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[theobsidianempress]

Angry Dialogues

✧ “I trusted you and you knew that, and you still chose to screw me over.”

✧ “Don’t even start. I’m done listening to your garbage.”

✧ “You don’t get to come back. Not after what you did.”

✧ “I hope it eats at you. Every night, like it does me.”

✧ “You’re a coward. Say what you did to my face.”

✧ “Get out. Just get the hell out before I really lose it.”

✧ “You mean nothing to me now. Nothing.”

✧ “One day you’ll need me. And I’ll laugh.”

✧ “You think I care what you feel? After what you pulled?”

✧ “You ruined me. And I’m supposed to be okay with that?”

✧ “I don’t hate you, i just feel nothing.”

✧ “You wrecked my life and walked off like it was easy.”

✧ “Go, fuck yourself”

✧ “I don’t want closure. I want you to feel what you did.”

✧ “You rot everything you touch. I should’ve known better.”

✧ “You burned the bridge, then blamed me for not crossing it.”

✧ “You left me bleeding and still called yourself the victim.”

✧ “You lost the right to be sorry a long time ago.”

[theobsidianempress]

How to use Em Dash (—) and Semi Colon ( ; )

Since the ai accusations are still being thrown around, here's how i personally like to use these GASP ai telltales. 🦄✨

Em Dashes (—)

To emphasize a shift / action / thought.

They're accusing us—actually accusing us—of using AI.

To add drama.

They dismissed our skills as AI—didn't even think twice, the dimwits—and believed they were onto something.

To insert a sudden thought. Surely they wouldn't do that to us—would they?

To interrupt someone's speech. "Hey, please don't say that. I honed my craft through years of blood and tears—" "Shut up, prompter."

To interrupt someone's thoughts / insert a sudden event.

We're going to get those kudos. We're going to get those reblogs—

A chronically online Steve commented, “it sounds like ai, idk.”

Semi Colons ( ; )

To join two closely related independent sentences / connect ideas.

Not only ChatGPT is capable of correct punctuation; who do you think it learned from in the first place?

Ultimate pro tip: use them whenever the fuck you want. You don't owe anyone your creative process. 🌈

[theobsidianempress]

Forbidden Love Dialogue Prompts

Trying out some different tropes. If there's a trope you'd like to see some prompts for in the future please let me know.

"Stop—someone might see us."

"You told them. You—I can't believe you told them about us. I trusted you."

"That fucking hurt!" "I'm sorry. I—I panicked when they walked in. I don't want to get caught!"

"Come on, you have to admit, sneaking around like this is kind of... fun."

"Someone saw us last night. They saw us. God, what if they tell?"

"I don't care! I don't care. I can't do this anymore. The lying, the sneaking around. I can't bear the thought of anyone else touching you, of anyone thinking... I want everyone to know you're mine."

"We—We can't." "Why not?" "If anyone ever found out..." "They won't."

"I love you." "You take that back." "No. I'm done hiding. I love you, and I want the entire world to know you're mine."

"Would it really be so bad—getting caught?" "Yes!"

"We have to stop." "What are you talking about?" "We can't keep doing this. We're going to get caught." "I don't care."

"Why won't you admit it?" "Because I'm scared, dammit! I'm terrified of what this means. I'm terrified to want you, to need you, to... love you. Because if anyone ever found out... God, it would destroy us."

"We were doomed from the start. But you know what, I wouldn't change a damn thing."

"Loving you was never the problem. It was pretending I didn't that killed me."

[theobsidianempress]

Then magically in the dead of night it comes to you. You’re tired so you decided to write it in the morning. Only to find upon waking YOU FUCKING FORGOT!

[theobsidianempress]

GenAI and writing in its shadow

I see a lot of creative writers express anxiety or even despair because of how good GenAI or LLMs (Large Language Models) seem to be at writing.

What I want to say is, please don't worry.

Having both worked in software development and been writing for a while, I'd like to happily say that GenAI is ✨garbage✨ at writing good stories because of two big reasons:

They lose the plot too easily and can't do callbacks or non-linear writing, because there is a hard upper limit to what an LLM can 'remember'. Even when presented with something like a plan that they have to follow, they don't necessarily connect each step of the plan to each other; they'll do each calculation in isolation, finish with it, then move on to the next. Because narratives, especially when you have more than one character, become these tangled webs of different 'plans' happening simultaneously, the LLM will 🎶 itself trying to remember and instead begin to 'improvise' solutions, much of which will deviate wildly from the plan and the narrative itself.

