yet-another-writing-prompts-blog

[yet-another-writing-prompts-blog]

Emotions in writing

Affection

Definition: Affection is a feeling of fondness or love towards someone or something. It typically involves a warm attachment, a caring attitude, and a desire to show kindness and tenderness.

When you want to write the emotion affection, it's important to "show" the emotion your character is experiencing through their physical reactions and dialogue, rather than "tell" it.

Physical signs:

Hugs: Characters wrapping their arms around each other.

Kisses: Gentle or passionate lip contact between characters.

Hand-holding: Characters clasping each other's hands.

Cuddling: Characters snuggling closely together.

Caresses: Gentle touches or strokes on the face, arms, or back.

Smiling: Warm, genuine smiles directed at each other.

Eye contact: Prolonged gazes or meaningful looks.

Leaning in: Characters moving closer to each other.

Playfulness: Light teasing or playful physical interactions.

Body language: Open and relaxed posture, facing each other.

Resting heads: Characters resting their heads on each other's shoulders or laps.

Arm around shoulder: One character placing their arm around the shoulders of another.

Squeezing hands: Characters giving a reassuring squeeze to each other's hands.

Nuzzling: Characters pressing their nose or forehead against each other affectionately.

Sharing personal space: Characters standing or sitting closely together.

Whispering: Characters leaning in to share intimate or secretive words.

Back rubs: Characters giving gentle massages to each other's backs.

Gentle touches: Characters brushing away hair from each other's face.

Playful nudges: Light nudges or bumps with elbows or shoulders.

Shared laughter: Characters laughing together, often with touching or holding each other.

Internal sensations:

A sense of inner warmth or comfort when thinking about or being near the person they care for.

A fluttery feeling in the stomach or chest when they see or think about their loved one.

A general feeling of happiness or contentment when in the presence of their loved one.

A heightened sense of excitement or anticipation before seeing their loved one.

A calm and peaceful feeling when thinking about their relationship or when spending time together.

A subtle ache or longing when apart from their loved one.

A sense of security or safety when they are with their loved one.

A feeling of being valued and appreciated by their loved one.

A deep affection and fondness when remembering shared moments or qualities of their loved one.

A sense of gratitude for having their loved one in their life.

Mental Responses:

Longing for their presence

Comfort in their words

Excitement at hearing from them

Gratitude for their kindness

Eagerness to reciprocate

Nostalgia for past moments together

Anticipation of future connections

Affectionate memories surfacing

Sense of belonging

Telling Affection Examples to Avoid:

Try avoiding things like this:

John felt an overwhelming affection for his wife.

Sarah was filled with affection for her newborn baby.

The old man's eyes were filled with affection as he watched his grandchildren play.

Despite their rocky past, Mary still felt a deep affection for her ex-husband.

The dog's tail wagged with affection as his owner petted him.

Practical Examples of Showing Affection:

Some examples of showing affection in a sentence:

She hugged her friend tightly, feeling her warmth and comfort after a long day.

He smiled at his daughter and tousled her hair, glad to see her growing up so fast.

She rested her head on her partner's shoulder, sighing contentedly and feeling at ease in their embrace.

He placed a gentle kiss on his wife's forehead, silently communicating his love and support for her.

[yet-another-writing-prompts-blog]

Surnames: A-B

It seems many people struggle with finding surnames for their characters. I know i do. I work at a library and live next to a cemetery, and therefore see a lot of unique surnames quite often. I've started writing them down, along with their origins, where they're used, and their meanings, if I can find them.

I'll admit, my criteria for where they're used (called usage) is pretty loosey-goosey. I suggest you check the forebears.io links I provide! I'm not entirely certain of their accuracy, but it's the best i can find without academic institution access or money, and lots of others seem to trust them.

I'm not sure yet if I'll update this list to only be As and Bs or just make As and Bs part two. I'll have to do only a couple of letters every post. I tried to do a lot more names, but Tumblr mobile didn't appreciate how long my draft was and how many links were in it, so this'll have to be split up into a lot of posts.

