was the one wrong. For characters who do grow, we see them begin to thrive for the first time in the story. They’ve achieved what they wanted, though maybe not in the way they thought they wanted it.

(Pair this post with Character is Plot to flesh out your characters.)