Dreaming Out Loud

[bloodiedbriars]

Fainting Mid-Conversation Whump

“Hey, where is that puddle of… blood coming… from…”

“Wait, wait, give me… Give me a second, need to…”

“Huh? No, no, I’m good, I just… Need a second…”

“Oh, shit wait, I’m gonna—“

*wordless sound of a body dropping*

“I’m not feeling too well… Shit…”

“Wait, give me a sec, I’m seeing stars… Oh, shit—“

“No, go ahead, I’ll catch up in just a second…”

“I’m sorry, I can’t… I can’t keep going…”

[prettyboysinpain]

I beg everyone to look at the top comment

[luna-azzurra]

Ways to Show Anger!!<3

[luna-azzurra]

Caretaker Lines!!

✮ "Stop trying to act tough. You're shaking."

✮ "When did this happen? Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

✮ "Hold still--I know it stings, but I have to do this."

✮ "You scared me half to death, you know that?"

✮ "I've got you. You don't have to hold yourself up anymore."

✮ "Just breathe. In and out. I'm right here."

✮ "You're going to need stitches and I swear, if you say you're fine one more time--"

✮ "Don't argue with me right now. Just let me help you."

✮ "I'm not going anywhere, so stop telling me to leave."

✮ "Can you squeeze my hand? I need to know you can hear me."

✮ "You're running a fever on top of everything else. Of course you are."

✮ "I found you on the floor. Do you understand how terrifying that was?"

[creativepromptsforwriting]

subtle acts of love

giving them food without them asking for it

randomly bringing them flowers

holding a door open for them

pulling out their chair for them

guiding them with a gentle hand on the small of their back

making them lunch to take to work with them

fixing their clothes or hair

giving them a massage

talking casually about a shared future

showing them their appreciation for them

waiting at home to say hello when they come in

paying complete attention to them

giving them a casual, but thoughtful compliment

writing them a love letter and hiding it for them to find

showing them something that reminded them of their partner

humming a song to calm them down

giving them a quick kiss whenever they pass each other at home

casual grabbing their hand and swinging it back and forth

remembering something they told them

[writingisbestonrainydays]

the art of the first kiss: a prompt list!

let's pretend i didn't start writing this three months ago... i tried to make this extra long to make up for my hiatus :)

also, happy pride, everyone!

"am i reading this wrong?" said in a low tone, for only the other to hear

"i saw you looking at my lips," said teasingly, to gauge the other's reaction

the fraction of a second where their faces are just close: lips ghosting each other's, taking this moment in, almost waiting for one to give in first

in the middle of a heated conversation

an emotionally charged embrace, pulling away and realizing how close their faces are, and leaning in

one brushing hair out of the other's face, the featherlight touch (or any light touch tbh)

a simple "can i?"/"can i kiss you?" because consent is important!

"can we stop pretending?"

a barely audible, "come here"

one is concerned for the other (physical injury, emotional conflict, etc), and they respond with "you always make sure i'm okay," maybe a "why?" then the air changes

"show me what you want."

one leans in and pauses, to which the other responds with some grounding gesture (a touch/"please"/a slight nod/etc) to communicate their own desire

orrr they lean in, slightly panic, and move back, to which the other pulls them in (lightly) by their arm/coat/collar/cheek/belt loops/etc

"you talk a lot." while the other is mid ramble

"you have no idea how long i've wanted to do this"

the first kiss being messy and impassioned, then the second being softer and more familiar, as though their minds are catching up with reality

"you really can't see it, can you?"

the energy shifting right as one openly glances at the other's lips

(and maybe a laugh, "what?" as the other person does this)

submit to my "ask" box if there is anything you want to see OR anything you want to share! i'm trying to respond to more asks and post more than once every three months (oops)

[me-writes-prompts]

-:First kiss dialogues & scenarios:-

(Ok but, 5, 8, and 10 are my faves, tag me!!)

By @me-writes-prompts

"Can we do that again, please?"