Languages in this list: German, English, Arabic, Yoruba, Swedish, French, Spanish, Hebrew, Portuguese, Russian, Slovak, Welsh, Polish, Slovene, Scottish, Hungarian, Croatian, Italian, and kind of/maybe Basque, Akkadian, Yiddish

Usage in this list: All names appear in the USA, because that's where I live. I will probably miss some, because there's a lot, but I know I have at least one of: USA, England, Canada, India, Chile, Iran, Tanzania, Nigeria, Chad, Indonesia, Germany, Egypt, Morocco, Lebanon, Sweden, the Philippines, Guatemala, Angola, Mexico, Mozambique, Peru, Bolivia, Portugal, Brazil, Russia, Venezuela, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Switzerland, Romania, Poland, Australia, Jamaica, Hungary, Ukraine, Slovakia, Jews (ethnic group), Italy

Aboff - Origin: English - Usage: USA - This game was likely derived from a centuries-long game of Telephone. It is most likely a variant of Acuff, which is itself a variant of Aculf, which in itself is an anglicized patronymic surname derived from the Old Norse forename Agúlfr, which means "terror wolf." - Forebears / Aboff FamilySearch (You can access the page for Acuff via this page, which I also used for reference)

Agosin - Origin: unknown - Usage: Chile, USA - Can't find much on this name. A Chilean-American writer and feminist by the name of Marjorie Agosin is likely the most notable person with the name, and her Wikipedia page was the only other site with useful info that I could find. - Forebears / Marjorie Agosin

Amos - Origin: Ancient Hebrew - Usage: Tanzania, Nigeria, Chad - Taken from the forename Amos, meaning "load," "burden," or "burden-bearer." The name derived from the Biblical figure Amos, who is one of the twelve minor prophets in the tanakh (or Old Testament, if you're Christian). - Forebears / Behind the Name

Angkasa - Origin: Chinese, Indonesian - Usage: Indonesia - A more Indonesian-sounding version of Chinese surname Hong. Indonesia has a pretty sizeable amount of ethnically Chinese residents. Hong means "flood, big, great." The forename Angkasa (also Indonesian) means "sky, space." - MyChinaRoots / Behind the Name / Forebears

Angleberger - Origin: German - Usage: USA - from Middle High German word "angel," meaning "angle" or "hook," and "berger," a topographical surname used by those who lived on or near mountains and hills. Despite its origin, it's pretty much only used in the USA. The spelling "Angelberger" is more common in German-speaking countries. - myheritage (name meaning) / forebears

Ansari - Origin: Arabic - Usage: largely India (Hindi, Marathi), Iran - term for people who recieve and help migrants. Derives from the name the Prophet Muhammad gave to the people of Medina, who helped when him and his companions had to flee Mecca. - forebears / Wikipedia (Ansari)

Appelt - Origin: Possibly Dutch - Usage: Germany - Likely a place name related to Apeldoorn, a city in Holland. - Forebears / House of Names

Arceneaux - Origin: French - Usage: USA (Louisiana) - Variant of Arsenault, a version of the name that remains much more common in Canada. Either means "one who was in charge of the arsenal," or a habitational name derived from someone who lived in Arcine, in Haute-Savoie, a department of France that resides in Normandy. - Forebears / Forebears (Arsenault) / House of Names

Ayoade - Origin: Yoruba - Usage: Nigeria - "the joy of the crown." Spelled Ayọ̀adé in Yoruba. - Forebears / Yoruba Names

Ayoub - Origin: Arabic - Usage: Egypt, Morocco, Lebanon - Form of Job, from the Bible. - Forebears / Behind the Name

Axelsson - Origin: Swedish - Usage: Sweden - means "Son of Axel" - Forebears / Behind the Name

Babbitt - Origin: English - Usage: USA - Likely a surname derived from a given name. Could be Babb/Babba, typically a diminuative of Barbara, or from Bobbitt, a variant of Middle English personal name Bobbe. - Forebears / Behind the Name

Badua - Origin: Philippines, likely Tagalog or Ilocano - Usage: Philippines - Likely a name originating from the Spanish colonial period, when usage of surnames became mandated. Used commonly in a region where Iloko/Iloco/Ilocano is spoken, so I would wager it's either that or Tagalog/Filipino. One site uses the explanation that it comes from badu, the Tagalog word for "bush, shrub, small tree," but that doesn't make sense, because there are several Tagalog words for bush and small tree and that is none of them. The closest I can find in Tagalog/Filipino at the present moment to badu is baduy/badoy, which means "lame, out of style, tacky, uncool." In Ilocano, the word for clothes is closest: baduan. - Forebears / MyHeritage / Tagalog.com / Ilocano Dictionary (only linking the dictionary sites I used because I will meet my link limit much faster if I link every single word I tried. For the record, I tried bush, shrub, small tree, and badua in both dictionaries).