Also, did you notice how I used the words calculation and solutions? LLMs understand words and meaning as numbers. The next word in a sentence is math to them: they use statistics to guess which word would probably follow the word before it and still be relevant. This doesn't work for narratives because there's these wonderful things called ✨nuance, subtlety, emotional resonance, and subtext✨, and none of that is quantifiable. You can't put a number value on the 'why' of a character shrugging, or heck, not saying anything—that is literally 0 to an LLM, and thus impossible for it to calculate.

Both of these issues aren't just math or coding problems. The first requires absurd (and insanely costly) leaps in computing power and hardware. The second requires building an LLM on something that... isn't a computer.

Write your hearts out. Don't be afraid. The world needs us to stay creative, because while science and technology give us the ways and means to live our lives, creativity and emotion give us the reason to be alive. 💖

[theobsidianempress]

Writing Notes: Aromatics

Aromatics - vegetables, herbs, and spices that cooks use as the foundation of flavor for dishes.

Types of Aromatics

There are 3 main types of aromatic ingredients in cooking:

Herbs: You can use fresh herbs and dry herbs as aromatics. There are two types of herbs usually found at the grocery store: tender herbs, also known as soft herbs, and hard herbs. Tender herbs have soft stems and soft leaves; they include cilantro, chives, tarragon, parsley, dill, mint, and basil. Hard herbs have hard, woody stems and stiffer leaves. Popular hard herbs include rosemary, oregano, thyme, fennel, bay leaves, lemongrass, ginger, galangal, and sage.

Spices: Whole spices and ground spices are also popular aromatics, particularly in Indian and Asian dishes. Aromatic spices include chili peppers, cumin, coriander, cardamom, turmeric, paprika, and more.

Vegetables: You can sauté fresh veggies in butter or cooking oil at the beginning of the cooking process. Popular aromatic vegetables include onions, shallots, scallions, celery, garlic, carrots, leeks, and bell peppers. For fast-cooking recipes, dice the veggies, and for slow-cooking recipes, like stock, you can use large cuts.

How to Use Aromatics in your Cooking

Aromatics are the base for soups, stews, stir-fries, and braises. Consider the following aromatic combinations for various cuisines:

French: “Mirepoix” is a French term to describe the holy trinity of diced carrots, onions, and celery sautéed in butter or oil. Mirepoix is the base for many popular French and American dishes, including boeuf bourguignon and chicken noodle soup.

Italian: To make soffrito, the Italian version of mirepoix, sauté carrots, onions, and celery in olive oil. Home cooks use soffritto to make bolognese, lasagna, and other Italian soups and stews.

Cajun: Many Cajun dishes, like gumbo and jambalaya, begin with the aromatics of onions, green bell peppers, and celery in butter or oil.

Spanish: Spanish sofrito is an aromatic sauce composed of tomato paste, garlic, bell peppers, cilantro, parsley, and various spices. This flavorful base is slow-cooked in olive oil to create a concentration of flavors to impart into dishes like paella, empanadas, and stews. There are regional sofrito variations throughout Latin America—Dominican, Puerto Rican, and Brazilian cuisine have unique versions.

Chinese: Chinese aromatic ingredients for stir-fry dishes include garlic, ginger, and green onions, cooked over high heat. Cooks may add other aromatics depending on the region, such as dried chilis in Sichuan cuisine.

Thai: Thai cuisine uses a base of shallots, garlic, and chilies. (Curry dishes also include coconut milk). Other ingredients such as kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, and galangal are popular flavorings for dishes.

Indian: Indian cuisine features many spices for curries, meat, and vegetable dishes. Indian recipes generally begin by heating spices such as cumin, cardamom, turmeric, and cloves in oil or ghee. Onions, tomatoes, ginger, and yogurt are common flavorings in addition to the aromatics.

Cook the aromatics in butter or oil at the beginning of the cooking process for sauces and stir-fry dishes, or tie aromatics into a sachet and simmer them in liquid to create broth, stock, or soup. Different cuisines have various combinations of aromatics that serve as the basis of flavor.

Source ⚜ More: Notes & References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[theobsidianempress]

Prompt #1186

"You're not the big villain you think you are. You're just a minor inconvenience with a big ego."

