Trust is built slowly over time. It's rarely given immediately and instead is revealed in the smallest vulnerabilities, the quietest choices, the moments where a character lets their guard down without realising it.
I've outlined some ways you can prove to your reader the trust your characters build together.
Sharing secrets they don’t tell anyone else.
Letting someone see their vulnerable side: emotional, disheveled, or undone.
Falling asleep around them without worry.
Admitting confusion instead of pretending to know everything.
Asking for help, especially when they never do.
Walking beside them instead of behind or ahead.
Allowing silence without trying to fill it.
Letting them read unfinished drafts, art, or work-in-progress ideas.
Showing up at their door in a moment of panic.
Not hiding their flaws or insecurities.
Giving them the spare key without overthinking it.
Delegating an important task without hesitation.
Relaxing their shoulders when that person arrives.
Sharing food straight from the same plate or drink.
Telling the truth, even when it’s messy or uncomfortable.
Revealing old scars: physical or emotional.
Accepting advice they’d reject from anyone else.
Allowing touch without stiffening.
Letting that character enter their space.
Looking at them like they’re a place, not a person. A safe place.
Trust can be woven into every quiet moment, even when broken and needing to be rebuilt.
A list of words commonly used in the Writeblr community and their meaning!
I’ve gotten a lot of questions about what some things mean, so I thought it was time to compile a list of meanings.
Writeblr — A community of writers on tumblr; A blog that posts primarily about writing. See here for a more in-depth explanation. (Also written as Writblr on occasion)
WIP — Stands for Work in Progress. Primarily, it’s a piece of fictional work that is still in the writing process and is unfinished. (Also see: WIP page)
OC — Stands for Original Character. This is a character entirely of your own creation.
Tag list — A tag list is a list of users who will be tagged in every post that a Writeblr makes about a certain WIP. It is often included at the bottom of a post, and people are free to ask to be included, or removed from it.
WIP Page — A page or a post on a Writeblr that describes a WIP. Commonly includes a synopsis, setting, characters, etc. See here for what goes in a WIP page and how to make one.
Tag games — Tumblr games where people will do something (often answer questions, a snippet of their WIP, etc) and ask other users to participate by using the @ function in that post.
Ask games — A tumblr game where a user will request people to send them things with the ask function. Often times will include a list of questions they wish to be asked.
Fanfiction — Fiction written by a fan about an existing TV show, movie, book, etc. Often features the characters, the setting, etc. of that piece of media.
AU — Stands for Alternate Universe. AUs typically feature the same cast of characters of a WIP or an existing piece of fiction with a major change or two. (For example, a Fantasy AU would involve placing the characters in a fantasy setting. There also may be an AU of what might happen if a certain character didn’t die in their story).
Canon — Material or information that is accepted as an official part of a story. (i.e., the creator confirms it and includes it in their story).
Headcanons — Ideas and interpretations of a fictional work that is accepted by a fan, but isn’t necessarily supported by canon.
Moodboard — A collection of images meant to evoke a certain feeling or emotion. Often used by Writeblrs for their WIPs and OCs.
Have a word you’d like to see included? Let me know and I’ll add it!
Have a question on what a writeblr term means? Ask!
And penguins lack large terrestrial predators, so their reaction to humans tends to be, “HELLO STRANGE GIANT PENGUINS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? DO YOU HAVE ANY FISH?”
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