Bagnold - Origin: English - Usage: England, Jamaica? - Likely a place name denoting someone from Bagnall, a township in Staffordshire. - House of Names / Forebears

Baltazar - Origin: Hebrew, Akkadian - Usage: Angola, Mexico, Philippines, Mozambique, Peru, Guatemala, Bolivia, Portugal - From given name Baltazar. Traditionally a name assigned to one of the three wise men who visited the newborn Jesus. A variant of Belshazzar, who, in the Old Testament's Book of Daniel, was the last king of Babylon. This variant means "Marduk protect the king," with Bal/Ba'al being a name for Babylonian god Marduk. Over time, it's become a more generic "God protect the king," or "God protects life." - Forebears / Behind the Name: Baltazar (if I were to individually link every page I used, I would run out of link space much quicker. Luckily, every page I've visited is able to be accessed from Baltazar. Starting on Baltazar, go to Balthazar, then to Belshazzar, then Bel. Bits and pieces were used from each page.)

Balcarcel - Origin: Spanish - Usage: Guatemala - Variant of Valcarcel, which is a habitational name coming from any of the places in modern day Spain named Valcarcel. The place name stems from val (valley) and cárcel (prison), in this case "prison" meaning a narrow or confined space, like a narrow gorge - Forebears / Ancestry

Barinova - Origin: Russian - Usage: Russia - means "descendant of a boyar," which was a person that was in the highest rank of feudal aristocracy in many Eastern European countries, including places that would later become Russia. (Note: the only source I can find for the meaning of this surname is a user-submitted reference on Forebears. I don't know how accurate it is). - Forebears / Wikipedia (Boyar)

Baum - Origin: German - Usage: Germany, USA, Jewish people - means "tree" in German, although one source claims it actually comes from a shortened form of "Schlagbaum," a tollgate. - Forebears / Behind the Name

Beckhorn - Origin: German? - Usage: USA and like 1 guy in Thailand - can't find much! It's a pretty rare surname. Could possibly be an Americanized version of Bockhorn, which is a place name for a hamlet in Northern Germany named Bokern, OR combination of "boken" (Low German for "birch tree") and "horn" (Low German for a steep hill). This is all conjecture, though. I have nothing to go off of except that they're similar sounding names from Germanic languages. Fun variants: Beckhorne, Bieckhorn, Beckorn, Bockhorn - Forebears (Beckhorn) / Forebears (Bockhorn)

Beltz - Origin: German - Usage: USA - Occupational name for a tanner of hides - Forebears / Behind the Name

Benedis - Origin: Latin? - Usage: USA - Likely from Latin "Benedict," meaning "blessed." Again, conjecture. - Forebears / Wikipedia (Benedict)

Benko - Origin: Hungarian, Croatian, and/or Slovene - Usage: USA, Slovakia, Ukraine, Hungary - a user on forebears.io states that it comes from the given name Ben, with the diminuative suffix -ko added later on. From there, it went on to become a surname. They say the Hungarian name "Ben" can come from Benjamin (son of my right hand) or Latin Benedict/Benedek (blessed, or "be good"). Note: in Hungary, it's more likely to be spelled Benkó. - Forebears / Behind the Name

Benoist - Origin: French/Languedoc - Usage: France - May derive from the family of Saint Benoît d'Aniane, which is a name with a lot of regional variants, including Benoit, Benois, Benoie, Benoyte, etc. - House of Names / Forebears

Bertman - Origin: ? - Usage: USA - The USA has the most people with this surname by far, but countries with high amounts of/historical Jewish and Orthodox Christian communities also use it. I can't find many good statistics on the name, though, or a meaning. - Forebears

Betancourt - Origin: Spanish, Portuguese, technically French - Usage: Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Mexico - Used throughout Latin America, with those three being the highest. A Spanish and Portuguese cognate of the French "Bethencourt," a place-based surname derived from the Norman (Northern France) feudal holding of the same name. - Forebears / Behind the Name