[theobsidianempress]

Late-Night Confessions Prompts

⤚ “can i tell you something? it’s been clawing at me for days.” ⤚ “i don’t say this when the sun’s up, but... i think i’m in love with you.” ⤚ “the dark makes it easier to be honest, doesn’t it?” ⤚ “you’re the thought i can’t shake at 3am.” ⤚ “if i whisper it now, will it count less or more?” ⤚ “you asked me what i wanted most—this. just this. you and me and quiet truth.” ⤚ “no one else makes silence feel this safe.” ⤚ “i’m scared of how much i need you. does that make sense?” ⤚ “you look beautiful in moonlight. cruel, how soft it makes everything.” ⤚ “if i fall asleep now, will you still be here in the morning?”

[theobsidianempress]

Drabble List #14

75 prompts to write drabbles or longer stories.

"I didn't ask for your help."

"We're in this together."

"You have to let me go."

"I won't let them take you."

"We need to stay focused."

"All day, every day."

"They underestimated us."

"We have to keep going, no matter what."

"I can't let you go."

"This is our chance to make a difference."

"We need to think outside the box."

"I'm not afraid anymore."

"You can't silence the truth."

"We're stronger together."

"We can't ignore the signs any longer."

"Every decision has a consequence."

"Why did you choose me?"

"I can't pretend everything is okay."

"You're not who I thought you were."

"What happens if we fail?"

"I wish things could be different."

"You need to trust yourself more."

"This isn't just about you and me."

"We have to stop running."

"How can you be so sure?"

"You know what's at stake."

"I can't believe you lied to me."

"It's time to face our fears."

"We have to do what's right."

"I'm not backing down."

"This is our fight."

"You can't control everything."

"We need to take a leap of faith."

"I won't let them break me."

"This is our destiny."

"We have to trust each other."

"I'm not giving up on us."

"We can't let them win."

"I never thought I'd say this, but I need your help."

"We have to stay focused."

"This is our moment to shine."

"I'm not afraid of the truth."

"I can't believe you lied to me."

"We have to make it right."

"What are you willing to sacrifice?"

"You can't change the past."

"We have to face the truth."

"This is our only chance."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"We can't let them win."

"I never wanted to hurt you."

"You have no idea what you're asking."

"I spent Sunday in bed."

"You have to trust me."

"We can't let them destroy everything."

"I can't do this alone."

"You need to believe in yourself."

"This isn't just about survival."

"We have to keep moving forward."

"I never meant to hurt you."

"You can't keep running away."

"We need to think clearly."

"I can't let you go."

"You know what you did."

"You have to see it for yourself."

"This is our destiny."

"We need to find a way out."

"I can't let them hurt you."

"You have to make a decision."

"This is just the beginning."

"We need to hold on to hope."

"I can't believe it's come to this."

"You have to be strong."

"Want to hear my alibi?"

"This isn't just a story."

Drabble Masterlist

Have fun creating and writing!

If you like my blog and want to support me, you can buy me a coffee or become a member! And check out my Instagram! 🥰

[theobsidianempress]

YOUR WRITING IS SO DELICIOUS, THANK YOU FOR THE FOOD 😋 may I please request a fluffy smau where reader surprises the boys with some little gifts or food she got just because she was thinking of them and cheers them up from the bad day she didn't know they were having?

JJK Men: A Treat?!

Summary: JJK Men react to you leaving a treat for them not knowing they were having a bad day.

Character: Gojo Satoru, Nanami Kento, Geto Suguru, Kamo Choso, Fushiguro Toji, Ryomen Sukuna (Modern AU)

Warnings: Language, fluffy, mentions of stress

A/N: Thank you for the request Nonnie!! Holy crap in rusty but were gonna get back to this! 💚💚💚

[theobsidianempress]

Writing Notes: Noir Fiction

Noir fiction - a subset of the broader crime fiction genre.

Noir stories typically feature gritty urban settings, morally compromised protagonists, dark mysteries, and a bleak outlook on human nature.

Noir books and films noir frequently take the form of detective fiction (sometimes called hardboiled fiction), where the protagonists often work as private eyes or police detectives.

Whether or not they specifically concern detective work, works of noir fiction are fundamentally crime novels, short stories, and films.

The central action revolves around crimes that often contribute to the downfall of the protagonist or other sympathetic characters.

Common Characteristics of Noir Fiction

The noir genre, as practiced by literary authors and Hollywood screenwriters, often revolves around four key characteristics.

