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#writing low empathy characters
memento-morri-writes · 9 months
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I really want to see more low/no empathy characters (NOT antagonists/villains) in books. Especially as protagonists, rather than side characters. I want to see characters who react with practicality after a tragedy. While everyone else is mourning, they're immediately thinking "how can we fix this / how can we make sure it doesn't happen again." Or alternatively characters who don't even react "reasonably". Who see tragedy and their first thought is "Well, at least we don't have to worry about X anymore." Or who sigh in relief that "at least it wasn't worse" while looking at the worst thing that's ever happened in their life.
I want to see characters who don't know how to react when their companions are experiencing strong emotions. Who try their best, but sometimes their best is a really awkward pat on the back or thumbs up. Or alternatively characters who avoid people who are experiencing strong emotion because the awkwardness and uselessness they experience is so uncomfortable for them.
I want to see characters who misread the room and crack a joke too soon, or try to offer a distraction when people don't want to be distracted. Characters who mean well, but act outside the "norm".
And I want to see characters who aren't villainized for it. I want to see characters whose friends say "It's okay, I know you're not good with this stuff." Or who make sure that their low-empathy friend has an important job to do to keep their mind busy, because just because they don't have empathy doesn't mean they can't be traumatized.
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slothyykittee · 2 months
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Greetings, everyone!
Hey there! I'm here to inform you that I'm working on different characters and story/plot for my and others enjoyment, nothing too serious at first, but now I'm working on the protagonist of the story, and i can't continue until I get actual feedback from the people I'm representing through this character.
So, there it is:
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This is Veronica Redwood. An 18 years old British-Ethiopian living in the North of Manchester. She has a fraternal twin brother named Nicholas, who lives with her in the same apartment.
Unfortunately, when she was a toddler, she went through torment and violence, all thanks to her parents. That made her brother distant/cold, while that made her develop dissociation.
The plot takes place in the future, where AI got advanced, and are now becoming sentient.
Veronica stays in her room often, with her talking robot cat reassuring her. Until she ended up finding another robot in her closet, hiding there.
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This is Sedena, the robot hiding in Veronica's closet. She ran away from the company that made her due to abuse, and now is scared that Veronica is going to be abusive, too. (She won't, don't worry!)
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As I'm writing the siblings' stories (Veronica and Nicholas) I got stuck due to inexperience from the people being represented. So now, I want you to comment/reblog with tags with your experiences, or show me your blog so I can learn more!
Others told me to just use Wikipedia and medical sites to learn about dissociation, low empathy, DID/plurality, etc. But, as we know, there's stigma surrounding the topics, so there will be bias from the psychologists and psychiatrists, ranging from misinformation and outright demonization of mental health issues and struggles.
I will be happy if you could help! As I'm making this an actual animation short to be posted on YouTube, and Newgrounds. I need to be as accurate as possible!
(The animation short will be made entirely by me, and is very short! But still, I need feedback.)
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egg-emperor · 8 months
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like all this "Eggman must be insecure/lonely/hurt/emotional about/because of *insert thing here* and he must be evil because of *insert sympathetic reason here*" type stuff you see in fandom with people stating it like it's fact when the games don't show anything to support it or even the opposite in some cases, is personal projection a lot of the time
because people don't want to imagine him feeling differently to how they would about things in a situation and it's also an attempt to make him more personally relatable/make the way he acts feel justified in their eyes. but I enjoy and embrace him for being different to me and exploring the mind of a guy that would feel and do the opposite I would in a situation
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wutheringmights · 8 months
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what is wars diagnosed with. I know he has them I just don't know which ones.