Biberdorf - Origin: German, Yiddish? - Usage: USA, Canada - Means "beaver village," from "biber," which is beaver, and "dorf," which translates to village or hamlet. Interestingly, the majority of Biberdorfs in the USA are Republican (72.55%) while nearly that same percentage of Bieberdorfs in the USA are Democrat (74.19%). Conclusion: woke is stored in the E - Forebears / MyHeritage

Bigelow - Origin: English - Usage: USA - Means "dweller on or near the barley hill" or "one who came from Baguely," which is the name of several places in England. It seems that the vast majority of Bigelows came to America, as there are 15,578 with the surname in the USA and only 34 in England. Canada is the only other place with Bigelow numbers in the thousands, at 1,603. - Forebears

Billingsley - Origin: English - Usage: USA, England - Likely a place name, denoting someone from Billingsley, a parish in the ceremonial county of Shropshire, in England, bordering Wales. - Forebears

Binks - Origin: Northern England and Scotland - Usage: all English-speaking countries, but mostly England - There are plenty of theories, all of which conclude that it came from the Scottish/Geordie dialect of a different surname. Ideas of what that different surname would be varies from Bank(s), Bilk(s), and Bing(e)(s). Although it came from England and most of its usage is there, the name appears quite a bit in the USA and Canada and has incidences everywhere in the Core Anglosphere (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland), USA) - Forebears / Behind the Name

Birchall - Origin: English - Usage: English, Australian - It's agreed upon that this is a location name. Not much else is agreed upon. One source says it's from Birtles, in Cheshire, England. Another says it's from Birchill (birch-hill), a place in both Derbyshire and Staffordshire. A third says it's from Birch Hall, as in a hall of birch trees, and a fourth says it's from Bircholt in Kent. - Forebears / Behind the Name

Binns - Origin: Northern England and Scotland- Usage: England, USA - Although it is mostly used in England (5,933) and the USA (5,702), it is also used in Australia (1,564), Jamaica (1,417), and other places in the Core Anglosphere and Central America & Caribbean to a lesser extent. The name is thought to come from southern Scotland (Roxburgh/Linlithgow/West Lothian) and Northern England (Yorkshire/Lincolnshire) as a place name (as in, a town called Binns) or a patronym, from Anglo-Saxon names similar to it (Bynna, Binna), or a patronym derived from the Dutch (Flemish) Bins or German Binas. One source claims the Scottish name and the English name are unrelated. - Forebears

Bird - Origin: English - Usage: Anglosphere - The animal. Usually derived from being nicknamed "bird" for having birdlike qualities (i.e. good at singing, big nose, etc). Another source is likely an occupational surname for one who raised or hunted birds. One guy named Henry Barber claimed that it's derived from words in other languages, which, like, I guess? - Forebears / Behind the Name

Birdsall - Origin: English - Usage: USA - Either "of Birstall," a village parish in Yorkshire, or-- wait. Wait what. Someone's created an entire website for this last name. Okay. Well. In the Domesday Book, which is a record of the Great Survey done at the request of William the Conqueror, the town was called Briteshala, which is anglo-saxon for "Brid's sloping land." The land was then gifted and leased to a series of owners, and along the way it slowly became called Birdsall. Those from Birdsall took the surname "de Bridshalle" and later de Birdsall, which then became just "Birdsall." - birdsall.ca / Forebears

Birney - Origin: Scottish - Usage: USA - There's also a good amount of people with the surname in Ireland, England, Canada, and Scotland (not much in Northern Ireland), but by far it's the most used in the USA. It's not a super common surname, with forebears.io recording just 3,040 people with this surname worldwide. It is a place name and comes from a parish in Moray, Scotland. It was first Brennath, then Bienach, then Branach, then Byrneth, the Birne, then Byrny. The Gaelic form is recorded as Mac Biorna. The more Irish version is Bierney, but it only has 44 bearers. Beirney is the variant most used in Canada - Forebears / Behind the Name

Blakemore - Origin: English - Usage: USA, English - either from "Blackmore/Blackmoor" (black + moor) or "Blakemore/Blakemeer" (white + moor). Either way, it's a location name. - Forebears

Bledsoe - English or Slovene - Usage: USA - Either from a town in Bedfordshire or a lake in Slovenia. - Forebears

Blejwas - Origin: Polish - Usage: Poland - Also used in the USA, although the incidence is less than half of that in Poland (236) at 112. I can't find any listed meaning. - Forebears