Person A and Person B sneak away from their friends because they kept teasing them about how they should have already had their first kisses. They kiss each other in the end(definitely because they wanted to, for so long)."

"Your lips are so soft."

"You taste so good." (A bit sexy, this one lol)

"You're so red, are you okay?"

"I can hear your heart beating, relax."

Person B takes Person A on a date, as "friends". But they later end up confessing their feelings and making out.

Person A is nervous when Person B leans in, so they back away a bit. Person B tells them that 'it's okay, we don't have to do this if you're not-', but before they can finish, Person A kisses them.

Person A end up confessing their feelings when they are drunk, they didn't expect Person B to reciprocate their feelings. A has difficulty believing them, and B kisses them to prove it.

First kiss as childhood best friends(who were separated), and then first kiss as adults.

"How are you so good at kissing?"

"Did we really just do that?"

Blushing and kissing again, until their lips are swollen.

[luna-azzurra]

Things to consider when writing a character!! --1

⊹ What do they want vs what do they need. these should not be the same thing. what they want is the surface goal ( the job, the person, the revenge, the answer.) What they need is the thing underneath that they can't name yet. The story is what happens in the gap between those two things. if they're identical your character has nowhere to go.

⊹ What are they wrong about. Not morally wrong necessarily. just. what belief do they hold that the story is going to test. What assumption do they make about themselves or the world that turns out to be incomplete? A character without a wrong belief is already finished. They have no arc, give them something to learn even if learning it hurts them.

⊹ How do they talk when they're nervous. Do they go quiet or do they talk too much? do they deflect with jokes? do they get weirdly formal? do they ask questions instead of answering them? the way a person behaves under pressure is who they actually are. And it should be different from how they behave when they're comfortable.

⊹ What do they find funny. this one sounds small and it is not small at all. Humour is worldview. What makes someone laugh tells you what they value, what they're afraid of, how they handle pain. A character with no sense of humour is just flat. even the gravest person finds something absurd. find the thing.

⊹ What are they ashamed of? not their tragic backstory. their actual shame. The small ugly thing they would never say out loud. The time they were a coward. The feeling they pretend not to have. The desire they think disqualifies them from being a good person. Shame is where the most interesting character work lives and most writers skip straight over it :(

⊹ What do they do when no one is watching? how do they move through a space alone. What do they reach for when they're sad. What do they do with their hands??? Public behaviour IS performance. Private behaviour is truth. you don't have to show all of it but you have to know it or the character will feel hollow in a way the reader notices without being able to name.

[creativepromptsforwriting]

List of Superpowers

An incomplete list of powers that can be used for good and evil.

amalgamation – ability to merge existing creations

attack powers – blasting, shock waves, object projection, fire breath, laser vision, etc.

creation – ability to create out of nothing

dream manipulation – ability to change dreams

echolocation – ability to determine locations through reflected sound waves

elasticity – ability to stretch their body in any way

element control - ability to control the elements

emotions manipulation – ability to manipulate the emotions of others and themselves

empathy – ability to feel and replicate the emotions, moods, and temperaments of others

energy absorption – ability to absorb energy from people and objects and use it

enhanced physical skills – like senses, stamina, strength, accuracy, intelligence, speed, etc.

fear inducement – ability to evoke extreme fear and horror in others

flight – ability to fly

hypnosis – ability to hypnotise and manipulate others

immortality – not being able to die

immutability – not being able to get altered by outside forces

invisibility – impossible to see

invulnerability – being immune to all forms of physical harm

knowledge replication – ability to replicate the knowledge and skills of others

levitation – ability to levitate in the air

magic – conjuring things

mind control – having control over another’s mind

omnilingualism – ability to speak and understand every language

portal creation – ability to create portals for transport

psychokinesis – ability to move energy and matter

reality warping – ability to manipulate reality

regeneration – ability to rapidly heal

replication – ability to replicate people (including themselves) and objects

self-detonation – ability to self-explode

shapeshifting – ability to change their appearance

telekinesis – ability to move objects with their mind

telepathy – ability to communicate through their minds

teleportation – ability to instantaneously travel

temperature resistance – ability to survive extreme temperatures

vocal mind control – ability to control people with their voice

x-ray vision – ability to see x-rays

More: Hero & Villain Masterpost

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! 🥰

[luna-azzurra]

Small human things that make a character feel real !!