I would prefer if we didn't pathologize Warriors
#I neither have the knowledge to diagnose him nor care to do so#on one hand i think people that try to diagnose characters are often applying harmful stereotypes to people with real disorders#on the other i think trying to diagnose Warriors is missing the point of his character entirely#I don't want anyone deciding that he's like this because he has X because then it's too easy to decide that you're nothing like him because#you too don't have X. like that's missing the whole point of feeling sympathy or anger towards a bastard of a character#and like listen anon. you didn't ask for this lecture (one I should definitely be putting in the actual message and not leave in the tags)#and in theory anon you can do what you want and i can't stop you. death of the author and all that#but while i'm here I'll also say this: none of you better be out here diagnosing wars with low empathy because I write him like he#is empathetic. if i was writing a character with low to no empathy you will know. why? because your author (me) has low empathy#I'll spare you my rant about that but i keep putting off a character moment where i was going to establish that a character we know is a#good person discusses how they have low empathy because it's really important to me that people understand that your ability to be#empathetic doesn't make you a good or bad person. you just have trouble identifying when you need to show sympathy. that's it.#anyway sorry to make an example of you anon. i'm sure you were trying to make a joke but you accidentally hit a button that reminded me of#my real sensitive button gosh#me rambling#lu ctb#ask#anonymous#anyway add 'Frankie has low empathy' to your trivia about me
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seaweedstarshine · 2 months
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Rewatching my favorite Christmas special and I cannot get over “Psych*tic Potato Dwarf” as an insult from a person who — canonically — according to sources from the same writer — often hears voices that he has trouble distinguishing from reality. It's not just the one line, it's the fact that it’s the title of Strax’s theme! I always wanna call it out 😭, which works out in my The Snowmen-era Eleventh Doctor fanfictions because Strax is a nurse and would know what that word means.
Like, it does unfortunately fit the character because Gallifreyan culture is — canonically — systematically exclusionary of mentally ill people, and the Eleventh Doctor — canonically — hates himself more than anyone in the universe. But the choice?
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waywardsalt · 1 year
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shut the fuck up i’m thinking about link and linebeck being foils to each other
#rubbing my autistic hands together thinking of ways to make them compliment and contrast each other beyond what is presented in canon#loz#legend of zelda#phantom hourglass#link#linebeck#ok but. linebeck is like the best foil to link that i think exists in canon even more than ravio. unless i got them autism blinders on#if so lmk i'll still be thinking about link and linebeck being rlly good foils#okokok listen. a lot of their traits (most of links are implied but hear me out) contrast and can make up for the others#like yeah yeah linebeck's traits are typically portrayed as negative but they could have their uses if link's are taken to an extreme#like ive been thinkin abt linebeck w/ low empathy and link w/ high empathy and how that can work#link being much more willing to help others but linebeck being more capable of being more level-headed about it all#also their designs are like. kind of opposite to each other its great why not take it further huh its fun to think abt#im no character designer but like. link drawn with more circles and round shapes and soft angles vs#using more triangles and harsher angles and harder shapes for linebeck. do you see my vision here#like genuinely if you expand more on their traits and skillsets you've got a good duo that could compliment each other rlly well#this is absolutely delving into fanon but like. linebeck exists in ph a lot of the time to be used to show how cool n shit link is#the reverse doesnt really happen which sucks but it absolutely could#salty talks#im not good with the more technical parts of writing i'll admit so i may be a little off abt how character foils work#but i am thinking abt it here. as someone who writes and thinks about these two in tandem a lot
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crimeronan · 5 months
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the answers on that poll are already SO INTERESTING despite it only having been up for 10 minutes. thank u all for indulging my curiosity.