Bloor - Origin: English - Usage: English - Either from a parish/township in Staffordshire or an occupational surname for a blower. I'm going to assume glass blower. - Forebears

Blevins - Origin: Welsh - Usage: USA - Despite being derived from the Welsh word for "wolf," this surname gets the majority of its usage in the USA. In fact, 98% of all Blevins worldwide (recorded on forebears.io) are in the USA. I suppose it makes sense, since theoretically Welsh people would be much more likely to have the Welsh version of the name, Bleddyn. - Forebears / Behind the Name

Bolivar/Bolívar - Origin: Basque, Spanish - Usage: Venezuela, Colombia, the Philippines, Spanish-speaking nations - from Bolíbar, the name of a small village in the Basque region, which lies in northern Spain and southwest France. It was then picked up by Spaniards, which they spread to their colonies. It remains more popular in their former colonies, with 1 in 10k Spaniards carrying the name today. - Forebears (the page for Bolívar is similar to that for Bolivar, except with less incidence, so I'm just sharing the one) / Behind the Name

Bondor - Origin: ? - Usage - Romania - There are many different versions of Bondor, making it hard to pin down an origin and meaning. It's used the most Romania, followed by Hungary then the USA. - Forebears

Booraem - Origin: ? - Usage: USA - a rare surname with an incidence of only 77, all seeming to be in the USA. - Forebears

Borba - Origin: Portuguese - Usage: Brazil - likely a location-based surname, deriving from either Borba, a municipality in Portugal; Borba DOC, a Portuguese wine region; or Borba, Amazonias, Brazil. - Places named Borba / Forebears / Behind the Name

Brallier - Origin: French - Usage: USA, one singular person in Canada - not used in France anymore. An occupational surname for one that made belts. - Ancestry / Forebears

Bramucci - Origin: Italian - Usage: Italy - Possibly an occupational surname coming from Italian "brama," one who yearns. - Name Census / Forebears

Brauner - Origin: German (Lower Saxony) - Usage: Germany - Patronymic form of Brun(o), Braun; Term denoting a follower of the Brunones, a dynasty of medieval Lower Saxony; habitational name for one in Brauna in Saxony or Braunau in Austria; Ashkenazic Jewish form of Brown. - FamilySearch / House of Names / Forebears

Briner - Origin: Swiss German - Usage: USA, Switzerland - Habitational surname related to Brin in the canton of Grison (Graubünden) or from the Brin valley. I would also go out on a limb and suggest that it could potentially be a occupational surname for one who brines, which is a form of preserving food. However, that may not be a specific thing and would potentially fall under Fisher or Cook. Could also be an American form of the German Breiner. - Behind the Name / FamilySearch / Forebears

Bruchac - Origin: Slovak - Usage: USA, kind of Slovakia - The form Brucháč is more common in Slovakia. Likely means "one who growls like a bear," or bru- (meaning brown, bear, or bruin) plus -chac, meaning person. - Joe Bruchac Blog / Forebears (Bruchac) / Forebears (Brucháč)

Brumbach - Origin: German - Usage: USA - habitational surname for any of the numerous places names Brombach in Germany. Also used in Germany but to a much lesser extent. - FamilySearch / Forebears

I have unfortunately run out of link space! The last two will be presented without direct links:

Budhos - Origin: ? - Usage: USA - likely a form of Budho, a surname found the most in Pakistan and India. One theory is that Budho(s) originates from Punjabi, a language spoken in the Punjab region of India, which is in the northern/slightly west part of the country. I have found no recorded meaning for either Budho or Budhos (besides "probably occupational"), and the relationship between the names remains just speculation. - https://forebears.io/surnames/budhos / https://lastnames.myheritage.com/last-name/budhos / https://forebears.io/surnames/budho

Bunzl - Origin: Austrian German or Slovak - Usage: Austria, USA - This one is interesting. It's probably one of those that shows where language borders lie in relation to country borders (which themselves were different when this surname started appearing). According to forebears.io, Bunzl, in that form, is mostly used in Austria (80), then USA (39), then England (22), and all the way down to multiple countries with just one. Nowhere is Slovakia mentioned. But there is a company called Bunzl that claim they originated in what is now Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. However, at the time, it was a part of Hapsburg Monarchy of Austria (the city was called Pozsony). There is also an author (who I believe I got this name from) that says it is from the Slovak side of his family. His grandfather was Jewish and went from Vienna, Austria, to England, but his family was Slovak. It's possible that it's an Austrian spelling of Bundzel, which has incidences in Slovakia. Either way, I can't find a meaning for it. - https://school.teachingbooks.net/pronounce.cgi?pid=2538# / https://forebears.io/surnames/bunzl / https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunzl

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Mobile Tumblr is a hellhole. If you saw a long list of surnames that was unfinished no you didn't

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"What do you do?"

