yoshi-geekdom

[yoshi-geekdom]

hello! I don't know if you've done something like this already, but do you have any tips on writing inner conflict in a character, specifically doing something that goes against their values but could help a lot of people? Thanks!

When you're writing about a character experiencing inner conflict, especially when they're about to do something that clashes with their values, it’s all about digging deep into the emotional tension. Imagine a moment where your character feels pulled in two directions. They know what’s right in their heart, but something (or someone) is pushing them to act against it. That’s the sweet spot for inner conflict.

To make this really hit, start by showing your character’s core beliefs early on. What do they stand for? What’s important to them? That way, when they have to make a choice that goes against those beliefs, it feels like a big deal, both to the character and the reader.

Then, focus on their internal struggle. Get inside their head. Show their thoughts racing, maybe even contradicting themselves. One moment they might justify the choice, telling themselves it's necessary, but in the next breath, guilt or doubt creeps in. This back-and-forth builds tension and makes readers feel that tug of war inside the character.

You also want to make sure their external actions don’t always line up with what’s going on in their head. Maybe they’re putting on a brave face, trying to convince others or even themselves, that they’re fine with what they’re doing. But in private, that inner turmoil eats away at them, whether through sleepless nights, regret, or self-loathing.

Just Give the consequences weight. Whether your character goes through with the action or not, let it change them. Inner conflict should have lasting effects. Maybe they question who they are, or maybe they try to bury the guilt. Either way, that decision should stick with them, shaping future choices and how they see themselves. The more you make them feel the consequences, the more your readers will, too.

[yoshi-geekdom]

Just two things:

What are some body language for a small sickness, such a cold?

And what is the body language for a much bigger sickness, such as a really bad fever?

When someone has a small sickness like a cold, their body language can be subtle but still easy to spot if you're paying attention. They might be a little more slouched than usual, like their body is tired even if they’re trying to act normal. They’ll sniffle a lot, maybe rubbing their nose or using tissues constantly. There’s also this thing where they’ll keep swallowing, like their throat is scratchy. You might notice them shivering slightly, like they’re cold even if it's not that chilly. And their eyes? They can look watery or just a bit out of focus, like they’re struggling to keep up with everything going on. Now, when someone has a much bigger sickness, like a really bad fever, their body language changes a lot more. They’ll look exhausted, like every movement takes too much energy. You might see them constantly touching their forehead, trying to check their own temperature or rubbing their head because they have a pounding headache. They’ll move slower, almost like they're weighed down, and sometimes they’ll clutch their stomach or chest, as if it hurts to breathe or even stand. Their skin could be pale or flushed, depending on how bad the fever is, and you’ll definitely notice their eyes, they’ll look heavy, almost like they’re burning or barely staying open. And when they talk, it’s quieter, sometimes raspy or uneven because they’re struggling to get their words out without feeling worse.

In short, a cold can make someone seem just a little off, but with a serious fever, it's like their body is fighting a battle, and you can see it in every small, exhausted gesture.

[yoshi-geekdom]

🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈PRIDE THEMED OC ASK GAME🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍⚧️

Bc I wanted one and didn't find it so. Here

[Send ask aimed at a specific character]

1. What's your oc's gender identity? What's their relationship to their gender?

2. What's your oc's orientation? (Romantic/sexual/platonic alterous ect) Do they have opinions about it?

3. How did your oc discover themself? Did something cause them to question, or did they always know?

4. Is your oc's environment supportive about their identity? How does this impact them?

5. How did you figure out your oc's identity?

6. How does your oc feel about labels? Theirs, or in general?

7. Is there something that could cause your oc to question their identity? What?

8. Have they had struggles with their identity, be it due to internal or external reasons?

9. Are there cultural or lore specific aspects to their identity? If applicable, does their species affect it?

10. Does your oc celebrate Pride? How?

11. Is your oc open about their identity? Are they more lowkey or more blunt about it? Why or why not?

12. Does/did your oc ever wish they could change the way they are? Why? If it's in the past, how did they get over the feeling? (this can be about internalized homo/transphobia)

13. Would your oc be open to a poly relationship? Why or why not?

[Not aimed at a specific character] / [Aimed at creator]

14. Do you have ocs on the aro or ace spectrum?

15. Do any of your ocs use neopronouns? Which ones?

16. Did you ever change an oc's identity when they were already established? Why?

17. Do you share identity with any of your ocs? Which ones?

18. Do you prefer to give your ocs specific labels, or keep it unspecified? Why? If applicable, do you change their labels depending on circumstance?

