#this was helpful for character development

[imastoryteller]

Beautiful Contradictions: 10 Tragic Trait Pairs for Unforgettable Characters

As a writer, I’m endlessly fascinated by the contradictions in people—especially the tragic ones. These paradoxes reveal a deeper truth, where strength masks sorrow and beauty hides pain.

Here’s a list of 10 eccentric yet tragic trait pairs, combining contrasting qualities that give each character a poignant, melancholic edge. These characters could be deeply moving, tragic, and thought-provoking:

Boundlessly Creative & Emotionally Numb Character Idea: They can craft breathtaking works of art that touch others’ hearts, yet they feel empty inside, unable to connect with their own creations. Their art speaks to everyone but themselves.

Empathic Healer & Chronically Ill Character Idea: They can take others’ pain away but suffer from an uncurable illness that no one else can heal. Their gift is both their strength and their curse, draining them even as they save others.

Unwaveringly Brave & Afraid of Love Character Idea: This character can face any monster or enemy without flinching, yet the idea of close relationships terrifies them. They would die for others but find it impossible to let anyone close.

Endlessly Forgiving & Self-Hating Character Idea: They forgive everyone’s faults and see the good in others, yet they can’t forgive themselves. While they bring peace to those around them, they’re haunted by self-loathing that won’t ease.

Prophetic & Forgotten Character Idea: They have visions of events to come but are cursed to be ignored and forgotten by everyone they meet. They watch disasters unfold knowing they could have helped, if only someone would remember them.

Sees the Beauty in Everything & Sees No Beauty in Themselves Character Idea: They find awe and wonder in every person and place, yet feel completely unworthy and unsightly themselves. Their admiration of the world is genuine, but they’re tragically disconnected from their own worth.

Master of Memory & Haunted by Every Loss Character Idea: They remember every detail of their life with perfect clarity, including the faces and voices of everyone they’ve lost. While they’re a living archive of the past, they’re crushed under the weight of their own memories.

Compelled to Help & Constantly Exploited Character Idea: This character has an unshakable need to help others, even those who repeatedly betray or hurt them. They sacrifice everything to save others, often at their own expense, never learning when to walk away.

Radiantly Beautiful & Mortally Lonely Character Idea: Their beauty inspires awe and admiration, but it also keeps people at a distance, assuming they’re untouchable. They’re surrounded by admiration but utterly alone, unable to find genuine connection.

Grants Wishes & Has None of Their Own Fulfilled Character Idea: This character can grant any wish for others, yet no one has ever thought to ask what they want. They live to make others’ dreams come true, with a deep sadness at never receiving the same kindness.

[tragedytells-tales]

Six characters MK's from LMK AU's to make fanart of, for enrichment and practice, final!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Possessed MK AU requested by: @sc6rl3t

New Past AU MK by: @lululocomo | Requested by: @estellardreams

Harbinger MK AU requested by: @milkywaypudding

Shadowpeach Bio Parents Second Star AU MK by: @kyri45 | Requested by: @writing-heiress & @goldentigereyemania

EPICTM Legendary AU MK by: @ducky-dawn47

If you requested something and I didn't do it/have a request in mind, then I'll likely draw it for round 2 or just for fun at some point!!

This is a list of summaries for every AU

Champion of Destiny:

MK got possessed long before his first fight with the Lady Bone Demon. A curse was whispered between those harsh words she sewed into his mind that day in Spider Queens lair. And what makes a better champion than a king or a warrior? Something absolute, something destined, someone crafted by a goddess herself.

A harbinger.

-

The New Past:

"After getting in the Pillar of Heaven, the cycle end and MK cannot go back home. With the help of Nuwa and the color stone, he was send to the next cycle so he could live a new life without the burden of being the harbinger of chaos.

MK, now fully a mystic monkey, arrived in this new cycle at the time of Journey to the West, but he have no idea at what point of the book he is! Is it during the pilgrimage? or way before?? he don't know for now, but he will soon know."

-

Nuwa's Path, True Meaning of Sacrifice:

With every beginning comes an end. Such is the world's cycle, written by the pen of a lone child. The little Harbinger awakens and is thrown into the end of the world. Powerful malicious demons roam a mortal world that has been abandoned by its heros, and the Harbinger fights to survive until he reaches his purpose. Or nearly dies to the Lady Bone Demon.