Enduring mystery: Nearly all noir novels are mystery stories. Protagonists struggle to track down the perpetrators of crimes, and this struggle often leads to their own personal peril. In many cases, these protagonists are detectives—as in the work of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett—but this is not a requirement of noir.

A femme fatale: Classic noir often features a femme fatale, a mysterious and seductive woman who uses her sex appeal to seduce and entrap her enemies.

Gritty urban settings: Like many works of mystery fiction, noir fiction slots nicely into the urban landscapes of twentieth-century America. West coast cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco are favorites of noir novelists, as is New York City.

Grim assessments of human nature: Although pulpy and driven by action and intrigue, many noir books are works of literary fiction that make statements on the human condition. In a great number of cases, those statements are bleak. From the villains to the protagonists to society itself, the world seems to conspire against good people in noir fiction.

Tips for Noir Fiction Writers

Consider your take on human despair. The characters in noir stories lead bleak lives. Their needs are rarely fulfilled and they often engage in self-destructive behavior. If you want to write in the noir subgenre, consider how you might interpret common themes of desperation and futility.

Create characters with major flaws. Whether by fate or by random circumstance, most noir protagonists end up leading themselves into more danger or disgrace as the story unfolds. Consider how you might create characters with fundamental flaws—addiction, greed, lust, vanity, naiveté—that might propel them into unfortunate situations.

Explore unique settings for your noir story. “Noir” is the French word for "black," but not all noir fiction occurs in the dark of night or the shadowy corners of a major city. You can set your noir story wherever you like so long as it embodies that essential grim outlook.

Examples of Noir Fiction

The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett (1930): This novel introduced the iconic hardboiled detective Sam Spade, who follows a trail of crimes involving a seemingly priceless statuette of a falcon. The mood is ever bleak and morality plays little role. The book was later adapted into a blockbuster film directed by John Huston and starring Humphrey Bogart.

The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler (1939): Another hardboiled detective classic, The Big Sleep is set in Los Angeles. Chandler's detective Philip Marlowe takes on a blackmail case that nearly leads to his own demise. A World War II-era film adaptation, again starring Humphrey Bogart, led to box office success. Nearly sixty years after the book was published, the story received an amusing twist when it became the rough outline for the Coen Brothers' comedy noir The Big Lebowski.

Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith (1950): Highsmith's debut novel inspired a famous Alfred Hitchcock film of the same name. True to its title, it involves two strangers who meet on a train and agree to "trade murders" so that each can be rid of someone in their lives with no suspected motive.

The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain (1934): Cain's noir story, which draws heavily from Emile Zola's 1868 novel Thérèse Raquin, focuses on a drifter named Frank with sociopathic tendencies. It involves a strange form of romance, but also shocking plot points that led to book bannings after its publication.

Queenpin by Megan Abbott (2007): A touchstone of contemporary noir fiction, Queenpin is actually a throwback to the golden age of the mafia, where illicit gambling ruled the day. Queenpin focuses on a ruthless mob veteran named Gloria and an unnamed young woman protagonist.

The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy (1987): The Black Dahlia is a contemporary noir novel that looks back in time for its subject matter. Revisiting the 1947 "black dahlia" murder in Los Angeles, protagonist Dwight "Bucky" Bleichert makes the ill-fated decision to join the LAPD and things go downhill from there. The Black Dahlia is the first in Ellroy's "L.A. Quartet," a series of neo-noir books where corruption reigns, human nature fails, and happy endings are in short supply.

They Shoot Horses, Don't They? by Horace McCoy (1935): Horace McCoy's noir novel is a testament to broken Hollywood dreams, infidelity, rejection, and painful quests for glory. While it involves crime, it largely steers clear of police and detectives. It heaps all the misery of a painful noir premise onto its everyman protagonist Robert and his companion Gloria.

Source ⚜ More: Notes & References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

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Writing Notes: Psychological Fiction

Psychological fiction - (or psychological realism) is a genre of literature in which writers delve into the interiority (or “inner person”) of a character’s mind and motivation rather than focusing on external actions or motivators.

In psychological novels, the characters’ mental and emotional state drives the story forward rather than outward forces.

It is a broad genre that includes several other subgenres, including psychological drama, psychological thriller, psychological suspense, psychological horror, and psychological science fiction.