19. Do you have preferences about depicting homo/transphobia in your stories? What, and why? Does it vary by story?

20. Have your ocs helped you in self discovery? How?

21. Free ramble card wee

[yoshi-geekdom]

Forced Proximity Prompt

A: "You seriously need to move over. You're, like, taking up the entire seat."

B: "Where exactly do you expect me to go? We're stuck in this tiny space."

(A shuffles closer, their leg brushing against B’s.)

A: "Fine. I’ll just squish in here."

B: (heart pounding, avoiding eye contact) "Yeah, just… stay on your side. Don’t make it weird."

[yoshi-geekdom]

Writing Trust Issues Tension

One keeps asking, “Are you sure?” and “What about…?” because they just can’t believe the other person.

Every little thing the other person says or does is met with suspicion, like, “Why are you really doing this?”

They start to open up, then stop, because they’re not sure if they can trust the other person yet.

One keeps asking for reassurance, like, “You wouldn’t lie to me, right?” but it’s clear they’re not convinced.

A tiny mistake or secret gets blown way out of proportion because the trust was already shaky.

[yoshi-geekdom]

Want your readers to totally fall for your characters? Show them at their weakest, most vulnerable moments. It’s not just the epic, brave stuff that sticks with people, it’s those quiet, super raw scenes that hit hardest. Maybe your character is sitting in their car crying after a bad day, or they’re confessing a secret they’ve buried deep for way too long. Those messy, human moments are the ones where your readers will be like, “Wow, I’ve totally felt that.” That’s how you make your characters unforgettable, by making them real.

[yoshi-geekdom]

Happy Birthday

Atsushi Nakajima (5th May)

Bungou Stray Dogs

[yoshi-geekdom]

Unpredictable Plot Twists

A great twist should feel like, "Whoa, I didn’t see that coming!" but also, "Wait… it all makes sense now." The trick? Drop subtle hints throughout the story, Tiny things readers won’t pay attention to until the big twist happens. Later, when they re-read, those clues should pop out like, "How did I miss that?" Just don’t be too obvious. It’s all about balance: tease without giving everything away.

Readers these days know their tropes, they’ve seen the “chosen one saves the day” or “best friends fall in love” a million times. So, use that to your advantage! Set up the story like it’s following a familiar path, then flip it. Maybe the "hero" fails, or the person they thought was the villain was actually the one saving them the whole time. Play with their expectations and then surprise them with something fresh.

[yoshi-geekdom]

Physical Intimacy Prompts

They bring their foreheads together in quiet moments, feeling each other’s breath and just being present.

When things get scary or uncertain, they instinctively reach for each other’s hand.

One sneaks up behind the other and wraps them up in a soft, comforting hug.

They gently trace patterns on each other’s skin, like absentmindedly drawing circles on the other’s arm.

When one is tired, the other’s shoulder becomes their perfect resting place.

Little stolen kisses, playful and unexpected, but always leaving the other smiling.

During an intimate moment, one plays with the other’s hair, lightly brushing through it.

Right before they lean in for a kiss, one bites their lip in anticipation, making the moment even sweeter.

Their lips barely touch, creating tension and leaving both wanting more.

[yoshi-geekdom]

Another scene in White Knight what makes me keep wandering.

Milverton getting surprised when he sees Whiteley's blackmail documents.

And it is more interesting than it first seems if we analyze it.

It's clearly not the House of Lords' corruption what surprised him - he surely already knew about this, they were the best patrons of his newspaper after all, he used basically everything he could to "negotiate" with them - or better to phrase, blackmail them to maintain his power. Plus, Milverton most likely was involved in the corruption, one way or another - the House of Lords kept hiring him for cases like corrupting Whiteley.

No - what surprised Milverton here is Whiteley having documents like these. Since if Whiteley had these documents, why haven't he used it sooner instead of the desperate fighting with the House of Lords? Also, Milverton researched and analyzed Whiteley and knew that he was a good man - that's why he wanted to tempt him to sin so much - he also talks about that Whiteley is not the person who would publish documents like these, that Whiteley is not a person who blackmails. Whiteley keeping documents he could use for blackmail is not something what fit into the picture Milverton had about Whiteley.