☽ checking your phone and not registering the time. checking it again. still nothing. putting it away anyway

☽ the half-smile you do when you're trying not to cry in public

☽ looking at your hands during a hard conversation instead of the person

☽ laughing at something right after you say it like you surprised yourself

☽ going to say something and then deciding not to and the moment is gone and it's too late and you think about it for three days

☽ the way you hold your breath without knowing when something's loading

☽ saying "no yeah totally" when you absolutely did not follow what they said

☽ the very specific tired where you're staring at a wall and your face just. stops doing things

☽ nodding while on the phone even though they cannot see you

☽ the tiny pause before you say someone's name for the first time

[creativepromptsforwriting]

How to become friends

Here a some ways on how your characters could become/could've become friends.

"School & Childhood" Friends

Sitting next to each other on the first day of class

Being assigned as lab/project partners

Having the same teacher and complaining together

Sharing school supplies

Being the only two people who don’t know anyone

Riding the same school bus

Getting seated alphabetically near each other every year

Being in detention together

Letting the other cheat off of them

One person defending the other from bullying

Meeting at recess or on the playground

Competing on the same academic team

Being roommates in college

Always sitting next to each other in the library

Staying up late talking in the dorms

Helping each other study before exams

Meeting during orientation week

"Family Connections" Friends

Their mothers/fathers being friends

Being cousins close in age

Growing up as neighbors

Family friends who vacation together

Parents arranging playdates

Siblings introducing them

One family helping another during hard times

Their families attending the same religious or community events

Becoming friends because their kids are friends

Meeting at weddings or family reunions

Dating each others' siblings

"Neighborhood & Everyday Life" Friends

Living in the same apartment building

Seeing each other walking dogs every day

Sharing a fence/backyard

Helping shovel snow or carry groceries

Meeting at a local park regularly

Frequenting the same café

Running into each other during morning commutes

One person helping after a car breakdown

Being regulars at the same store

Sharing a laundry room in their apartment building

"Work & Professional Life" Friends

Starting work on the same day

Complaining about the boss together

Working late on the same project

Covering shifts for each other

Sitting beside each other in the office

Traveling together for work

Bonding during training sessions

Accidentally getting trapped in endless meetings together

One mentoring the other

Quitting the same toxic workplace

"Shared Interests" Friends

Joining the same sports team

Playing in the same band

Meeting in an online game

Joining the same fandom

Taking the same art/music/dance classes

Going to the same gym

Meeting through cosplay or conventions

Attending book clubs

Participating in hobby communities

Posting in the same niche online forum

Volunteering for the same cause

Meeting in a run club

Following each other online

"Through Other Friends" Friends

“You two would get along”

Becoming the last two awake at a party

Mutual friends inviting both people repeatedly

Being added to the same group chat

Becoming friends after a breakup divides the friend group

One friend “adopting” the quieter person

Meeting through double dates

Their two friend groups mixing with each other when two people start dating

Becoming roommates through mutuals

"Random Coincidences" Friends

Missing the same train

Being stranded somewhere together

Wearing the same outfit or shirt

Reaching for the same book in a library

Accidentally texting the wrong number

Dancing next to each other at a concert

Sitting together in the airport during a delayed flight

Sitting next to each other on the train/plane

Getting stuck in an elevator with each other

Meeting on holiday together

One person dropping something and the other helping

Surviving an embarrassing moment together

Laughing at the same thing no one else noticed

"Funny & Unexpected Situation" Friends

Mistaken identity leading to conversation

Fighting first and later becoming close

One stealing the other’s seat

A shared hatred of the same person

Both pretending to understand something they don’t

Meeting because of a lost pet

Becoming friends after a minor car accident

One person overhearing the other say something unhinged and agreeing

Meeting through a heated conversation in a comment section

Accidentally attending the wrong event together

Competing against each other and gaining each other's respect

More: Friendship Masterpost (Prompts & Advice)

