Just a 16 year old nerdy boy who's in love with manga aesthetic, writing and art styles. Always ready to learn ✨✨ Here for the fanfics, memes and headcanons
I'm Markos, he/him, 16 years old. I like anime (only a bit, I'm a complete newbie), manga (more experienced) and writing (not a single written thing to my name but I hope to change that).
I'm a bit introverted but don't mind interacting with people as long as I'm not tired. I like to think I know more than my peers (at least irl) so feel free to ask me anything, even something you need help with!
My fandoms and interests:
Genshin Impact
Any slice of life, romance manga
Writing and reading
Greek mythology
History (I must think about Rome)
Headcanons (especially romantic though friends works too)
I also like memes, humour of any and every kinds
I'm just tryna polish my english and learn French while at it haha so please don't mind any mistakes. Suggestions are always welcome.
Yeah I know this post was dry af but that's just how I am sorry
Raspberries or Blueberries?
Raspberries
Blueberries
Voting ended onJul 15, 2024
(I just did this cause I accidentally picked poll block and now it's not going away 😭)
The Mini Guide to Crafting Compelling Royal Characters for Fiction Writers
Creating royal characters can be both exciting and challenging. These regal figures often play pivotal roles in stories, capturing readers' imaginations with their power, privilege, and the weight of responsibility they carry. Whether you're writing historical fiction, fantasy, or contemporary novels featuring monarchs, this comprehensive (mini) guide will help you develop authentic, multi-dimensional royal characters that will resonate with your readers.
Understanding the Basics of Royalty
Before diving into character creation, it's essential to have a solid grasp of what royalty entails. Royalty typically refers to members of a ruling family, including kings, queens, princes, princesses, and other nobles within a monarchical system. These individuals are often born into their roles, though some may ascend to power through marriage or other means.
Key aspects to consider:
Hierarchy and succession
Royal duties and responsibilities
Protocol and etiquette
The concept of divine right (in some cultures)
The relationship between royalty and their subjects
Remember, while these elements are common in many royal systems, you have the creative freedom to adapt or reimagine them for your fictional world.
Developing Your Royal Character's Background
Every character, royal or not, needs a rich backstory. For royal characters, this background is particularly crucial as it shapes their worldview, values, and decision-making processes.
Consider the following:
a) Lineage: What is your character's family history? Are they from a long-standing dynasty or a newly established royal house?
b) Upbringing: How were they raised? Were they groomed for leadership from birth, or did they have a more sheltered upbringing?
c) Education: What kind of education did they receive? Was it formal, focusing on statecraft and diplomacy, or more well-rounded?
d) Relationships: How do they relate to their family members, courtiers, and subjects?
e) Personal experiences: What significant events have shaped their character and outlook on life?
Crafting a Unique Personality
Avoid the trap of creating one-dimensional royal stereotypes. Your character should be as complex and nuanced as any other well-developed protagonist or antagonist.
Consider these aspects:
a) Strengths and weaknesses: What are your character's admirable qualities? What flaws do they struggle with?
b) Motivations: What drives them? Is it a sense of duty, personal ambition, or something else entirely?
c) Internal conflicts: What personal struggles do they face? How do these conflicts affect their rule and relationships?
d) Hobbies and interests: What passions do they pursue outside of their royal duties?
e) Sense of humor: How do they express humor, if at all? Is it dry wit, sarcasm, or something else?
Balancing Power and Vulnerability
One of the most intriguing aspects of royal characters is the juxtaposition between their immense power and their human vulnerabilities. This balance can create compelling internal and external conflicts for your character.
Consider:
The weight of responsibility and its impact on their personal life
The isolation that often comes with a royal position
The constant scrutiny they face from the public and court
The struggle between personal desires and duty to the crown
Creating a Believable Royal World
Your royal character doesn't exist in a vacuum (I hope not). They're part of a larger royal ecosystem that includes family members, advisors, courtiers, and subjects. Developing this world adds depth and authenticity to your story.
Key elements to consider:
Court dynamics and politics
Relationships with other noble houses or kingdoms
The role of advisors and how they influence decisions
Traditions and customs specific to your royal setting
The economic and social structure of the kingdom
Addressing the Challenges of Royal Life
Royal characters face unique challenges that can drive your plot and character development. Some common themes include:
a) Succession disputes
b) Balancing personal happiness with duty
c) Navigating political alliances and conflicts
d) Managing public opinion and maintaining legitimacy
e) Dealing with threats to their rule or life
Use these challenges to create tension and drive your story forward while revealing more about your character's personality and values.
The Impact of Historical Context
If you're writing historical fiction or a fantasy inspired by real-world monarchies, it's crucial to consider the historical context. Research the time period and culture you're drawing from to ensure authenticity in your character's behavior, beliefs, and challenges.