He finds sanctuary on Flower Fruit Mountain, where the Monkey King protects his kingdom from chaos. Even if it means adopting it 🥴

-

Shadowpeach Bio Parents Second Star:

After the events of last year, including becoming accidental fathers, fighting heaven, and figuring out parenting through personal development, Macaque and Wukong decide that it's time for their own take on Nuwa's idea. They're ready to create a kid by themselves, and MK gets a new sibling that he's definitely gonna ignore his parents for!

-

Legendary:

"A world where Wukong and Liu'er were separated very differently from Canon, and where Demonic and Celestial Courting is far more important to the Legend of the Monkie Kid.

Follow the Monkey Trio as they navigate a world of heartache, persecution, harassment, retribution, justice, and eventually...

Reunion."

[truthscrapper]

Devlog #1 📚 The Very First Devlog

We announced Truth Scrapper with a beautiful trailer this month!!! The response has been absolutely incredible, thank you so much for following me on another funky memory adventure. Throughout the development of ISAT, I have written monthly devlogs on Steam, talking about the making of the game. People liked them a bunch, so…

That’s right. It’s time. For the Very First Truth Scrapper devlog!

In case you just stumbled upon this, I am Adrienne, also known as insertdisc5! I am the creator of timeloop RPG In Stars and Time, and now am working on my next game, memory visual novel Truth Scrapper. It’s gonna be a good one.

Alright! Development talk time. Where’s the game at?!?!

So, right now, I have just finished writing the script for Day 4, so I "only" have the art, code, and implementation to do for that day. Truth Scrapper is divided in 7 days, with three different routes you can go through from Day 6 onwards. So really, I need to write and code 11 days. Which puts me at almost ⅓ through development! WOAHRGH!?? At this point, I know where the story is going, I know what each route will consist of, etc. I just don’t know the Details. The portraits are all done, backgrounds are done sequentially for every day, gameplay is all figured out… TLDR: It’s In Good Shape!!!

“That was a good short paragraph, but can I have the detailed timeline of the game. Please.” ok fine you asked for it.

The Big Timeline (and some images!) under the cut

📚 this image was made so early in development, it didn't even have Betz's shibari-like pink harness

TRUTH SCRAPPER TIMELINE

DEC 2022: I finish ISAT around NOV 2022. I get an idea. I write it down. It was going to be an RPG but nobody got time for that. Main themes and ending are here. I work on pre-production very slowly over the next couple months (because I am recovering from finishing ISAT and still gotta keep working on post-production stuff for ISAT)

JULY 2023: Ok fine let's make a renpy file and figure out if the most important gameplay thing can be done. AKA: can I make a book menu where the game remembers the choices you make, and how complicated is that gonna be for me to add to it down the line. It works and I am happy

📚 this image was made so early in development, it just looks very bad

AUGUST 2023: Character design. They look Not Great and character design takes me like nine months. Plot is getting somewhere though!

NOV 2023: In Stars and Time comes out. People like it I think.

MARCH 2024: I decide I need to work on something, and decide to work on that and apply for the Ontario Creates grant. This game is actually starting for realsies!!!!!!!

MAY 2024: I actually lock down character designs.

JUNE 2024: I hire Dora, who was the producer of In Stars and Time and who rules.

📚 dora and i signing our lives to one another on discord. the bond between a creator and their producer can never be broken

SEPT 2024: I work on da gaem

MAY 2025: Day 3 is implemented. We announce the game. Now we’re here!!!!

Alright, that’s it for today! This first devlog is more about telling you where the game is at, and every month you will have a whole new devlog where I can tell you about all the great things I did that month for the game. You can even comment with questions and I might answer them one day. Ok. Thank you. And as always, DON'T FORGET TO WISHLIST THE GAME ALSO IT REALLY HELPS BECAUSE STEAM’S ALGORITHM IS MORE LIKELY TO SHOW OFF GAMES WITH A HIGH AMOUNT OF WISHLISTS THATS THE REASON WHY GAME DEVS ALWAYS ASK TO WISHLIST!!! OKAY BYE!!!!