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

[livelaughwriteit]

Ways for your characters to be close...while they still hate each other ~~Pt1~~

I know theres a lot of cliche's that exist in rivals/enemies to lovers and other variations of the trope. I made a list of ways I don't see as often (and ones that I've seen pretty often) to spark ideas. I think combining a few of these would yield the best results! Let me know what you come up with!

Sitting on the same couch

Sleeping on an air mattress (only bed or both refused to sleep on the floor) that slowly deflates

Assigned to be partners for a project/presentation

Assigned to clean up something together (detention, class, community service, etc.)

Brushing knees accidentally under the table

Locker neighbors

House/apartment/condo neighbors

Road trip

Car road trip

Car road trip where they’re scrunched in the back together

Plane trip where they end up on the same plane, in the same row, side by side

Handcuffed together (for fighting, on accident, challenge, etc.)

Snowed or stormed in together

Stuck in an elevator

Lock breaks on the door, locking them in a room without windows

Forced undercover as a couple

People mistaking thought they were together and it works for one of them

Roommates

[writersisland]

could you perchance do some dialogue prompts about found family taking care of each other? i cant tell if thats too specific or not specific enough but don't worry about it if you don't want to🤗

Found Family Caretaking

“You look tired. If you still can't sleep in your room, you can crash in mine.”

“Nope. Sit. You're hardly even capable of standing. I got you.”

“Was that your dad?” “Yeah.” “Come here. Ssh... It's okay.”

“Hey. Quit talking about yourself like that, or I'll kick you.”

“You know it's okay to let us carry your weight for a bit, right?”

“I made food, left it on the stove, but I can get you some now if you need it.”

“Let me get something to clean that up, yeah?” “Thank you...” “Not for that.”

“Hey, um... I heard you crying and like... Do you wanna talk about– Oh, and you're hugging me. Um. Alright, yeah, okay. This is fine. Let's sit down.”

“Not hungry.” “Don't care, you're eating something.”

“Come on, we made a blanket fort.”

“Sorry for all that yelling. Come on, let's go for a walk, yeah?”

“Oh, shit. It's storming. Where is A? They hate storms.” “No idea. Let's try to find them.”

[promptful]

★ 25 TYPES OF HUGS. ★

|| Feel free to use with/without credit // DO NOT ADD TO THIS LIST ||

cw/tw: none.

TYPES:

1) The goodbye hug; a quick press of lips to cheeks and brief embraces before separating in your different ways.

2) The long goodbye hug; arms wrapped around one another and refusing to let go. Their lips whispering reassurances in your ears until one of you finally separates.

3) The reuniting hug; standing across from one another, frozen. Then, finally, they tumble into you and you can do nothing but hold on tight.

4) The awkward hug; usually sideways, arms strung about shoulders with half-smiles that don’t reach eyes. A grimace on their face, and a grimace on yours.

5) A forced hug; similar to children forced to apologize, this hug is done underneath prying eyes. All warm on the outside, but actually glaring at one another on the inside, limbs stiff and bared teeth.

6) The comforting hug; they wrap around you as you sink to the floor. Their breathing matches yours while they walk you through as many comfort methods possible, voice soft against your ear.

7) The reluctantly comforting hug; although they don’t care for you—and you don’t care for them—they can’t stand to see you like this. It’s unnatural. Stiff as can be, they wrap around you and attempt comforting.

8) The reassurance hug; one where you wrap entirely around them similarly to armor, but only fighting intangible enemies. Their words, strong in tone, combat your demons and insecurities, proclaiming their love with each syllable.

9) The grounding hug; with permission, they wrap around you, keeping you tethered to this world while your mind spirals. No words are necessary. Their presence is enough.