Elements of Psychological Fiction

Deep interiority: The key element of this type of fiction is the focus on the psychology of the human mind or the mental and emotional states of the characters. Authors employ different techniques to achieve a more realistic picture of a person’s psychology, including stream of consciousness, interior characterization, fragmented storytelling, and flashbacks.

Internal conflict: In most psychological fiction, the story’s main conflict comes from the inner turmoil of the main character or characters rather than an outward pressure.

Representational characters: Characters that represent specific ideas, values, or ideologies are common in psychological fiction. Authors may use psychological fiction as a way to explore many facets of a societal issue or public debate.

Notable Authors of Psychological Fiction

Agatha Christie: This British novelist is well-known for her psychological page-turners and plot twists, especially her true crime thrillers written through the mind of her famous detective character Hercule Poirot. Notable works include And Then There Were None and Murder on the Orient Express.

A.J. Finn: His debut novel, The Woman in the Window, became a best-seller.

Alex Michaelides: Michaelides’s debut novel, The Silent Patient, is a psychological thriller that centers around a psychotherapist working with a patient who refuses to speak.

Anthony Burgess: A Clockwork Orange is a biting satire that includes elements of psychological science fiction and psychological horror.

Fyodor Dostoyevsky: This Russian writer is well-known for his extensive psychological novels, including The Brothers Karamazov and Crime and Punishment.

Gillian Flynn: An author whose work deals with psychological intensity, trauma, serial killers, and horror, Flynn’s suspense novels include Gone Girl, which chronicles the disappearance of Amy Dunne on her fifth wedding anniversary, and Sharp Objects, her debut novel. Both rank among the best psychological thriller books of the twenty-first century.

Henry James: An author of novels, novellas, and short stories, James was born in New York but lived in England at the end of his life. His notable works include The Portrait of a Lady and The Turn of the Screw.

Liane Moriarty: This contemporary Australian author’s hit novel, Big Little Lies, dives into the psychological interiority of characters dealing with domestic abuse.

Margaret Atwood: This contemporary Canadian author’s psychological work deals with themes of gender roles, identity, society, and speculative historical fiction. Atwood’s notable works include The Handmaid’s Tale and Alias Grace.

Murasaki Shikibu: One of the earliest pieces of psychological literature is The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu.

Patricia Highsmith: The author introduced her recurring character Tom Ripley in the psychological thriller The Talented Mr. Ripley.

Paula Hawkins: This contemporary British author’s novel The Girl on the Train uses unreliable narration and interiority to create a feeling of psychological suspense.

Samuel Richardson: Pamela; or, Virtue Rewarded is an early example of psychological fiction. Richardson’s Pamela tells the story of a young girl trying to adjust to her new life as a wife and deals with themes of sexual assault, domestic abuse, and class struggle.

Stephen King: A well-known author working in the psychological horror genre, King’s books include the best sellers The Shining and Carrie.

Source ⚜ More: References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

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Writing a "Highly Sensitive" Character

Sensitivity - awareness of and responsiveness to the feelings of others; susceptibility to being easily hurt or offended

Highly sensitive people (HSPs) - often show heightened sensitivity to stimuli such as loud sounds, bright lights, or strong smells. They also tend to experience deep emotional reactions, empathy for others, and may need more time to recharge after social interactions or stimulating environments.

Traits of Sensitive People

HSPs have distinct traits that could be mistaken as symptoms but do not indicate a disorder. They can include the following (Aron, 2010):

HSPs feel everything deeply and more intensely than others, whether joy or sadness, pleasure, or pain.

HSPs' high sensitivity means they take great joy in the simple pleasures in life, making them low maintenance and easy to please.

Need a lot more downtime than others, thrive in silence, and need a slower pace of life. This means taking the time to relax and process experiences is essential for their wellbeing.

Take longer to make decisions than others due to the depth of information processing involved, including conducting a thorough risk assessment and proceeding with caution.

Change can pose problems for HSPs. Even positive change may result in high levels of excitement and anxiety simultaneously due to the overstimulation caused by new experiences.

Can find handling conflict and criticism challenging, as they tend to have very high expectations of themselves and are hard on themselves when falling short. Others’ additional criticism can feel overwhelming.

Tend to have a rich inner life, being more self-aware, creative, and insightful than less sensitive people. This is likely to draw them into exploring a spiritual path in life, especially contemplative practices like meditation. They also enjoy a deep appreciation of the arts such as painting, dance, and music.