Links! 📚 Official Website 📚 Join the Discord 📚 Sign up for my mailing list 📚 Follow Truth Scrapper on Bluesky 📚 Follow ME on Bluesky

[honeypluto]

Yesss!! People need to remember character development helps build characters as well as helps the audience learn to give a shit about them. Constantly relying on the main plot to develop your characters cab led to them feeling flat sometimes because then the questions comes up: what are they like after it's all over? What are they like beyond this the Big Bad?

Filler is important even if it's just used as a breather/break for the plot

genuinely one of the worst things that’s happened to television in the last few years (exacerbated by streaming services) is death of Filler. going from 20 episodes to 8 because “we didn’t really need that episode where the main characters went to the beach right? it had no long lasting effect” but we DID!!! we needed to see how they act without the Big Bad Plot and to establish the dynamics between the characters and lay in the sun (do they forget sunscreen? how do they react to a thieving seagull? do they get buried in the sand or do they do the burying?). the plot isn’t everything. the action doesn’t hit as hard without the quiet moments. give us character development and our little scenes back

[vivsinkpot]

Character Diversity Done Right: Beyond Tokenism & Forced Inclusivity

Diversity in storytelling isn’t just about ticking boxes or adding characters to look inclusive. It’s about creating real, nuanced people who enrich your world and resonate with readers. Let’s break down how to do diversity thoughtfully — without falling into the trap of forced inclusivity or the “token minority” trope.

✨ What Is Forced Inclusivity?

Forced inclusivity happens when diversity feels like an obligation instead of a natural part of the story.

Characters might be added just to meet a quota.

Their identities are mentioned but not explored or integrated meaningfully.

They often feel out of place or like an afterthought.

Why avoid it?

Because it can feel performative, shallow, or even disrespectful. Readers want authentic stories — not characters who exist only to “check a box.”

⚠️ The Token Minority Trap

A “token” character is often the only member of their group in the story, included to represent an entire community. They usually:

Have one-dimensional traits centered on their identity (e.g., the “sassy Black friend” or “nerdy gay sidekick”).

Are used to educate or explain cultural issues instead of being full characters.

Serve as a plot device rather than people with their own goals and flaws.

💡 How to Write Diversity Well

1. Make characters fully fleshed-out individuals.

Diversity isn’t just skin-deep or a label — it’s about who the character is inside. When you create a diverse character, ask yourself:

What motivates them? What are their dreams and fears beyond their identity?

How do their relationships shape them?

What quirks, flaws, or contradictions make them human?

This makes them feel real, not like a “diversity prop.” For example, a transgender character could be a talented detective who struggles with self-doubt, a funny sense of humor, and complicated family ties — not just “the trans character.”

2. Avoid stereotypes and clichés.

Stereotypes reduce complex people to a handful of traits. They can be harmful and alienate readers who identify with those characters.

Do your research! Read books, watch films, and listen to podcasts created by people from the community you’re portraying.

Avoid relying on common tropes like the “magical Native American,” “angry Black woman,” or “promiscuous bisexual.”

Give your character individuality that breaks expectations — maybe they defy norms within their own culture or identity.

Example

Instead of the “model minority” trope, write an Asian character who struggles with their own passions, insecurities, and family dynamics, making them a well-rounded person, not just a stereotype.

3. Include multiple diverse characters.

Having just one “diverse” character often makes them a symbol rather than a person. Real communities are rich, varied, and nuanced — and your story should reflect that.

Introduce more than one character from the same or different backgrounds to show variety.

Show how their experiences differ even if they share an identity. For instance, two queer characters might have completely different outlooks based on age, culture, or personality.

This avoids the “token” feeling and creates a more believable world.

4. Let diversity shape the world naturally.

In real life, diversity influences culture, language, food, traditions, and social dynamics. Your story world should feel lived-in and authentic.

Think about how diverse backgrounds affect worldbuilding — from holidays and cuisine to language and fashion.

Show interactions between communities, including cooperation, conflict, and blending of cultures.

Don’t just “drop in” diverse characters without integrating their identities into the story’s social fabric.

Example

In a fantasy city, different kingdoms might reflect distinct cultures with their own customs and dialects — giving your setting richness and depth.