10) The safety hug; feet dug into dirt, arms wrapping around their waist so they don’t tumble headfirst into something stupid. At first, they try to fight, but eventually sink into your unrelenting grasp.

11) The disarming hug; arms wrap, but they’re not warm. Voices whisper, but they’re not safe. They want you to wholly trust them, no matter their intentions.

12) The broken-hearted hug; a last ditch attempt to salvage relationships. You try to keep them close—convince them for a second chance. They don’t give you one.

13) The crowded hug; usually on a packed train or concert, they wrap around you to keep you close, out of crowds, and safe. Breaths shared between one another, every word a zap of whispered electricity.

14) The protection hug; their back shown to the threat, keeping you tucked against them. Their chin digs into your head, breathing rough while the shockwave/noise/yells tear through the room.

15) The shielding hug; your back to the threat, they stare over your shoulder/around you at the threat, eyes narrowed into daggers. They won’t allow harm to come towards you.

16) The guiding hug; a hand against the small of your back, waddling the two of you away from a horrible sight.

17) The morning hug; sleepy eyes and warm limbs. They hold you close, eyes shut while they rake in the morning sun and thank the stars for this very moment.

18) The nighttime hug; knowing that your lover doesn’t care if you’re sleep deprived and run ragged. Your arms wrap around them, and they reciprocate with hushed whispers and soft, chaste kisses, tucking you into bed and soon following.

19) The snuggle-hug; done in bed or on the couch, all limbs entwined with fingers carding through hair. Their head rests on your, or vice versa, and rest ensues knowing that one another is nearby. 

20) The heartbeat-hug; head pressed against their chest, you listen to each thump of their steady heartbeat and relish in that they’re here, with you.

21) The warmth-hug; a hug only meant to share heat when it's cold. Skin to skin from head to toe.

22) The frozen-hug; another hug meant to share the cold when it’s sweltering. Their hands skimming underneath your shirt to absorb the ice-cube-like skin.

23) The distraction-hug; their arms wrap around your waist, head plunked against your shoulder blade/on top of your shoulder blade, slightly swaying. All in hopes of distracting you from what you’re currently doing.

24) The kiss-me hug; a hug that feels like lightning in a dark sky. Eyes blown and lips parted, breathing hitched and stuttered while you wrap around one another. Desperate to feel the warm body of your SO.

25) the stepping-stone hug; drifting fingers and lingering looks. Shed clothing and stumbling embraces down the hallway. This hug usually proceeds by the morning hug (17) some hours later.

[promptful]

★ 92 BEST FRIENDS TO LOVERS THINGS. ★

|| Feel free to use with/without credit // DO NOT ADD TO THIS LIST ||

cw/tw: alcohol.

THINGS:

1) Seeing them in a different way after a long time apart.

2) Lingering looks.

3) Bed sharing, but only platonically. (Regretfully).

4) Inside jokes.

5) Late night [texts]

6) Smiles that hurt.

7) Always being each other’s +1 to any event.

8) Forced proximity, that wouldn’t be such a problem if things weren’t changing between the two of you.

9) Home cooked meals, made special by the other.

10) Walking each other home from work.

11) Falling asleep on the couch, intertwined.

12) Fake-dating; either because you have to, (friends, family, a wedding, job) or because you two made an agreement when you were younger to get married.

13) Having to vet the other’s SOs.

14) Soft touches. A brush on the shoulder, across the waist, through the hair.

15) Everyone knowing that, oh, it’s those two.

16) People asking where’s the other if only one is present.

17) Minted keys to each other’s apartment. (Bonus if it’s the only copy).

18) Sleepovers because you're sick and they don’t want to leave.

19) Their parents always asking how you’re doing, and yours asking about them.

20) Bets on your relationship.

21) That kind of laughter that ends up like squeaking because you can’t hold it in anymore.

22) Confessing your love in the worst ways. (In the middle of an argument, while in danger, in a drunken stupor, simply because you’re tired.)

