tips on writing alistair
a lot of people have told me that they really like the way i write alistair (thank you!! i do try really hard to get canon characters’s voices down right), but because there seems to be an uptick in this recently, i thought i would make a little post with some tips and tricks i use when i write him! :) i’ve included examples of his canon dialogue alongside various lines i’ve written in my own fics where i try to recreate similar vibes.
(disclaimer: i don’t consider myself some sort of “alistair expert,” and these tips are not the be-all end-all alistair writing bible. i just thought i would share some ideas.)
Alistair is a goofball. He’s awkward–this is something very evident in all his canon dialogue. But it’s important to note that his awkwardness doesn’t stem from stupidity. It comes from nervousness, discomfort, inexperience, etc. Alistair is not dumb.
When he’s nervous or uncomfortable, he breaks up his speech into short bursts of words with pauses in between (periods/commas in writing) and often uses “uh,” “er,” etc.
(canon) I’m Alistair, uh…King of Ferelden. And this is Teagan, my uncle. Sort of.
(mine) I’m sorry. I was only wondering, are you cold? It’s, um, it’s a little cold, isn’t it?
And when he’s had enough of an awkward conversation, he’ll often either joke his way out of it or end it outright.
That said, Alistair is smoother than he thinks he is. Early Alistair flirting may be awkward because he’s nervous, but generally, his lines are very charming–his usual dorkiness just adds to the appeal.
When he’s comfortable, the charm should seem effortless.
(canon) I thought maybe I should say something. Tell you what a rare and wonderful thing you are to find amidst all this darkness.
(mine) Emilia: Stop trying to be a gentleman. Alistair: Rest assured, my lady, there’s no effort involved.
And when he’s really confident, his lines should almost sound teasing.
(canon) Have you ever licked a lamppost in winter?
(mine) You’d be beautiful in no shoes. Just your socks. In fact, you’d be especially beautiful in just my socks.
Alistair is funny. He often uses jokes to get his way out of a serious conversation. His humor generally presents itself through sarcasm, but his sarcasm isn’t dry or subtle–he wants people to pick up on it–so sarcastic dialogue for him should imply some sort of emphasis on the punch lines (basically, you should be able to read it in your head and hear exactly where he would voice the joke). I prefer using italics to indicate this.
(canon) You know, one good thing about the Blight is how it brings people together.
(mine) Oh, yeah, that’s a great idea, a really fair contest, seeing as we’re both so equally skilled at hurling tiny knives into things.
And finally, Alistair has a heart of gold. Whether or not he seems to have the right words for a situation, his intent is always good, and on the rare occasion that he acts unkind, it’s generally pretty justified. His dislike of Morrigan stems from distrust. His coldness toward the Inquisitor (if king) is because he tried to do something good for the mages only to have it backfire with the Venatori. But all in all, Alistair wants to do the right thing, so there’s always a layer of goodness and positivity in his dialogue when I write him. :) Because he is a good bean.