Whiteley came to blackmail - and Milverton noted with a worried, calculating look "I see" - to himself. But it's not about the blackmail situation itself - since it didn't complicate his plan to eliminate Whiteley, he didn't need to change his plans - the method he chose to ruin Whiteley's reputation could neutralize this threat, as he explains it later. In this scene, Milverton realized that Whiteley coming to blackmail with these documents now means that he got them from someone else recently - that someone other than him kept documents what can be used for blackmail, and that someone was on the side of good since they gave them to Whiteley.

Here, he realizes that someone else, using similar methods to him joined the game.

However, when he analyzed the situation to Ruskin after the blackmail scene, he only focus on Whiteley and the crime he was about to commit, not on the mysterious new player. We don't see Milverton contemplate on this topic deeper... but it's in his mind, this can be what he vaguely refers to in Dark Knight when he talks about the Lord of Crime and Whiteley's possible relationship, that the Lord of Crime tried to save Whiteley from the House of Lords.

Here, he suspected that the Lord of Crime supported Whiteley - the Lord of Crime also got to know super fast that Whiteley committed murder - so at this point, he put the picture together.

But after how suprised he was in that scene, I wish we could see him contemplating about the situation afterwards, yet, we moved away from it so fast. He mentions in Dark Knight that he expected something to happen - then he starts talking about the Lord of Crime in a way what suggest that what he expected was some reaction from the Lord of Crime related to the Whiteley commit murder-situation. So in the scene where we see Milverton being surprised.... did he already have a faint guess that the mysterious new player is the Lord of Crime?

[yoshi-geekdom]

An action scene isn’t about writing down every punch, kick, or swing of the sword. You’re not choreographing a fight for your reader, you’re throwing them into the moment, making them feel the intensity, the panic, the adrenaline. Focus on the emotions, the tension, the stakes. Show how the character’s thinking changes in the heat of the moment, how their survival instincts kick in, how their body reacts to the chaos. Make it fast, make it brutal, and don’t drag it out longer than it needs to be. Action is about urgency, not precision.

[yoshi-geekdom]

Writing isn’t about waiting for some magical burst of motivation to hit you. If you’re sitting around waiting for the perfect moment, you’ll never get anything done. Writing is showing up on the bad days, when the words feel like they’re dragging through mud. It’s not glamorous, it’s work. But here’s the thing, every time you push through that struggle, you get stronger. You don’t write because it’s easy or fun all the time. You write because the story inside you needs to be told. So sit down, put in the hours, and watch what happens when you refuse to quit.

[yoshi-geekdom]

In case you were looking for permission (or an excuse) to talk about the things you've made.

[yoshi-geekdom]

Date Gone Wrong

Writing a date gone wrong is an awesome opportunity to show character development in a real, relatable way. When your characters walk into the date, they likely have their own expectations, maybe one of them is hoping for a fairytale romance, while the other just wants a fun evening. The key is to set up that contrast between their hopes and what actually happens. A date gone wrong doesn’t always have to be a massive disaster, sometimes, it’s the little, awkward moments that create tension and humor. A spilled drink, a clumsy comment, or a weird silence can be just as effective as a big argument.

Think about how each character reacts when the evening starts going off the rails. This is where you can really dig into who they are. If the conversation stalls, does one character try to fill the silence with nervous rambling, or do they embrace the awkwardness with humor? If something embarrassing happens like tripping or an accidental insult, how do they recover? Do they get defensive or laugh it off? Their reactions give you a chance to show their personalities, vulnerabilities, and insecurities in a way that feels natural, because dates are one of those situations where people can’t always hide how they really feel.

It’s also important to think about the power dynamics of the situation. Maybe one character is trying too hard to impress, while the other is more relaxed, leading to a weird imbalance. Or maybe they both have completely different expectations for how the night should go , one wants a deep, emotional connection, while the other is just looking for a casual hangout.

[yoshi-geekdom]

I'm live!

I'll be streaming in a few hours; come on over if you want!

[yoshi-geekdom]

I'll be streaming in a few hours; come on over if you want!

[yoshi-geekdom]

All the cultural relativism going away in a person's worldbuilding once they get to sexuality & gender