"Oh, I'm a Worrier."

"Oh, cool, a warrior?"

"Y. Yeah. Basically."

[yet-another-writing-prompts-blog]

this is probably more detail than you're supposed to include in a writing prompt, but it was really fun to think about

there is a growing movement within the state of maine to leave the USA and become part of quebec. many of the quebecois that have learned of the movement support it, although there are those that dissent (and a small minority that think maine should be integrated into canada but be its own province, and some quebec nationalists believe maine should be integrated into quebec if/when they become their own autonomous nation). none of this was taken too seriously until the governor of maine expressed support for the movement.

[yet-another-writing-prompts-blog]

there is a growing movement within the state of maine to leave the USA and become part of quebec. many of the quebecois that have learned of the movement support it, although there are those that dissent (and a small minority that think maine should be integrated into canada but be its own province, and some quebec nationalists believe maine should be integrated into quebec if/when they become their own autonomous nation). none of this was taken too seriously until the governor of maine expressed support for the movement.

[yet-another-writing-prompts-blog]

“It is said that, during the fantasy book in the late eighties, publishers would maybe get a box containing two or three runic alphabets, four maps of the major areas covered by the sweep of the narrative, a pronunciation guide to the names of the main characters and, at the bottom of the box, the manuscript. Please… there is no need to go that far. There is a term that readers have been known to apply to fantasy that is sometimes an unquestioning echo of better work gone before, with a static society, conveniently ugly ‘bad’ races, magic that works like electricity and horses that work like cars. It’s EFP, or Extruded Fantasy Product. It can be recognized by the fact that you can’t tell it apart form all the other EFP. Do not write it, and try not to read it. Read widely outside the genre. Read about the Old West (a fantasy in itself) or Georgian London or how Nelson’s navy was victualled or the history of alchemy or clock-making or the mail coach system. Read with the mindset of a carpenter looking at trees. Apply logic in places where it wasn’t intended to exist. If assured that the Queen of the Fairies has a necklace made of broken promises, ask yourself what it looks like. If there is magic, where does it come from? Why isn’t everyone using it? What rules will you have to give it to allow some tension in your story? How does society operate? Where does the food come from? You need to know how your world works. I can’t stress that last point enough. Fantasy works best when you take it seriously (it can also become a lot funnier, but that’s another story). Taking it seriously means that there must be rules. If anything can happen, then there is no real suspense. You are allowed to make pigs fly, but you must take into account the depredations on the local bird life and the need for people in heavily over-flown areas to carry stout umbrellas at all times. Joking aside, that sort of thinking is the motor that has kept the Discworld series moving for twenty-two years.”

— “Notes from a Successful Fantasy Author: Keep It Real” (2007), Terry Pratchett. (via the-library-and-step-on-it)

[yet-another-writing-prompts-blog]

welcome to yet another writing prompts blog!

these prompts are free to use for writing, art, or anything they inspire you to do. no credit is necessary but it's always appreciate. always feel free to tag me if you make something inspired by one of my prompts.

[as a general disclaimer, the mod of this account is... i don't want to say cognitively disabled, because i'm not quite sure it's that severe. but i often have trouble with getting ideas across, saying the correct words in the correct order, grammar, etc, and speak in ways that can be confusing and grammatically incorrect. please do not comment on it, i'm already aware]

tag system

(once i have more posts, i'll add links)

writing prompt - despite the name, these prompts can be used for anything.

tips & tricks - writing assistance. things like word lists, resources, etc.

character building - usually accompanies the tips & tricks tag. posts that help you shape your characters.

writing dialogue - usually accompanies the tips & tricks tag. posts that help you with your dialogue.

dialogue prompt - prompts that are solely dialogue.

image prompts - prompts with an image.

character: [number] - these are tagged so you can search for prompts with the right amount of people for your needs. they are always formatted with numbers (i.e., "characters: 2" instead of "characters: two")

relationship: - these tags are used to filter the type of relationships included in the prompt.

relationship: bonded pair - this is used for friends, couples, and anything else with two people who are close.

relationship: bonded group - same as above with 3+ people.

relationship: familial - only used in prompts where it's explicitly mentioned they're family. the two above tags could also contain prompts that would work for your families.

features: - things that appear in the prompt, such as physical affection, whump, flirting, etc.

have fun!