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girlscience · 6 months
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I hate finding a fandom that likes to take a slightly emotional character and makes them cry and have panic attacks constantly in every fic. Least favorite fandom trope ever
#leave my man Kirk alone 😭 he's a little sensitive. he's in tune with his feelings.#he's not sobbing every episode or having breakdowns every time something stressful happens in screen#I don't WANT to read about his trauma feelings when as far as I can tell they are Grossly exaggerated in every instance#sure. I will accept he was traumatized by the shit that happened in his childhood#however if he was acting like he is made to in half these fics he quite literally would not be fit for command#ack. this isn't just a kirk thing though#I really have so little patience for visibly or over the top emotional characters to begin with#I know it's my low empathy talking but it's so annoying#shut up!!!! put it away!!!!! I don't want a character sobbing every time someone treats them nice for however many chapters#suck it up and move on!!! get into more interesting shit!#I know people use fanfic as an outlet or therapy or whatever but I wish they would write about more interesting feelings#or find more interesting ways of having characters express them#like idk. give Kirk weird issues around food cause of starving as a kid#give him weird attachment problems that make him over protective but also distant to avoid being sad when they die#make him work extra hard to keep the enterprise safe because it's like the one consistent home he's had#make him relentlessly curious because his education as a kid was inconsistent so he works to learn everything he can now#or like he over compensates for his lack of childhood education. have him perceive failings there where there aren't any or something#make him have lots of issues with dictators#I mean fucks sake even in the episode with the man who killed half the people on the colony he was on as a kid#he kept a level head and was the only one trying to actually work through it logically and didn't immediately jump to trying to kill the guy#unlike the other characters#it just makes zero sense to have him falling apart over essentially nothing all the time#it's just stupid!!!! and annoying!!! and I don't want to read it!!!!
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maaaxx · 11 months
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11 & 19 for the ask game ❤
ask game :)
11 has already been answered here
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19. "Tell me a story about your writing journey. When did you start? Why did you start? Were there bumps along the way? Where are you now and where are you going?":
Short answer:
From the time I could vaguely write I was writing "books" (or as much of a book a child that young can make)
I entered my first writing contest when I was 9 or 10 and I got 5th place in my school
A year later I started my first major wip that got me invested into writing as a hobby
A year after that I started another wip that most of my current wips are branches off of and also started posting bits and pieces on wattpad
When I was 14 I had my writing skills tested for early college admission and scored in the top 5 percent in my state (still very proud of this)
Entered and won a couple writing competitions besides that stopped writnig
Then a couple years later I started writing fanfiction
Currently pondering working towards actually publishing some books one day.
Long answer under the cut :)
I remember making "books" since I could write. Like I would staple paper together and I remember one specifically that had something to do with sea horses but i dont remember the plot.
My mom has boxes filled of these "books" with all of the words and even my name misspelled and poorly illustrated characters and stuff.
When I was in like 4th grade (9-10 years old) my teacher had an assignment to where we made up a story and applied whatever type of literary technique we were learning about that week to it. So like if we were learning about similes the assignment would be come up with 5 sentences that include similes that pertain to your story and include one or something like that. At the end of the year we were supposed to have 4-5 pages of this story. I think I finished with like 10-12 or something like that. She made me summarize it 💀
If I remember right I think that my story was about this set of twins where one was born with some type of super power that only the other twin knew about and the superpowered twin got kidnapped by some scientists that wanted to expirement on her and my story followed the other twin and this like 12 year old girl dedicating her teenagehood to finding the lost twin. I think I made it so the dad actually ended up hiring the kidnapper and the dad and kidnapper both got arrested. I want to find this again because I dont remember a lot about it.
That same year my teacher ended up having me enter a poetry contest and I think it was a tri-county thing. I didn;t like poetry (I still hate writing it, love reading it though) so I half assed it and I think I got within the top 5 (??) of my school. (just elementary school) so that was neat.
(This specific teacher was one of those really strict teachers that no one else liked but my little undiagnosed autistic self LOVED her because i always knew what to expect yk?? but is also the one who really got me into reading and writing and stuff and I dont think I'll ever not me extremely grateful for her)
The next year I started forming this one wip. Its definetly my longest and most elaborate and sentimental one because it opened so many different doors for me.
There was no plot but it pretty much followed this group of like 20 teenagers that had very different lives and were all really traumatized and during the "story" they're all like 15-18 trying to figure out how to move on from their childhoods and maintain healthy relationships with eachother and their individual support systems.
Some of them are neurodivergent and some of their stories are centered around that.
One of the characters name is Jack. Jack is bipolar and so is his mom and so because of his moms mental illnesses and stuff he was in and out of fostercare from like 5-13. Hes probably the 'main' character in this.
Hes also went deaf from a tmi from when he was like 9.