Tend to avoid the negative overarousal caused by violent films and news coverage, which almost hurts them physically.

HSPs' vulnerability to overstimulation can lead to a tendency to withdraw in new or tense situations. This can lead to them being seen as shy or unsociable when many are extroverts who just need extra time alone to process things.

Prefer a small social circle full of love and support, which they return in abundance due to their high levels of empathy. Letting another person in takes time, but when an HSP becomes your friend, they are loyal and supportive through thick and thin.

A highly sensitive person is someone who processes sensory input and emotions more deeply than the average person. This heightened awareness makes them more reactive to both external stimuli and emotional experiences.

This is a trait characterized by sensory processing sensitivity (SPS), which identifies a highly sensitive person/personality (HSP).

The term HSP was first coined by the psychologist Elaine Aron (1996), who is herself an HSP. She and her husband devised the Highly Sensitive Person Scale (HSPS), which spawned further research into the trait, including its neurobiological origins (Aron & Aron, 1997).

Before that, Carl Jung was the first to recognize the importance of sensitivity and believed that it played a more important role than sexuality in an individual’s susceptibility to neurosis (Aron, 2004).

The terms HSP and SPS are often used interchangeably. In later research, Aron (2010) differentiated the HSP trait into 4 categories.

Depth of processing. HSPs process all types of information more deeply than others, are more reflective, and take longer to make decisions (Aron, 2010). Depth of processing occurs both consciously, through analysis of information conveyed by communication in relationships, and unconsciously, through gut feelings or hunches.

Overarousability. HSPs notice a lot more than others in the same situation or environment, including other people’s emotions (although they may remain unexpressed), noise levels, smells, and other aspects of the environment (Aron, 2010). This can be advantageous but can also lead to overarousal and chronic stress.

Emotional intensity or empathy. HSPs experience strong positive and negative emotions in response to a range of pleasurable and painful stimuli (Aron, 2010). This increases their sensitivity to others’ feelings, making them very empathetic.

Sensory sensitivity. HSPs notice subtle environmental stimuli that other people miss. This can help protect them and others in their social group from unforeseen dangers but can also lead to problematic levels of sensitivity to foods, medicines, pain, noise, and light (Aron & Aron, 1997).

The combined effects of the trait result in empathic, conscientious, cautious individuals, who may also be sensation seeking and relish novelty (Aron, 2010).

There is no correlation between the HSP trait and extroversion or introversion (Aron, 2010). However, an HSP will always carefully evaluate the risks before proceeding with an adventure, as their sensitivity counters impulsivity (Aron, 2010). HSPs tend to plan ahead and are excellent strategists.

From an evolutionary perspective, HSPs may have an oracular function in social groups due to heightened intuition and sensitivity to environmental cues (Acevedo, Jagiellowicz, Aron, Marhenke, & Aron, 2017). Highly sensitive members of around 100 animal species have been identified and often warn their group of dangers undetected by others, helping to keep them safe (Aron, Aron, & Jagiellowicz, 2012).

The HSP trait is not aligned with giftedness, which comprises only 3% of the population (Aron, 1996). However, research conducted by psychologist Elke van Hoof found that 87% of gifted people are highly sensitive (Koolhof, 2020).

HSPs also have a heightened aesthetic sense, being highly sensitive to beauty in nature and the arts (Aron, 2010).

HSPs are also more disturbed by ugly or coarse stimuli than less sensitive people and avoid violent action films and news coverage (Aron, 2010). They are also more likely to have vivid dreams and have a rich inner life (Aron, 1996).

While HSPs are more distressed by negative environments than less sensitive people, they also benefit more from positive, supportive, and nurturing environments (Aron, 2010). This is especially true during childhood, but HSPs also benefit greatly from counseling and psychotherapy to overcome childhood difficulties, leading to low self-esteem (Aron, 2002).

There are cultural differences in their experiences, too. HSPs are highly valued members of societies that value reserved, cautious behavior such as China, Japan, and Sweden, but less so in bolder, competitive cultures such as Anglo-American and some European societies (Ketay et al., 2007).

Smolewska, McCabe, and Woody (2006) conducted a factor analysis of the HSPS and found it comprises 3 distinct factors:

Awareness of aesthetics (AES)

Low sensory threshold (LST)

Ease of excitation (EOE)

Further analysis from Smolewska et al. (2006) found that higher AES indicators bestow more positive outcomes of the trait, including a more intense perception of subtleties and empathy, while higher LST and EOE scores tend to indicate more neurotic outcomes, such as anxiety, social withdrawal, hypervigilance, and overarousal. 