23) Using them as a seat, because that’s what you’re used to.

24) Slow dancing. Totally platonic.

25) Prom with one another.

26) Spending sad anniversaries on the couch with buckets of chocolate, their arms curled around your shoulders.

27) They only trust you with their problems.

28) And you only have them to cry on.

29) “Goodnight” and “Good morning” texts.

30) “Did you get home safe?” texts.

31) “If anything ever happens to you, call me.”

32) Self-sacrificing behavior because neither of you can live without the other.

33) Chiding the other while patching them up, inches away from their lips.

34) When they throw themselves into danger, you’re there to pull them out.

35) “Can’t sleep, come over?”

36) Movie marathons.

37) Hiding each other whenever you’re not supposed to be in their room, giggling.

38) “I can’t imagine being with anyone but you.”

39) Petty jealousy.

40) “Where are you?”

41) Always sitting by each other in [school].

42) Fixing each other’s clothing; ESPECIALLY tying their ties, fingers brushing against their sternum.

43) “I’ve wanted this forever.”

44) Them being the only person who notices the small changes you make to either your appearance or house.

45) Emergency contacts.

46) Sleep-deprived nights because the other’s in the hospital.

47) Platonic love proclamations, until they're not.

48) An accidental kiss to the cheek that leaves both of you stunned.

49) “I can’t keep going without telling you how I feel.”

50) That awkward phase after you start dating where everything is new and you really don’t want to mess it up.

51) “It’s just me.”

52) The whole exaggeration about their dating. (Eg, we’ve been dating since I’ve known them.)

53) “I didn’t know you loved me.” “I didn’t know you loved me.”

54) Semi-protective behavior.

55) Knuckle kisses that get progressively longer.

56) Dreams shared in the darkness.

57) Working together—which means no productivity, basically.

58) Playful arguments.

59) Being able to resolve actual arguments because they both value the friendship too much.

60) “Take the bed.” “Not without you.”

61) Stargazing, your head on their shoulder.

62) Being there when things go bad with each other’s families.

63) The “do you want to talk?” with pinched eyebrows.

64) Knowing the exact shade of each other’s eyes from memory.

65) Coffee trips in the middle of the day.

66) Dropped off lunches.

67) Random midnight snack runs.

68) Nighttime road trips.

69) A shared music taste and a bass that rocks the car, windows down.

70) “Don’t replace me… please. I can’t lose you, too.”

71) Straight-faced covering for them, even while they sneak out the backdoor behind you.

72) Mutual shenanigans despite the consequences of said shenanigans.

73) “Hey, what if we—” “No.”

74) That first kiss that’s a tentative touch, then turns into a feverous kiss, hands on shoulders, jaws, cheeks, squeezing their sides.

75) Wanting to take their relationship slow.

76) Each milestone meaning more than the last.

77) Soft singing to put one another to sleep—perhaps a song that they’ve sang since childhood.

78) Being ready to drop everything to go help them no matter what.

79) Smiling when thinking about them [and being called out on it].

80) Objects that you have to get for them.

81) Board Game competition.

82) Zipping up their dress, or tying their tie and fixing their cufflinks.

83) Secret languages.

84) “What are we?” “What do you want us to be?”

85) Standing in front of them on the [train].

86) Memories that you can’t forget.

87) Growing old with one another.

88) Kids who they can’t decide which looks like who.

89) The most outlandish anniversaries you can think of.

90) “Happy That Time We Almost Died For the Second Time!”

91) Communicating through simple expressions.

92) And finally, the ability to trust utmost in one another.