Key areas to research:
Social norms and expectations of the time
Political systems and power structures
Technology and its impact on governance
Religious beliefs and their influence on royalty
Gender roles and how they affect royal duties and succession
Avoiding Common Pitfalls
When creating royal characters, be mindful of these common mistakes:
a) Making them too perfect or too villainous
b) Ignoring the realities of royal life (e.g., lack of privacy, constant duties)
c) Overlooking the impact of their decisions on their subjects
d) Failing to show growth or change over the course of the story
e) Relying too heavily on stereotypes or clichés
Incorporating Royal Etiquette and Protocol
Royal characters often adhere to strict codes of conduct and protocol. While you don't need to become an expert in royal etiquette, incorporating some of these elements can add authenticity to your story:
Forms of address (Your Majesty, Your Highness, etc.)
Court ceremonies and rituals
Dress codes and regalia
Rules of precedence in social situations
Diplomatic protocols when interacting with other royals or dignitaries
Exploring Different Types of Royal Characters
Remember that not all royal characters need to be ruling monarchs. Consider exploring other royal roles, such as:
The rebel prince or princess who rejects their royal duties
The reluctant heir thrust into power unexpectedly
The exiled royal fighting to reclaim their throne
The royal spouse adapting to life in the palace
The illegitimate child discovering their royal heritage
Each of these archetypes offers unique storytelling opportunities and challenges for character development.
Balancing Historical Accuracy and Creative License
If you're writing historical fiction featuring real royalty, you'll need to strike a balance between historical accuracy and creative interpretation. While it's important to respect known facts and timelines, you also have the freedom to explore the inner lives and motivations of these historical figures.
Tips for balancing accuracy and creativity:
Thoroughly research the historical figure and their time period
Clearly differentiate between historical fact and fictional interpretation
Use author's notes to explain any significant departures from known history
Focus on filling in the gaps in the historical record rather than contradicting established facts
Developing Royal Character Arcs
Like any well-rounded character, your royal protagonist should undergo growth and change throughout your story. Consider how their experiences might challenge their beliefs, alter their perspective, or force them to confront their flaws.
Possible character arcs for royal characters:
From naive idealist to pragmatic ruler
From reluctant heir to confident leader
From isolated monarch to connected leader who understands their subjects
From power-hungry tyrant to benevolent ruler (or vice versa)
Remember, character growth doesn't always have to be positive. Sometimes, the most compelling stories involve characters who face moral decline or tragic falls from grace.
Remember, while the trappings of royalty may be grand, at their core, your royal characters are still human. They love, fear, hope, and struggle like anyone else. It's this humanity, set against the backdrop of power and responsibility, that makes royal characters so fascinating to read and write about.
Happy writing, - Rin T
Hey fellow writers! I'm super excited to share that I've just launched a Tumblr community. I'm inviting all of you to join my community. All you have to do is fill out this Google form, and I'll personally send you an invitation to join the Write Right Society on Tumblr! Can't wait to see your posts!
Welcome to Write Right Society!
At Write Right Society, we are dedicated to nurturing the creative spirit and honing the skills of writers a
Calling all aspiring storytellers with hearts full of whimsy! Get ready to sprinkle a touch of enchantment into your scenes with my Scene Wo
I just think people write out of obligation too often.
"How do I motivate myself to write through the boring part of my story?"
"How do I make this boring scene not boring?"
Don't write it.
Don't write boring things just because you think the structure of the story demands it. I promise it doesn't need to be there.
If your characters need to have gone shopping for a later part of the story to make sense you can just have a sentence about how they went shopping and move on.
You are not obligated to write the boring parts. No matter what those parts are.
You are not obligated to make the parts of your story that you're not excited to write interesting somehow.
You can just write the fun and interesting parts and gloss over and summarize boring things.
Your audience will thank you and you will thank yourself.
my writing life got so much better once I realized that if Tolkien himself was allowed to have his viewpoint character knocked unconscious so he could skip writing a battle scene, I could, too.
Okay, call me crazy, but when it comes to character inspiration, my personal feeling is that a lot of these feel a little... Cliche/standard/trope-y, since they're mostly just taking a positive trait and extending it to the point that it can become negative. But people are more complex than that, and sometimes they have traits that are even directly at odds with each other.
That's not to say it's not a useful list!
As an experiment, I tried moving every negative trait down one slot, and observing the results. Since I had no control over the order, some are a bit random, but a lot of them came up with pretty cool concepts!
1. Bravery - Calculative: A character is courageous in the face of danger but can be cold and overly pragmatic in their decisions.
(This one is a straight up badass apparently.)
2. Intelligence - Recklessness: A character is exceptionally smart but often takes unnecessary risks.
(Forget about Tony Stark for a second and try to apply this to someone more unexpected. What if this character is a teenage girl?)
3. Compassion - Arrogance: A character is deeply caring but also looks down on others.
(This is a fascinating combo. I love the arrogant tsundere brat type that this could make. I already ship him with #8.)
4. Determination - Naivety: A character is persistent in their goals but is easily deceived due to their trusting nature.
(This is cute...)
5. Charisma - Stubbornness: A character is charming and persuasive but is unwilling to adapt or compromise.
(These ones complement each other pretty well! Imagine a character that uses their charisma to always get their way--and then how their stubborn streak comes out when the charisma sometimes fails!)