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"we could run away. together."

"that would be stupid as hell."

"stupider than staying here?"

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Writing References: Character Development

50 Questions ⚜ Backstory ⚜ Character-driven Story

Basics: How to Write a Character ⚜ A Story-Worthy Hero

Basics: Character-Building ⚜ Character Creation

Types of Characters: Key Characters ⚜ Literary Characters ⚜ Flat & Round Characters ⚜ Morally Grey ⚜ Narrators ⚜ Allegorical Characters ⚜ Archetypes ⚜ Stereotypical Characters

Worksheets: Backstory ⚜ Character ⚜ Kill your Characters ⚜ Antagonist; Villain; Fighting ⚜ Change; Adding Action; Conflict ⚜ Character Sketch & Bible ⚜ Protagonist & Antagonist ⚜ Name; Quirks; Flaws; Motivation ⚜ "Interviewing" your Characters ⚜ "Well-Rounded" Character

Personality Traits

5 Personality Traits (OCEAN) ⚜ 16 Personality Traits (16PF)

600+ Personality Traits ⚜ 170 Quirks

East vs. West Personalities ⚜ Trait Theories

Tips/Editing

Character Issues ⚜ Character Tropes for Inspiration

"Strong" Characters ⚜ Unlikable to Likable

Tips from Rick Riordan

Writing Notes

Binge ED ⚜ Hate ⚜ Love ⚜ Identifying Character Descriptions

Childhood Bilingualism ⚜ Children's Dialogue ⚜ On Children

Culture ⚜ Culture: Two Views ⚜ Culture Shock

Dangerousness ⚜ Flaws ⚜ Fantasy Creatures

Emotional Intelligence ⚜ Genius (Giftedness)

Emotions (1) (2) ⚜ Anger ⚜ Fear ⚜ Happiness ⚜ Sadness

Emotional Universals ⚜ External & Internal Journey

Goals & Motivations ⚜ Grammar Development ⚜ Habits

Facial Expressions ⚜ Jargon ⚜ Swearing & Taboo Expressions

Happy/Excited Body Language ⚜ Laughter & Humor

Health ⚜ Frameworks of Health ⚜ Memory

Mutism ⚜ Shyness ⚜ Parenting Styles ⚜ Generations

Psychological Reactions to Unfair Behavior

Rhetoric ⚜ The Rhetorical Triangle ⚜ Logical Fallacies

Thinking ⚜ Thinking Styles ⚜ Thought Distortions

Uncommon Words: Body ⚜ Emotions

Villains ⚜ Voice & Accent

More References: Plot ⚜ World-building ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

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ultimate character development template

basics

name: meaning of name: nicknames/titles: age: gender: location: birthday: strengths + example where it's shown: weaknesses + example where it's shown: how it affects others:

emotional depth

attachment style + how it manifests in the story: physical fear: emotional/abstract fear: happy memory: sad memory: object of significance: philosophical outlook/belief: what characters are ignorant about themselves: how confident are they: goal: long-term dreams: what they're embarrassed/ashamed to tell others about: regrets: source of pride: source of misery: what they admire above all else: do they believe in fate:

personality

mbti: enneagram: big five: character archetype: star sign: who they pretend to be on the outside: who they actually are/how they feel towards the mask: mental health conditions: how it manifests for them: iq: eq: humour: reputation:

habits

bad habits: mannerisms when stressed: mannerisms when content: mannerisms when scared: mannerisms normally: verbal mannerisms/distinctive speaking style: how do they move across a room: what do they say and what remains unsaid: how they express love: hobbies:

appearance

defining features: eye shape + colour: hair texture + colour: skin texture + tone: vibe: height: build: clothing: any bodily disfigurement (scars, etc.): overall attractiveness: their opinion on their appearance: appeals to:

relationships

who they trust most: what they wish they could do for them: what's holding them back: who they hate most: what they wish they could do to them: what's holding them back: relationship with the protagonist: relationship with the antagonist: siblings: relationship with them: parents/step-parents: relationship with them: previous broken relationships: why did it break: what others expect of them: who believes in them: their mentor character/who they look up to: political/religious/other affiliations: what makes them different from every other character: non-human relationships + why: romantic "type" + why: relationship dynamics:

backstory/background

primary emotion towards their past: primary feelings while in their past: where did they grow up: defining incidents: earliest childhood memory: saddest memory: happiest memory: major accomplishments: their opinion on it: notable people in their backstory: effect on them today: trauma: what have they already lost: financial circumstance:

progression

why are they important (eg. why're they the only one able to do something?): what do they learn about themselves throughout the story: what do they learn about the world: how do they feel towards their newfound knowledge: character arc (positive, negative, neutral): how relationships change because of their actions: what mistakes do they make: what scene is their character highlighted: do they get what they want: why or why not: what happens to them after the story ends:

[yet-another-writing-prompts-blog]

100 Dialogue Tags You Can Use Instead of “Said”

For the writers struggling to rid themselves of the classic ‘said’. Some are repeated in different categories since they fit multiple ones (but those are counted once so it adds up to 100 new words). 

1. Neutral Tags 

Straightforward and unobtrusive dialogue tags: 

Added, Replied, Stated, Remarked, Responded, Observed, Acknowledged, Commented, Noted, Voiced, Expressed, Shared, Answered, Mentioned, Declared.

2. Questioning Tags 

Curious, interrogative dialogue tags:

Asked, Queried, Wondered, Probed, Inquired, Requested, Pondered, Demanded, Challenged, Interjected, Investigated, Countered, Snapped, Pleaded, Insisted.

3. Emotive Tags 

Emotional dialogue tags:

Exclaimed, Shouted, Sobbed, Whispered, Cried, Hissed, Gasped, Laughed, Screamed, Stammered, Wailed, Murmured, Snarled, Choked, Barked.

4. Descriptive Tags 

Insightful, tonal dialogue tags: 

Muttered, Mumbled, Yelled, Uttered, Roared, Bellowed, Drawled, Spoke, Shrieked, Boomed, Snapped, Groaned, Rasped, Purred, Croaked.

5. Action-Oriented Tags 

Movement-based dialogue tags: 

Announced, Admitted, Interrupted, Joked, Suggested, Offered, Explained, Repeated, Advised, Warned, Agreed, Confirmed, Ordered, Reassured, Stated.

6. Conflict Tags 

Argumentative, defiant dialogue tags:

Argued, Snapped, Retorted, Rebuked, Disputed, Objected, Contested, Barked, Protested, Countered, Growled, Scoffed, Sneered, Challenged, Huffed.

7. Agreement Tags 

Understanding, compliant dialogue tags: 

Agreed, Assented, Nodded, Confirmed, Replied, Conceded, Acknowledged, Accepted, Affirmed, Yielded, Supported, Echoed, Consented, Promised, Concurred.

8. Disagreement Tags 

Resistant, defiant dialogue tags: 

Denied, Disagreed, Refused, Argued, Contradicted, Insisted, Protested, Objected, Rejected, Declined, Countered, Challenged, Snubbed, Dismissed, Rebuked.

9. Confused Tags 

Hesitant, uncertain dialogue tags:

Stammered, Hesitated, Fumbled, Babbled, Mumbled, Faltered, Stumbled, Wondered, Pondered, Stuttered, Blurted, Doubted, Confessed, Vacillated.

10. Surprise Tags

Shock-inducing dialogue tags:

Gasped, Stunned, Exclaimed, Blurted, Wondered, Staggered, Marvelled, Breathed, Recoiled, Jumped, Yelped, Shrieked, Stammered.

Note: everyone is entitled to their own opinion. No I am NOT telling people to abandon said and use these. Yes I understand that said is often good enough, but sometimes you WANT to draw attention to how the character is speaking. If you think adding an action/movement to your dialogue is 'good enough' hate to break it to you but that ruins immersion much more than a casual 'mumbled'. And for the last time: this is just a resource list, CALM DOWN. Hope that covers all the annoyingly redundant replies :)

Looking For More Writing Tips And Tricks? 

Check out the rest of Quillology with Haya; a blog dedicated to writing and publishing tips for authors!

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