5. Don’t make identity the only thing about them.

A character’s ethnicity, gender, or sexuality is part of who they are — but not the whole story.

Their identity can influence their worldview and experiences, but they should have other defining traits too — like ambitions, fears, or talents unrelated to identity.

Avoid writing characters whose entire personality or plot revolves around their minority status.

This lets readers see them as complex individuals, not just representatives.

Example:

A Black engineer who’s passionate about robotics and has a dry sense of humor — their race is important, but so is their love for tinkering and problem-solving.

6. Listen and learn from feedback.

No one gets it perfect on the first try. Writing diverse characters is a learning process.

Seek out sensitivity readers from the communities you’re writing about. Their insights can catch unintentional biases, inaccuracies, or harmful stereotypes.

Be open to constructive criticism and willing to revise your work.

Remember: it’s better to listen and grow than to defend mistakes that could hurt readers.

Final Thought

Diversity is about inclusion and respect, not obligation or tokenism. When you write with empathy and intention, your story becomes richer — and your characters become unforgettable.

💬 Got tips or experiences writing diverse characters? Drop them below or tag me — let’s learn and grow together!

[deminetly]

ᥫ᭡ WHOS MOST LIKELY TO QUESTIONS TO HELP DEVELOP DRS OR OCS

⠂⠁⠈⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠂⠁⠈⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂

…get famous

…participate in a burger eating competition 

…get a stupid tattoo

…collect dead bugs

…secretly have superpowers

…win a game of trivia

…donate their life savings

…have emoji movie in their letterboxd top 4

…keep a journal

…write poetry about climate change

…read news papers daily

…not wear underwear going out

…eat a fly just to see what it tastes like

…invent something huge and genious

…use “:3 instead of :)”

…come out as gay

…read russian literature

…never use capital letters

…text their teacher on instagram instead of gmail

…ghost their therapist

…fake their death

…steal something they dont need from a store

…write a book

…act in a shitty horror movie

…scam someone in adopt me

…fall for a free robux scam

…be in love with a fictional character

…start crying after accidentally stepping on an ant

…try hard drugs

…be a fairy for halloween

…be scared of pickles

…be gossip girl

[amiratheangel]

guys i felt like a pedo magnet today because first i got that creepy message wanting me to look at porn sites like idk if katie is 2 minutes from me and single looking for a good like like genuinely sybau please leave me alone 💔 then i went to sparkbrook to get some traditional clothes and i kept getting STARED down by old men and my brother had to shout at one because whistled at me bitch i literally look my age the only thing that makes me look taller is my height (i’m 5’6 and a half).. i was literally wearing a normal t-shirt and jeans as well like?!?!!

[warrioreowynofrohan]

Okay, now I’m doing my post about the things I love about the character development of Cinderella’s prince in this story.

See, it is a nigh-ubiquitous trope to make a royal character (or one with similar kinds of power) hate their job as a positive trait. See, they’re not on a power trip! They just want to hang out and ride horses and read books or whatever their interest is! And that’s how the prince starts out here, and it does make him appealing. He just wants to be treated as a regular guy and not as his position!

And then �� it deconstructs this. Sure, that’s better than if the prince had a swelled head and enjoyed people fawning on him, but what does it mean? It means that when he ignores and tunes out all the women competing for his favour at the ball, he’s showing disrespect to families whose entire livelihoods are hanging on his actions. It means that because of not socially interacting with his people, he has little knowledge of their lives. It means that he’s not looking at addressing problems that exist in the kingdom. It means, in short, that intentionally choosing not to do your job is a character flaw!

And this addressed something that had been bugging me for a long time about a lot of fantasy novels: that virtually any positively-portrayed character who has to do politics spends their time thinking about how much they hate politics and how bad they are at it. Think of id we treated warrior characters like that: this person is bad at combat, has zero desire to be better at combat, and people around them are dying because of it. Would that be sympathic? And yet we treat “politics” – the act of governing, of working with people who have disparate views and a variety of personality flaws, and coming to good solutions and implementing them – as more dirty, as more corrupting, than having the job of literally killing people.

How are we supposed to govern ourselves well if we regard the skill of doing so as inherently negative?