Then theres Allison who is autistic and she is your stereotypical 'gifted kid burnout' 'graduated at like 15' type of autistic. but this leads to a lot of issues with her and her main thing is kind of working through that.
Travis comes from a VERY religious (almost cultish) family and is develops schizophrenia at like 16 I think and he's also pansexual and his parents go through his phone and find some texts from his partner and kick him out so hes homeless and has to deal with that.
But like I said theres like 17 more of these characters and its very elaborate. It goes into the parents childhoods and deals with generational trauma and how mental illness can affect parenting.
The 'story' mostly follows Jack and Allison (theyre love interests) and everything is kind of through their pov and their relationships with the other characters and stuff.
But like 11 year old me started writing this out in composition books and between then and when I turned 15 ish and got a computer, I filled I think close to 30 composition books with this story.
But I started researching mental disorders and stuff for this story so I could make their stuff as realistic as possible and that kickstarted my spin on psychology, which led to me wanting to be a social worker which is my major. It also meant that I was really ahead in also my psyche classes. Im *technically* going into my 5th year of college and I started taking psyche classes my second year and I didnt start getting into stuff that I didn't know until the year that just ended so 11 year old me really knew what she was doing.
I remember making my mom buy me textbooks and those articles that are behind a paywall for birthdays and Christmas's
I'm getting off track
A year or two after that I started developing this other wip with kids with superpowers and there was a whole lot of worldbuilding and stuff to this one and its what got me into fantasy which is the main genre I write outside of fanfic. (my hecles wip is loosely based on this one)
(part of this one is on wattpad somewhere)
When I was 14 I took a test that determined whether or not I would be able to start college early and part of this test was writing skills. There was a fiction and a nonfiction portion and then they combined those two scores and averaged them out and my score was in the 95th percentile (top 5 percent) of everyone who takes the test (so on average like 17-19 year olds usually and then some outliers) so I see that as one of my biggest writing achievments.
(i scored shit on the math and reading comprehension portions though)
I stopped writing and stuff for like two years besides entering writing contests.
I've entered like 5 and won 2. One was tri-county and I got first place and the other one was a little bigger but it wasnt a state contest, I think it might have been regional but I got third place. I consider those both big accomplishments too.
And then when I was 17 I started writing fanfiction.
I think fanfiction is what actually got it in my head that maybe I could write an actual book one day. Like before I just saw it as like a hobby because I was scared of the commitment of writing a whole book but ive written almost 200,000 words of one of my fanfics and it wasn't that overwhelming and I think that usually a decent sized novel so why not give it a try?
Idk if that answered the question or if I got TOO off track but oh well :)
#you can tell when i start mildly bragging#im sorry im just proud of myself💀#I think I mentioned before that everytime I get really into writing its to cope with something.#so that like 11-15 era and then when I was 17 I had a lot going on and thats always when i started really getting back into it#i also consider getting involved in fandom (aside from just writing) something like a milestone to my writing timeline thing#because its the first time I had a community around it#and that I can talk to other people who are passionate about their wips and works and whatnot#and compare writing styles and stuff#i also really enjoy getting immediate feedback#also being able to read stuff by people who dont get paid for it and who dont have to worry about writing trends and stuff is really nice#i think its really neat how much of my life stems from writing#like idk how to explain how different my life would be if this wasnt my primary hobby.#me choosing my career directly stems from a story i made when i was 11#writing is also how i taught myself empathy#because i mention a lot that im a really low empathy autistic#and id always have trouble not being cold with people because i cant force myself to feel bad for them#so id make like side stories of my characters going through things people in my life went through#and if base what i say and do for them on what would help my chatacter#which i based on reading psyche textbooks#that sounds really weird now that im typing it out but oh well#im not saying im good at relationships but id be a lot worse at them if i didnt start writing#i liked this ask thank you anon <3#idk if i actually answered it though 💀#max thinks shes relevant#asks
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readbyred · 1 year
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Most of my blorbos are narcissists. I might explain based on how many ppl will be butthurt abt it
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herrscherofdykes · 1 year
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every time i see someone say that báizhú is abusive towards qīqī i get one step closer to killing a man i think
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memento-morri-writes · 9 months
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Do you have any advice or specific tips to writing a low/no empathy character? Or a resource to recommend?