Sources: 1 2 ⚜ More: Writing Notes & References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[theobsidianempress]

Your uncle says to you "I'm the one who got your parents together. It was a hard dungeon raid and-". Your father interrupts "I HAD TO PERFORM SO MANY HEALINGS ON THIS MAN THAT I AM ON A FIRST NAME BASIS WITH THE GODDESS! THAT'S HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER!"

[theobsidianempress]

Writing Notes: Supporting Characters

Supporting character - a person who plays a role in the life of a story’s protagonist.

Novelists and screenwriters don’t anchor a story around supporting characters, but they use them in the process of worldbuilding to create a compelling backdrop to the main character’s story arc.

A well-written supporting character will have:

a character arc,

a strong point of view, and

clear personality traits.

In many cases they will be the types of characters a reader might recognize from their own life and—like main characters—they will grow and change over the course of the storyline.

Characters who don’t change are known as flat characters, and while certain bit parts work just fine as flat characters, the majority of your secondary parts must be dynamic and engaging to a reader or viewer.

Tips for Writing Supporting Characters

Here are 8 key tips from Margaret Atwood on writing supporting characters:

Your secondary characters are formed by their life experiences. Character and event are inseparable because a person is what happens to them. This is true for main characters and minor characters alike. Even if a secondary character only appears sporadically throughout your novel, short story, or screenplay, supporting characters exist insofar as they experience events.

Secondary characters must be three dimensional, just like main characters. Your job as a writer is to learn about your character by observing how they interact with the world around them. Characters—like real people in real life—have hobbies, pets, histories, ruminations, quirks, and obsessions. They also have a backstory, just like the protagonist does. It’s essential to your novel that you understand these aspects of your character so that you are equipped to understand how they may react under the pressures of events they encounter.

Keep a track of your secondary characters with a character chart. When Margaret writes, she makes a character chart on which she writes each character, their birthday, and world events that might be relevant to them. In this way, she keeps track of how old characters are in relation to one another, and also how old they are when certain fictional or historical events occurred.

Make your characters interesting. Characters, like people, are imperfect. They don’t need to be likable, but they must be interesting. For example, Moby-Dick’s Captain Ahab was certainly not likable, but he was compelling, and that is Margaret’s bar for writing characters. Sometimes the characters in supporting roles are the ones who are easiest to push boundaries with. You should aim to create an interesting character that directly abets or stymies the protagonist’s goal but in a way that doesn’t necessarily conform to a worn-out archetype.

Every character needs to speak with purpose. When your characters are speaking, they should be trying to get something from one another or make a power play. As you draft each scene, ask yourself what your characters are trying to get. What are they trying to avoid? How do these wants inflect their speech and guide what they say—or don’t say? As you compose dialogue for your supporting characters, be mindful of their character roles within your primary storyline (as well as any subplots). Use their conversations efficiently to contribute to worldbuilding, character development, and the escalation of plot.

Take time to get dialogue right. To get dialogue right, you must understand how your characters speak. This is likely influenced by where they come from, their social class, upbringing, and myriad other factors. Speech and tone are always bound up in what has happened and is happening to a character. Shakespeare was exceptionally deft at encoding his characters’ speech with these social markers. In your own story, if the lead character is from Colorado and his best friend is from New York, their dialogue shouldn’t sound the same. Just as their worldview and personality traits must be distinct, so too must be their way of speaking. Most first-time authors tend to get their major characters’ dialogue correct, but it’s supporting characters’ dialogue that can separate great authors from those who are merely decent.

Choose secondary character names wisely. Be sure names are distinct, Margaret cautions, so that readers can tell characters apart. In cinema, the original Star Wars trilogy does a great job of this. Assuming Luke Skywalker is the protagonist, supporting character names like Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Obi-Wan Kenobi are all distinct from one another, which aids a first-time viewer who is new to the Jedi universe.

Surprise your readers with unpredictable supporting characters. Margaret wants characters that surprise her and her readers. She connects this to humans’ evolutionary history: We don’t have to pay attention to things that are stable. But when something unexpected happens—the wolf comes out of the woods—we pay attention. We remain alert. Find ways to subvert your readers’ expectations about what secondary and tertiary characters do in a novel, short story, or film. Place your supporting characters in scenarios your audience could not have seen coming.