So – after constructing the usual mold of “the court are silly and shallow and I hate spending time with them” – the story them breaks out of it to show, no, a lot of these are three-dimensional people with reasonable things going on, if the prince meets them in a context that is not basically a job interview (with the job in question being ‘princess’). Because the structure of a job interview doesn’t really encourage sincerity and authenticity! The story shows the prince engaging with people, doing things to help solve their problems and make their lives a little better – the same thing that Cinderella has been doing with everyone she encounters despite having powe that is miniscule next to the prince’s!

It’s a really good arc. It’s one thing to introduce a character with obvious flaws amd have them overcome them; it’s a more impressive one to introduce a character who seems pretty positive and then gradually shift things to examine: which of these ‘virtues’ are actually flaws? And to have the audience take that journey alongside the character.

The Cindy Masterpost

I’ll edit and reblog this with updates as I post new bits of the Cinderella story I’m working on, but for now, here are all the current chapters out:

Part One (In Which Things Would Be Simpler If The Prince Was A Horny Piece of Shit)

Part Two (In Which No Rats Were Harmed In The Making Of These Horses)

Part Three (The OG post which technically is kind of told out of order because there’s a reblog and like, look, I could see this was becoming a thing, but I didn’t think it would be a thing-thing but now it’s a thing-thing and I have to deal with it. I mean I’m writing a masterpost for cryin’ out loud)

Part Four (In Which Cindy and the Fairy Godmother Run from the Cops)

Part Five (In Which The Prince Begins His Investigation While The Narrator yells About Foot Fetishes Because look I’m sick of that joke I’m SO FUCKING SICK of that joke it’s so fucking unoriginal.)

Part Six  (In which we meet The Queen because fuck you she was alive in the Rogers and Hammerstein version)

Part Seven (In which news of the slipper is spread throughout the kingdom and the narrator talks about this one time when they passed out at a Dickens fair and that’s totally definitely relevant.)

Part Eight (In Which the narrator wants to include more slapstick but is also wary about all the implications with regards to class differences and also the slipper is a non-euclidean object which defies all rules of mass and physics.)

Part Nine (In which Cindy is every drunk girl who has ever comforted you in a bar or club bathroom)

Part Ten (In which Cindy has no interest in being that wife chained up in the attic in Jane Eyre)

Part Eleven (In which tasty pies are consumed and also maybe the slipper fits someone or whatever)

Part Twelve (In which we meet the parents)

Part Thirteen (In which Cindy is going to be okay but also it’s not a fairy tale unless the ending has at least a little bit of threatening ambiguity towards the audience)

UPDATE: The story is now complete, and uploaded to AO3!!

UPDATE: There have been several specially requested chapters that are now included here:

Smoky Tea: An expansion on the first meeting of the King and Queen.

Ball’s In Your Court: Further notes on the King and Queen’s romance

Orphan Tears: A Fairy Godmother-centric paralogue.

The Hunt: A short conversation between Cindy and the King

[lixel-5]

watching mp100 for the first time. they’re like the same person to me and they would hate each other

[percydoodless]

hey wait a minute I can draw whatever I want

[spirits-n-giggles]

Okay I keep seeing this on my dash, and I am very passionate about this, so..... because I heavily rely on this broadcast, I feel like I should educate those that do not know how aweosme PBS Kids is!

I have been working in early childhood education for over 15 years. I teach ages 0-5, and we show todddlers how to be humans and how to interact with the world through dramatic play and musical education. We teach everything from manners to emotional control. We learn colors, numbers up to 50, shapes, letters, days of the week, months of the year, and phonics like sight words and reading comprehension. This year, we are also learning colors, shapes, and numbers 1-20 in Spanish. We do more, but I wanna focus on this amazing children's educational channel that is PBS Kids.

PBS Kids have been so many amazing series that help develop all of those skills as stated above, as well as social skills, vocal skills, spelling, math, and educating the kids on how diverse the world is.

Let's explore some of today's PBS Kids shows!

1. Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood

I know that society gets a little iffy about remakes and sequels, but Daniel Tiger is a brilliant example of how to do it right! The calm and slow pace helps the children gather an understanding of emotional control while inolvolving real world situations.

It is wonderfully diverse with a wide range of good characters and storylines while combining classic Mister Roger's characters along with a few fresh faces. Great for any morning routine.