Hi nonny! Thanks for asking! I'm going to try my best to answer your question, but keep in mind, this is all based on my own personal experience, and that varies vastly from person to person. (if anyone else experiences low/no empathy, please feel free to add on to this post!)
So, some things to keep in mind:
Why does your character experience low/no empathy? For me, it's a symptom of my autism, but there are multiple reasons a character could have low/no empathy. The most common is probably going to be some form of disability (autism), or disorder (psychopathy), etc. (Be careful while doing research though, especially on disorders like psychopathy! You're going to run into a lot of ableist bullshit. Make sure to look for sources written by people living with these disorders/disabilities.) (If anyone has any resources on other disabilities or disorders that cause low empathy that they personally recommend, please feel free to add links!!!) Whatever the reason, it's not going to only affect their empathy. It's going to affect every part of their life. So make sure to do your research, and write respectfully. If you know someone or follow someone who has a certain condition, ask if they'd feel comfortable answering questions for you. If they aren't, that's fine. If they are, they're going to be a great resource. (I'd also recommend getting a sensitivity reader, particularly when writing about mental disorders that are already frequently stigmatized. You want to make sure you're not promoting harmful stereotypes.) I should note, however, that neurotypical people can also have low/no empathy!!! It just happens to also be a common symptom of various mental disorders.
Consider what kind of empathy does your character lack. There are two kinds of empathy! Emotional (or affective) empathy, and cognitive empathy. Affective empathy is made up of three parts: Feeling the same emotion as someone else, feeling discomfort or stress in response to someone else's suffering, and feeling compassion for or understanding another's emotions. Cognitive empathy is the ability to recognize and understand the emotions of someone else. This includes being to "stand in someone else's shoes", or take another person's perspective, and generally understand what they're feeling. This one has been called more of a "skill", in that it's something people can "learn", where as affective empathy can't be taught or learned. When people talk about having low/no empathy, they are usually referring to lacking affective empathy, but a character might struggle with both!
Not everyone experiences empathy the same. Some people lack empathy in some circumstances, but have it in others. For example, I lack empathy when it comes to human beings, but I am much more empathetic when it comes to animals. A character might only be able to empathize with very specific scenarios or people. (For example, if someone else is going through a very similar scenario to one they have experienced in the past, it may be easier for them to feel empathy. But it might not!) Some people can empathize with certain emotions better than others. (I empathize better with anger, but can't empathize at all with grief.)
Understand that a lack of empathy does not equal a lack of caring. Just because a person doesn't feel the emotions someone else is feeling doesn't mean they don't care. A person with low or no empathy can still be kind and compassionate to others. They might go about trying to cheer people up in a slightly different way (I personally tend to try and go for distractions), but they still care about their friends and loved ones. Even seemingly "uncaring" things said by those who lack empathy do not come from a place of malice. (I can't tell you how many times I've said something well-meaning and had people assume I was being cruel. I wasn't, and I genuinely had good intentions.)
Keep in mind how your character reacts to other's emotions. People with empathy tend to feel similarly to those they empathize with, which generally creates a feeling of connection. (This is part of what leads to that sense of "coming together after tragedy".) A person with low/no empathy might instead feel alienated or uncomfortable when faced with large outpourings of emotions. They might be uncertain how to act or what to do, and they may try and avoid situations with strong negative emotions because of it. (In my case, people crying makes me very uncomfortable, because I don't know how to respond. So I try and keep my distance.)
Think about how your character processes their own emotions. Just because a character doesn't feel empathy for others doesn't mean that they are incapable of feeling those emotions on their own. A character who has no empathy for a grieving friend can still grieve! But chances are they will process that emotion differently than a person with "normal" empathy. They might try to push their emotions away and bottle them up. Or one emotion might transition into one they have an easier time processing. (For me, I don't experience sadness normally. It either transitions to anger, or it is replaced by different thoughts.)