Source ⚜ More: References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[theobsidianempress]

Body Language

When someone is…

Angry

Face: 

Furrowed brow

Clenched jaw

Flared nostrils

Flushed/reddened skin

Intense (or avoiding) eye contact

Narrowed eyes

Tense/pursed lips

Puffed out cheeks

Bare teeth

Voice:

Harsher tone

Lower/deeper tone

Louder volume

Growling

Squeaking

Tight/strained

Forceful 

Gestures/Posture:

Clenched fists

Pointing

Waving hands/fists

Chopping hands

Protruding chest

Crossed arms/legs

Pacing

Leaning away

Hunched shoulders

[theobsidianempress]

Creating Emotionally Devastating Scenes.

Crafting a scene that earns the total sympathy of your readers can be challenging, but it's not impossible. Most emotionally devastating scenes fail at two things, but when these are done right, the results can be powerful.

⚪ The Important Concepts for Writing an Emotionally Devastating Scene

1. The Build-Up,

2. Breaking the Dam.

Before I explain these concepts, let me share a case study.

⚫ Case Study

I wrote a story about a young orphan named Jackie and her younger brother. Their village was burned down, leaving them as the only survivors.

For the next few chapters, readers followed their painful journey and their struggle to survive. The younger brother had a heart problem, and Jackie vowed to become a cardiologist to save him.

She was very ambitious about it, but at the time, it was very ironic. Later in the story, when they encountered a tragic living condition with a family, the brother died while telling his sister how much he missed their parents.

When her brother was fighting for his life, she was sent out of the room, only to be let in again to see his cold, lifeless body.

⚪ Explanation of Concepts

1. The Build-Up

The build-up is extremely important when you aim to convey strong emotions. Here's a secret: if you plan for a scene with strong emotions, start leaving breadcrumbs from the very beginning of the story.

Take the previous case study. I carefully built up their journey so people could easily relate and feel the pain of the older sister during her brother's sudden death.

You need to give the situation enough reason to feel utterly hopeless and devastating. Gradually cultivate the tension until it's ready to let loose.

⚫ Understanding the Use of Breadcrumbs.

Breadcrumbs in stories ensure you utilize the time you have to build up certain emotions around your characters.

At the beginning of my story, Jackie’s fate was already pitiable, but she survived every hurdle. This gave the readers enough to feel for her while still leaning away from the outcome. When I built enough, I introduced her brother's sudden death.

Hence, leave your breadcrumbs while leaning away from the outcome.

⚪ How to Properly Leave Breadcrumbs

When building up your story, consider these elements:

☞⁠ Character Relatability: The characters need to be realistic to draw readers into the story. This helps readers invest themselves in your story.

☞⁠ Realistic Emotional Pain: Just as characters need to be relatable, their emotions need to be realistic and not appear forced.

☞⁠ Create a Strong Emotional Attachment: Give them something they care about or that has the power to ruin their lives in any way. It could be something that makes them happy or something their happiness relies on. When it's time, snatch it away without remorse.

☞⁠ Have a Backstage Struggle: This struggle keeps readers occupied, so they won't see the outcome coming. For example, Jackie’s constant struggle to find food and shelter keeps readers engaged while the impending tragedy looms in the background.

☞⁠ Attach Believable Elements: For a realistic character, emotion, and struggle, attach believable elements. It could be death, ailments, sickness, disorder, disappointment, failure, etc.

Now that we've covered the build-up, let's move on to the next crucial part.

2. Breaking the Dam

This is when you make your readers feel the strong emotions alongside your characters. All the tension you’ve been building up is released, making all emotions come into play.

☞⁠ Break Your Strong Attachment: Cut off your strong attachment from your character when they least expect it or at a point when they couldn't use more struggles (i.e when they are helpless).

This will not only evoke readers’ emotions but also pique their curiosity as they wonder how the character will survive the situation.

☞⁠ Description of Sensory Details to Invoke Emotions: The advice of "show, don't tell" will be really helpful here. It's crucial to ensure that the final execution matches the build-up.

A well-crafted build-up can fall flat if the emotional release isn't handled effectively. To avoid this, blend the climax seamlessly into the narrative, making it feel natural and impactful.

Reblog to save for reference! 💜