2. Xavier Riddle & The Secret Museum

This is a PHENOMENAL show that deserves to win awards. It's historical education is top notch, and they are experts and simplifying history in a way that all ages can enjoy, while also learning of those that helped history make it's place.

Yes, that is Bob Ross up there among others. There are people that they explore in this show that I never thought any kid show would explore. And the kids ADORE IT.

3. Carl the Collector

This is a new show that just premiered and it focuses on Carl who is a lover of all collections, and he often uses his collections to help his friends in every day life.

This one brought a tear to my eye, because not only does it tackle topics like autism, but it also highlights other perks that kids might have, such as sensitivity to loud noises, and even the experience of synesthesia (being able to see colors in music, for example) and how to interact with kids who have these lovely perks.

Lots of kids relate to these topics, and Carol the collector feels like it was made by professionals who knew how to cater to children's phycological development.

4. Molly of Denali

This is an excellent show depicting the life of Natives along the state of Alaska. It shines a brave light on the history of Native People and their experiences on how important their culture is. It lifts up those that did not have a voice for a long time. This show helps support the idea of helping the environment and educating ourselves on the past and how we can create a better future.

Molly of Denali is a game changer in children's edutainment, and it offers education that isn't really seen in other kid's shows. It is imperative that kids have a basic understanding of the world they are entering into, and shows like this really help turn the tide in going forward in History instead of backward.

5. Let's go Luna

Earth's moon, Luna, embarks on many adventures around the world with a group of circus kids. The show dives in on adoration and appreciation for cultures that most American kids might never get to experience, and they get to explore fashion, music, and customs. It is vibrant, colorful, and it really feels like you are in these countries with the amount of research that was clearly done to make it as culturally accurate as possible.

6. If you liked "Zaboomafo" as a kid, then I suggest:

Wild Kratts is fun for both kids and adults. It is educational, whimsical, speaks to a wide range of ages, and it built on the original classic Zaboomafo idea. And it's in the style of Kim Possible, which gives it an A+ for me!

PBS Kids has always been an amazing tool to help kids learn real-life lessons, how to treat their friends, and how to regulate their reactionary control. Today's shows have gone above and beyond when it comes to educating children, and it is a real shame that we as a country do not hold the same value to education as we used to.

We all know that this administration doesn't want to educate children. If children become educated, then they will grow up to realize how much this government continually enjoys screwing us over. I am ready to stick it to this government, how about you? Mr. Rogers would be sorely disappointed on how many steps back we have taken, and I want nothing more than to make that man proud.

These shows are awesome, and I know that they must have piqued SOMEONE'S interest. There is a free PBSkids app that has full fleged episodes to watch and really cool games. When I babysit, these kids have the app, and damn..... the games are actually fun!!! A GREAT way to stick it to our government is to download the app and use the shit out of it! Make it one of the most used apps to date. Do it out of spite.

I do not work with PBSkids in any way. I do not make money from the app or anything, I am just a concerned caregiver that is passionate about teaching kids the fundamentals of what being a person is, and I PBSkids offers real life examples that is hard to replicate in a classroom.

Help me help these kids.

Play around with that app.

Spread the word.

[dogydayz]

im looking thru the Swerve tag and like where the actual fuck is the Swervefire. I’m genuinely so baffled by the fact that I’ve seen so little of it because its like. Even the fuckin comic is like “you two are bizarrely similar” and they became friends like IMMEDIATELY. Even in the realist-ending Swerve is like “damn it did anyone get Misfire’s number i forgot to do that!”

Like, the comic all but literally states “yeah theyd totally get together”. Yet I hardly see any art of it? It’s so baffling to me, they’re adorable together like seriously. Misfire bringing Swerve into the Scavs as an honorary member. Nickel ends up scolding them all when she returns to wherever the fuck on the ship they stay to see Swerve COVERED in like. Painted graffiti stuff (which doesn’t even look bad surprisingly, but still shes a hardcore mama bird and doesnt want them to get into trouble with Magnus lmao). Grimlock ends up becoming a lil’ bit of a bouncer at Swerve’s (ofc he’s gonna become fond of someone so close to his own best buddies) because he’s a tad protective. He lets out the SCARIEST growls if someone starts being a jackass to Swerve.