Think about how their lack of empathy influences their life. A person who lacks empathy is not going to experience life the same way as a person with "normal" empathy. They might have a hard time making friends, or they might excel at a job that requires a logical mind. They might give great advice, or their friends might know to never ask them about relationships. They might be great at organizing people, even in times of stress, because their brain compartmentalizes and thinks pragmatically. They might totally shut down when faced with an emotional situation because they don't know how to process it.
Having no empathy can be very alienating. People expect empathy constantly. It's a big part of why people love emotional media, and it's the expected response when someone you know experiences suffering. Not having empathy can mean that you feel disconnected from your loved ones or community as a whole. It might mean biting your tongue and not saying what you think because people would read it as uncaring or cruel.
Remember: Having low or no empathy is not a bad thing. People with low/no empathy are often villainized in media, and the trait is often given to antagonists. But that's a harmful stereotype and harmful belief in general. That's not saying that your character with low empathy has to be "good", but don't use their low empathy as proof that they're a "bad person". Try thinking about situations in which having low/no empathy might be useful! I personally am reminded of the post I saw years ago where someone was saying that if not for their lack of empathy, they probably couldn't do their job. (iirc, they worked handling the bodies of organ donors, some of whom were quite young.)
Okay, that's all I can think of for now, but like I said before, anyone else who experiences low or no empathy is encouraged to reblog this post and add on to it! And if I made any mistakes here, please let me know so I can fix them!!! I tried to base this mostly off of my own experience, so take it all with a grain of salt.
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lactoseintolerentswag · 7 months
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Rise Characterizations Pt. 3!!!
Now that Leo and Raph are done, it's Donnie's turn for character analysis as a writing reference. So without further ado,
Donnie Character Notes
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Language Habits:
Straight up talks like a redditor who hasn't touched enough grass (affectionate)
Oscillates between very scientific paper polished, sometimes adding a dazzle of shakespearean for dramatics, or abbreviations/a shorter version of a word with a more fun connotation (i.e. "brekkie" instead of breakfast)
Uses food as surprised exclamations or curses, "oh my peaches and cream", "banana pancakes!"
Emphasizes each syllable of a long word when he's excited or trying to make a point. Conquered becomes con-qu-ered
Either exaggerates his speech or speaks in deadpan
The science terms he uses as battle cries aren't chosen at random, but rather are related to the action/subject at hand, i.e. yelling "fibonacci" when throwing his spinning tech-bo
Will overly describe an item or a situation, and often gets caught up in these observations before processing what just happened
Will repeatedly yell "help!" when he's distressed and/or outnumbered
Refers to Mikey as "Michael"
Refers to his brothers as "brethren" or "gentlemen"
Refers to splinter as either "father", "papa", or "dad" depending on the weight of the situation
Refers to his tech as his "babies"
Answers the phone with, "You're conversing with Donatello"
Uses "gesundheit" instead of bless you
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Personality:
The fixer, he supplies the family with tech and resources. He always has a trinket made for the situation at hand and/or offers his knowledge/data collected. He's always prepared to help. Even with outside resources, he likes to feel useful in solving their problems (i.e., building Todd that dog park)
The theater kid, in a similar vein to leo, Donnie has his own style of dramatics. He often uses shakespeare-like language, is mentioned to regularly recite the jupiter jim musical soundtrack, and has a music mode for his battle shell. He belongs on a stage, or at least thinks he does