6. Resourcefulness - Manipulativeness: A character is adept at finding solutions but often uses these traits to exploit others.
(Make this a guy who's even semi-hot and you know he'd have a rabid fanbase.)
7. Loyalty - Opportunism: A character is fiercely loyal but is also quick to exploit situations for personal gain.
(This is not someone whose boss I'd want to get on the bad side of. But I'd love to read about them!!)
8. Optimism - Blind Obedience: A character remains hopeful in difficult times but follows orders without question, even when they're wrong.
(I'm in love with the precious himbo henchman this one has created in my mind.)
9. Humor - Denial: A character lightens the mood with jokes but often ignores harsh realities.
(I feel like this one needs no elaboration. Sometimes you don't realize it's REALLY not the time to try to lighten the mood!!)
10. Generosity - Inappropriateness: A character is giving and selfless but often crosses the line with their generosity.
(This one is fascinating to me. Like someone who is really going too far, to the point it makes other uncomfortable? Is it because the excessive generosity makes others feel inferior, or is it because the acts of generosity themselves are actually incredibly tone-deaf?)
11. Patience - Lack of Boundaries: A character is calm and tolerant but often neglects their own needs and well-being.
(I feel like this isn't an unusual combo for mother characters and shoujo protags, so let's imagine it being Not That. What if this character was a superhero? What if this character was a teacher? What if this character was the antagonist?)
12. Wisdom - Passivity: A character has deep understanding and insight but sometimes fails to take action when needed.
(The default for this one is probably like a wise old wizard character or something that just offers advice but doesn't actively help the main character. But what if this was an active party member/participant? Now it seems more likely that they get so caught up in thinking Wise Thoughts that they don't realize when they should be applying that stuff in the real world!!)
13. Confidence - Cynicism: A character believes in their abilities but is often pessimistic about the world.
(Not the most unusual combo, but still a fun one. I feel like we tend to see this with overpowered characters that have become jaded by how their power has skewed their perception of the world. Saiki K is the first that comes to mind for me, but I know there are others
Another approach could be to make them confident but not good at what they're confident at! Which makes their pessimism hilariously highlight their own obliviousness.)
14. Honesty - Overconfidence: A character is truthful and straightforward but sometimes underestimates challenges.
(Does this one speak to anyone else? This honestly sounds so cute.)
15. Self-discipline - Bluntness: A character maintains strong control over their actions but is often insensitive in their spoken delivery.
(This is literally just my favorite best boy, Tanakamigi Chui.)
16. Adventurousness - Rigidity: A character loves exploring and trying new things but is inflexible and resistant to change.
(This is a really interesting concept because at first glance these two seem naturally opposed. But what if you could make an adventurous character that always insists on doing things their way because it's how they've always done it? Or is utterly unmoved by learning about how other people do things, despite their adventures bringing them into contact with other cultures, etc?)
17. Empathy - Impulsiveness: A character deeply understands and feels others' emotions but often acts without thinking.
(Can you imagine the type of character that deeply resonates with the emotions of people around them--and then impulsively acts on those feelings?? Either in response to feelings they think are theirs, or in an effort to respond to the other person, even if it's definitely not the right time or situation. What if the person they resonate with is an antagonist? This concept is ripe for hilarity.)
18. Ambition - Overwhelm: A character is driven to achieve great things but can become easily overwhelmed.
(I LOVE this one, I feel like this character is already super relatable lol)
19. Resilience - Ruthlessness: A character can endure hardships without breaking but is willing to do anything, even unethical, to succeed.
(This one is interesting because Resilience is a trait I personally associate mostly with characters on the side of Good, who use their dedication to Good to push through when things seem bleak. It's so interesting to think of this as a more villainous or grey morality type character.)
20. Strategic - Emotional Detachment: A character excels at planning and foresight but often seems emotionally distant.
(Not the most unique combo, but I'd also be lying if I said this wasn't My Type lol)
I'd love to hear anyone else's thoughts on this!
I keep seeing people making fun of using growled, hissed, roared, snarled etc in writing and it’s like.
have you never heard someone speak with the gravel in their voice when they get angry? Because that’s what a growl is.
Have you never heard someone sharply whisper something through the thin space of their teeth? Or when your mother sharply told you to stop it in public as a kid when you were acting up/being too loud? Because that’s what a hiss is.
Have you never heard a man get so blackout angry that their voice BOOMS through the house? Because that’s what a roar is.
Have you never seen someone bare their teeth while talking to accentuate their frustration or anger while speaking with a vicious tone? Because that’s what snarling is.
It’s not meant to be a literal animal noise. For the love of god, not every description is literal. I get some people are genuinely confused, but also some of these people are genuinely unimaginative as fuck.
Being an “understanding person” is the worst kind of thing. i repeat worst. you have to understand people’s situations, their problems, their traumas. but when it comes to you, you will scream alone. absolutely alone.