They’d both end up with the funny blasters too I reckon. They suck soooo bad. They laugh their asses off at how absolutely horrendous they are at the in-ship training range. They’re just really silly together. I need more people to see this I’m so desperate.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Character Development: Obstacles

At the heart of any story is a main character on a quest to resolve a conflict and reach a desired goal. A writer’s job is to make the story compelling by placing obstacles in the protagonist’s way.

Obstacles - a literary device that can build tension, transform characters, and propel a story in a new direction. Obstacles—combined with a protagonist determined to overcome them—are essential elements of a great story.

Ways to Use Obstacles to Enhance Character Development

The best way to accentuate the tension, raise the stakes, and fast-track character growth in a story is to create problems for your character that threaten to derail their journey. Here are ways you can introduce obstacles to enhance your story:

Use obstacles to reveal character motivation. As a writer, you need to understand what motivates your characters and how they respond to problems. If it helps, work on some basic character development exercises. While you should flesh out the basics, like the character’s personality traits, mannerisms, physical appearance, and quirks, you need to know more about their life and what they’ve been through to figure out what motivates their actions. In the actual story, obstacles will illuminate your character’s motivations by drawing on these attributes. This will help you create a dynamic and relatable character.

Layer obstacles for deeper tension. Obstacles can be literal—a physical person or object that stands in the protagonist’s way—or they can be unseen forces acting against a character. Use both types of obstacles to layer tension and create a story with texture and depth. For example, weave an internal conflict into the storyline, and create a way that a character’s beliefs are challenged by their problem-solving actions.

Use subplots to complicate things. Every subplot needs a purpose. Write subplots for secondary characters that ultimately create complications for your protagonist.

Put obstacles in your antagonist’s way. Why should your protagonist have all of the problems? Make your antagonist more than just the bad guy. They need everything your main character has—complexity, backstory, problems, and obstacles. Figure out what their motivation is for going against the protagonist, and slow down their chances of success with obstacles.

Use obstacles to build a transformative character arc. Just when things are looking good for your protagonist and it seems like they’ve found a solution to their problem, put up a barrier to impede their progress. Obstacles are a force for transformation that creates memorable characters. When a character changes over the course of a story, they become more three-dimensional and intriguing. Think of Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. Each obstacle he meets changes him until his encounter with the Ghost of Christmas Future and his final transformation.

Reasons Problem-Solving Is Important in Storytelling

To overcome obstacles, fictional characters need to develop problem-solving skills. Creating challenges for your protagonist is an important element in storytelling for several reasons:

Problem-solving propels a story forward. Every story hinges on a character facing a problem. When the main character’s dilemma is revealed at the beginning of a story, most often during the inciting incident, it establishes the purpose of the plot. The main character’s journey as they navigate obstacles and solve problems drives the narrative arc through to the end of the story.

Problem-solving skills are a powerful tool for character development. When real people face challenges in real life, they reveal a lot about themselves by how they react. When you put obstacles in a character’s way, it’s an opportunity to reveal deeper details about who they are by how they respond. If you ever have a story with a flat character, give them a situation that forces them to employ problem-solving skills and watch them come to life.

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[roots-of-aurogir]

sure didn't take long for me to work on redesigning this guy. ah well, better now than later. but a volcanic volan sounded a lot of fun to develop for the visual novel, since his bestie's gonna be from the ocean. his variant inhabits volcanic coasts with black sand beaches.

I wanted to keep his head shape, most of all, but his other silhouette features could use some changes to set him apart more from the other volan characters I have. would help to keep drawing them all together. color wise I think he looks really great. it's based on a marine iguana

and no he still doesn't have a name :')

[tinylittledeergirl]

All of the following was told to me by many upset people ranting on social media. I have not watched the movie and don’t plan to. Anyways apparently two major side characters don’t even exist anymore? The live action has no Captain Gantu OR Myrtle. So who steals Stitch at the end of the movie and tries to keep him away from the Pelekai family? Also Myrtle and her friends are important to the story because they help the audience understand that Lilo is a social outcast. There is no ugly duckling subplot(necessary for developing Stitch’s character beyond ‘wacky alien critter’). Jumba is an actual VILLAIN villain now. They give both Jumba and Pleakley boring human disguises with ‘alien technology’ or something rather than the funny wigs and clothes from the original that didn’t fool anyone. Nani leaves Lilo to go study marine biology in California which totally goes against the whole theme of the movie??? Like I’m all for allowing Nani to achieve her dreams but in the original movie she was going to be a pro surfer before their parents died(inferred from the multiple surfing trophies in the background of their house) so they should’ve just stuck with that AND Hawaii has one of the best marine biology programs in the country so she didn’t have to leave. I just saved you a very disappointing trip to the theater.