Not good at lying, despite the glamour he can put on in the spotlight. This may be due to the side of himself that over explains his thoughts
An over-thinker, who really tends to over-complicate things. His first theory or idea will always be the most extreme buck-wild concept. After some filtering, he still word vomits
A dreamer/big idea guy. He does have big ideas and goals. A lot of these he's able to put into place, although some go a little haywire (see Albearto). He doesn't do things in halves, and puts everything into a project
Meticulous, someone who's very detail oriented. As mentioned before he tends to over-complicates things. This may be impacted by his love for data and collecting information (he does record Everything for a reason)
Always on the edge of violence, which is surprising. Donnie's not known as being the angry archetype of tmnt, but he can get a little violent in his fighting style and does often cite his desire to use lethal force
Low empathy, which is mainly due to his issues processing and recognizing emotions. He's been pegged as unemotional, but in canon he's rather emotional and expressionate, just lacking the skills to process such emotion (he's just like me fr)
Praise motivated, as seen with his interactions with Splinter. Also desires the praise of his brothers, who he doesn't feel understand him with all the teasing that's sent towards his direction. This also pushes him to seek validation and acceptance in other groups (i.e. the purple dragons), to feel a sense of security or belonging
Ignores his own mistakes, and will often pretend like they didn't exist or ever happen. This most likely has to do with his desire for praise, so he feels bad when he fails. If he never made a mistake, he never has to feel bad
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Miscellaneous:
Fourth to unlock mystic powers
Uses "Bootyyyshaker9000" as most of his usernames and passwords, with his alt. username being "Alpha-Bootyyyshaker9000"
Has a fear of bees, spiders, and of course beach balls
Breaks the fourth wall the most
Loves the smell of pineapple, hates the texture
Has a hobby of rooting around in the junkyard and dumpster diving
Uses cheat codes in video games
Mikey's next of course :)
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novlr · 9 months
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How to Write Envy: A Quick Guide for Writers
If someone has something, either an object or an attribute, that your character covets, they may show signs of envy. You can show envy through associated emotions and your characters' behaviours and expressions.
How do they behave?
Compare themselves to others
A dismissive attitude
Downplay the achievements of others
Frustration or disbelief at others’ success
Show signs of longing or desire
Show grudging admiration
Exhibit copycat behaviour
Show signs of low self-esteem
Be excessively competitive
How do they interact?
Mock and belittle the person they envy
Be overly critical
Be passive aggressive
Be insincerely complimentary
Use sarcasm when talking about the achievements of others
Be obsessive or hyperfocused
Use manipulation to get what they want
Forget about personal boundaries
Rude or short in conversation
Describe their body language
Closed off and arms crossed
Frequently roll their eyes
Avoid direct eye contact
Tensed muscles
Biting lips or pouting
Disapproving facial expression
Red cheeks through anger or embarrassment
Leaning closer to the object of their desire
False smiles
Genuine joy when they’re in the presence of what they desire
Positive outcomes
Envious characters can become motivated to improve themselves to make them worthy of what they desire. If their envy becomes uncontrollable, they may also find personal growth in removing themselves from the situation and finding a new direction in life. It also allows characters the chance to develop empathy toward the person whom they envy or who possesses something that they covet, letting them finally appreciate what they already have.
Negative Outcomes
Long-term envy can lead to lots of negative emotions like resentment, anger, and low self-esteem. This will affect relationships with those around them, leading them to break down or require conflict resolution in order to overcome.