[promptcalender]

Types of Screams

PAINED: through gritted teeth, unaware of the sound because of the pain, head falling back, curling around the source of pain in an attempt to shield self

CELEBRATORY: jumping up and down, screeching with surprise then quickly covering mouth and laughing, grabbing hand of loved ones, grinning widely after

HORRIFIED: backing up, wide eyed, shaking, involuntary sound quickly muffled with a hand, followed by teary eyes

ANGRY: guttural, screaming until there is no air left, approaching the source of anger, turning red, eyes brimming with tears of rage

EXCITED: higher pitched, frantic, unable to contain noise, suffocating on the emotions

GRIEF: guttural and wordless, coming from deep in their chest, dropping to knees, doubling over, repeated sounds of agony

[Prompt Calender: April 24th, Scream Day]

[angstandhappiness]

Neat

[promptful]

★ SUMMER THINGS. ★

|| Feel free to use with/without credit // DO NOT ADD TO THIS LIST ||

cw/tw: none.

STRAWBERRY: For A to pick a basket of strawberries for B. Better yet, for the couple to go picking strawberries together. 

SMOOTHIE: For A to realize that B was overheating and buying them a cool drink. 

WADE: For the characters to go swimming, either in a pool or in a large body of water. (Bonus points if it’s somewhere quiet and exclusive). 

SWIMSUIT: For A to realize how good B looks in a swimsuit. 

FLOWERS: For A to tuck a vibrant flower behind B’s ear. 

FIREFLIES: For the characters to catch fireflies underneath a dwindling sunset. 

STARS: For the characters to go stargazing alone. 

OUTFIT: For A to dress up in a new, summer-themed outfit for B. 

SCHOOL: For the characters to reunite after school semester ends. 

CLOUDS: For the characters to watch the clouds roll by, naming what each shape looks like. 

RUNNING: For the characters to meet while running. (Bonus points if one is all exhausted while the other character is fresh as a daisy.)

POTLUCK: For the characters to meet again at a potluck, maybe after years of no contact. 

APPLE: For A to pick an apple for B while in an orchard. 

SUNBURNED: For A to get sunburned while playing in the sun, and B whispering apologies while pulling out all the stops for relief. 

SUNSCREEN: For A to help B smother themselves in sunscreen. 

SHELLS: For both characters to pick shells on the beach, creating a collection which they keep in their shared/separate homes.

WAVES: For A to disappear underneath a wave and B to pull them back up again. (Bonus points if they kiss, of course). 

BOUQUET: For A to give B a bouquet of their favorite summer time flowers. 

FORTH OF JULY: For the characters to watch the fireworks explode, sitting underneath with their hands intertwined 

VACATION: For the characters, who hadn’t seen each other in years, to go on vacation with one another in a series of unfortunate events. 

STORMS: For A to be caught in a storm and B to run to their rescue. 

AQUARIUM: For the characters to go to the aquarium and fall in love with marine life… and each other. 

STORIES: For the characters to tell each other stories underneath the covers. 

[brainstreams]

Make the relationship feel real first Show small moments of affection and comfort so the loss feels personal.

Let the character notice the little absences The empty seat. The unread message. The quiet that used to be filled by someone else.

Focus on ordinary memories Heartbreak often lingers in mundane moments: inside jokes, favorite songs, shared routines.

Show how their world subtly changes Places feel different. Music feels sadder. Things they once loved feel empty.

Let them try to act normal People often pretend they’re fine long before they actually are.

Use silence and restraint Someone heartbreak is a character staring at their phone for ten minutes.

Let them remember the good parts The pain is stronger when the love was real.

Give them conflicting emotions They might miss someone while also knowing the relationship had to end.

Show how it affects their choices Heartbreak changes how people trust, hope, and move forward.

Leave something unsaid Sometimes the most painful part is the conversation that never happened.

I share writing tips like this because storytelling is something I genuinely love. I’m also a neurodivergent writer trying to build a sustainable writing career while working full-time, which means writing time can be hard to come by.

If you’d like to support more posts like this, you can leave a small tip on my Ko-fi. Every little bit helps me carve out more time to write and work toward finishing my first book.

Ko-fi donations help fund: • more writing advice posts • future storytelling resources • and the time it takes to actually write the book

No pressure at all! Even just sharing the post helps a ton. <3