Also the live actions are very pointless because Lilo and Stitch already existed. We didn’t need another one. If I wanted to watch Lilo and Stitch I would watch the better version and not the sloppy cash grab made to advertise Disney’s tropical resort or whatever.

*LOUD THUNDEROUS APPLAUSE*

[zweigish]

ummum so..again, thank you guys so so so so so much for 100! here’s this bot drop, I hope you guys enjoy it! :) most of it ( basically all of it) is Mike Faist characters..😓

BOT DROP

all around me ⤷ ghost!art donaldson

moving into your new apartment, you couldn’t help but feel a small hint of anxiousness, a random run of chills hitting you now and then. Something thickening the air around you, could it be your house is haunted?

eyes without a face ⤷ vampire!art donaldson

new student at your school? he was odd and closed off. Often bothered by the sunlight outside, sitting wherever the sun wasn’t hitting, that happened to be next to you one day. He seemed to be very tense, what was happening? He was acting weird towards you and it was time for you to confront him if he did have a problem with you.

in my room ⤷ vampire!art Donaldson

your room was your safe spot, or was it? Was it still your safe spot when you had woken up many many times as if someone was watching you? you never understood why when your window was locked shut..how could someone get in? you still didn’t understand when you saw his figure in the corner of the room.

opposites ⤷ riff lorton

your job as a nurse is too treat patients not flirt with them but you just cant help it when you meet riff, when does he not flirt? but also..how can you not do it back?

summertime ⤷ riff lorton

ah.. the summer time, the time where your boyfriend, riff and his gang all take over your home for you conditioning and all your food, it’s time for some boundaries.

Linger. ⤷ riff lorton

Commitment? wasn’t his thing but it sure was yours, which is why you relentlessly asked him out. Time after time, he agreed which is how you ended up in heart break, he warned you but he had you wrapped around his finger.

don’t let me down ⤷ Patrick zweig

as the song goes, ‘nobody ever loved me like she does’ Patrick related to that, nobody had ever loved him like you did and he cherished you for that. At a trip with visiting your parents..he was gonna get down on one knee and depend on you to not let him down.

this charming man ⤷ patrick zweig

your bestfriend, Patrick currently getting ready for a date. Running to you for help on outfit choices, as you help him with each one. You can’t help but slightly think about how lucky this girl is, your friend was funny, not very smart and somewhat handsome and you liked that..

Layla & something ⤷ patrick zweig + art donaldson

two boys from the same band fighting over a girl like you, what was so important that they made two songs about you trying to steal your attention? ‘Layla, you got me down on my knees’ lyrics by Patrick zweig and ‘something in the way she woos me’ lyrics by Art Donaldson, who will you choose?

king for a day ⤷ wolf!Patrick zweig + vampire!art donaldson

the wolf and the vampire, both wanting to be kings in your world. Fighting for your love and attention, both asking you to do separate things. How difficult is this?

strange you never knew ⤷ dodge mason

being dodges bestfriend was good, until you ended up developing a crush on him. Natalie? can’t keep her mouth shut, exposing your current feelings. You avoided him before he visited you, he really misses you.

fast as you can ⤷ Connor Murphy

you and Connor Murphy were so different but the same, you both had problems that had became to much. You both decided to run away together.

wild horses ⤷ cowgirl!tashi duncan

you were from the city and yet you fell inlove with someone from the country. It was time to make sure you blend in, leading her to teach you how to ride horses. What a fun new thing to do.

but I’m a cheerleader! - tashi duncan. (f4f)

you were popular and so was tashi, you both were known as the golden duo. Both cheerleaders and overall your typical popular girls though, you had a secret. Hanging out in her room, one thing lead to the another.