Useful Synonyms
Jealous
Covetous
Resentful
Grudging
Begrudging
Green-eyed
Yearning
Desirous
Longing
Grasping
Greedy
Hungering
Thirsting
Avaricious
Craving
Malcontent
Dissatisfied
Lustful
Wistful
Discontent
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time-woods · 1 year
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these are the works of a mad man- these 2 literally make me feel insane evrytime i draw them- anyways i am now going to share my autism analysis of the 2 of them 
I feel the need to shout this from the rooftops but- Kim is most definitely a low empathy autistic with high emotional understanding/awareness !! Like- he doesn’t pick up on cues but he still can figure out emotional tones of certain situations!!(has a bit of a hard time expressing tone/ emotion through actions and expressions so he typically uses his words instead) And he has no internal dialog!! Along with not being able to picture things in his mind!! (aphantasia) (that part is pretty much cannon he practically says it))  always needs to be doing something with his hands- can’t just have them by his side,(too open, too vulnerable- yes this is the fight or flight in me speaking) is either holding his hands in front of himself or behind his back, or writing in his notebook, along with checking the time on his watch or fiddling with it. Looks down when walking most of the time (esp on a scene) but it’s just become a general habit- forgets he has to make eye contact- typically more invested in writing down whatever he’s realized in his notes to care (he is so me)
 And Harry is the opposite in that department- (how I play his character at least) high empathy autistic- good intentions but can read the mood wrong at times! Very outwardly expressive- Gots a whole narrator in his head I also think he’s got a pretty good imagination. This mf can’t stand still to safe his life on god he’s got to b moving every 5 seconds in order to not catch on fire. also most likely has maladaptive daydreaming? a bit upsetting but god does it work well for his whole character. Mf is constantly stretching- probably has extremely tensed muscles, shoulders n stuff (th stress). This bich would and probably has apologized or cursed out a chair for accidentally bumping into it. Eye contact is a no go- mostly cause he’s looking around the room already moving on to the next thing or just straight up more interested abt the thing behind you to care about maintaining eye contact
(I heart viewing characters through an autistic lens and either projecting or scrutinizing every single one of their mannerisms)
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The Five Types of Readers That Read Your Fantasy Book (For Writers)
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As a fantasy writer, understanding your target audience is crucial for the success of your book. Knowing the different types of readers who are drawn to the genre can help you tailor your writing to their preferences and create a more engaging experience. In this blog post, I'll help you explore the five types of readers that are likely to read your fantasy book and provide insights into their characteristics and expectations.
The Escapist Reader
The first type of reader is the Escapist. These readers are looking for a break from reality and crave immersion in a rich and imaginative world. They are drawn to epic quests, magical creatures, and fantastical settings. As a writer, you can capture their attention by crafting a vivid and detailed world, filled with intricate plotlines and larger-than-life characters. Engaging their sense of wonder and providing an escape from their everyday lives will keep them hooked from the first page to the last.
The World-Builder
The next type of reader is the World-Builder. These readers are fascinated by the intricacies of world-building and the lore that shapes the fantasy realm. They enjoy exploring the history, mythology, and geography of the fictional world you create. To captivate these readers, focus on developing a well-constructed and cohesive world that feels authentic and believable. Pay attention to the small details, establish consistent rules of magic, and provide glimpses into the rich tapestry of your universe.
The Character-Driven Reader
Another important type of reader is the Character-Driven reader. These readers are emotionally invested in the journeys and growth of the characters they encounter. They want to experience the highs and lows alongside the protagonists, forming deep connections with them. To engage these readers, focus on creating well-rounded and relatable characters with compelling arcs. Develop their motivations, flaws, and relationships to evoke empathy and resonate with your audience on a personal level.
The Plot-Oriented Reader
The fourth type of reader is the Plot-Oriented reader. These readers are primarily interested in the twists, turns, and surprises that unfold throughout the story. They enjoy intricate and well-paced plots that keep them guessing. As a writer, you can capture their attention by crafting a narrative with unexpected twists, clever foreshadowing, and satisfying resolutions. Keep the suspense high and deliver a satisfying payoff to keep these readers engaged and coming back for more.
The Theme-Seeker
The final type of reader is the Theme-Seeker. These readers are drawn to the deeper meanings and messages embedded within a story. They enjoy exploring philosophical, moral, or social themes that resonate with them on a personal level. As a writer, you can captivate these readers by weaving thought-provoking themes into your narrative. Explore complex issues, challenge societal norms, and offer unique perspectives to stimulate their intellect and leave a lasting impact.
Conclusion
Understanding the different types of readers that are drawn to your fantasy book can help you tailor your writing to their preferences and create a more immersive experience. Whether you are capturing the attention of Escapist readers, captivating the World-Builders with your intricate lore, evoking emotions in Character-Driven readers, surprising Plot-Oriented readers, or stimulating the intellect of Theme-Seekers, knowing your audience is key. By crafting a story that resonates with these reader types, you increase your chances of creating a loyal fan base and achieving success as a fantasy writer.
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Blow your readers mind. Happy writing!
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