So, there's this character I am trying to write that I'm having issues with. The voice I'm trying to give him is more Professional, or almost scientific. But I've never spoke like that, and it's hard to find sources or inspirations with a character that talks like this.
Perhaps I can get some tips on how to find my character's voice in general? You don't need to if it's too much, i thank you regardless ^_^
for developing a voice that is clinical, professional and serious, i'd avoid phonetic conjunctions and informal slang (wanna, gonna, ect.), elaborate on and overexplain observations and ideas (within reason) to avoid any vagueness or interpretation, and state facts rather than opinions when in description (eg. "the man had round, sunken cheeks and an upturned nose, together forming a visage not unlike a pig's" instead of "the man was ugly"). characters like the one you're describing see the world as a series of undeniable facts, and believe that through observation, there is always solid truth to be found. this branches into character strengths, like being curious, determined, and logical, and characters flaws, like being impersonal, blunt, and believing they are always right. toy around with setting: place your character in an unfamiliar area, especially an environment they'd deeply hate, and see how they'd percieve or react to their surroundings. it's a writing exercise i use a lot. remember, characters like this love:
-objective truth
-making sense of things they don't understand
-being proven right
-convincing others of their ideas
and hate:
-being confused or conflicted
-being exposed for not knowing something (eg. being asked a question they don't have an answer to)
-being proven wrong
-the idea of others seeing them as unintelligent
for developing voice in general, i'm formulating a post on the topic right now! hope this helped, happy writing!
A character concept that I'm actually surprised I haven't seen more, now that I think about it:
A character with a tragic past who's beautiful in an unthreatening, pitiful sort of way, who goes "wait hold on, people think I'm cute?" and immediately goes drunk with power. Having a whole villain arc getting corrupted by the power of being just so tragic and pathetic that people can't be mad at them. Someone who's been accustomed to always being the one who's blamed and punished no matter whose fault the problem was suddenly discovering that actually they could get away with murder by being so big-eyed and sad.
And once they figure out that they can just Poor Little Meow Meow their way out of anything, they do. Going from being genuinely skittish and timid into pretending to do so merely as an act, manipulating the shit out of everyone and avoiding all suspicion because Look How Sad And Wet And Pathetic I Am, of course they couldn't do any harm to anyone ever.
And if one person finally does see right through that act and puts puzzle pieces together of how there's been just too many suspicious coincidences and accidents that only one person would actually benefit from, they confront the Tragic Little Act directly, one-to-one, to say "I'm fucking onto you and your shit"
And suddenly they completely snap out of their timid, pathetic presentation to give a big, wide, sickening smile like "no-one's ever going to believe you."
thank you so much for your Indirect Characterization post, it has been unbelievably helpful for me <33
is this an okay place to ask for advice :] ?
hey. this is the first tumblr blog ive ever had. i had no idea what an inbox was and thus literally havent gone through it once before this point except to get rid of the notification and i read none of it. so this ask is coming from october 1st of last year and is being answered january 27th 2025. oops.
anyway this means a lot and you can totally ask for advice (if you still need it four months later jflsijfiurghjrelkmlkwejwoidjjxj)
motivation is a myth. writer's block is the result of a lack of inspiration, not motivation. by framing motivation as an unpredictable, uncontrollable burst that chooses the writer, rather than the writer choosing it, you give yourself an excuse to go longer without writing. you are a sitting duck and motivation is holding you hostage. inspiration, however, is all around. books are inspiration. movies, plays, music, that's all inspiration. your own personal conversations can be inspiration. so can nature, coffee shops, stranger's outfits, public bathroom graffiti, baby name lists, pinterest boards and your own messy room. but output only comes to those who harness their inspirations...
Typically defined as âverbal witâ or, putting it another way, using words in a clever or fun way.
For example, a commonly cited example of wordplay is the pun. A pun humorously uses a word with multiple different meanings and/or different words with similar sounds.
An example of a pun could be I donât play cards with big cats because they are all cheetahs.
Types of Wordplay
There are many different types of wordplay out there. But not all varieties of wordplay even have names. Often, a poet does something entirely new and witty with words that has never been done before. That is the fun of wordplayâyou can play around and see what kinds of fun things you make! Here are a few examples of different types of poetic wordplay that have names:
Palindrome: A word or line that reads the same forward and backward.
Pangram: A line or poem that includes every letter of the alphabet.
Alliteration: Using words that start with the same letter or similar sounding beginnings.
Rhyme: Using words that have similar sounds, especially endings.
Assonance: Using similar-sounding vowel sounds to rhyme.
Consonance: Using similar-sounding consonant sounds to rhyme.
Onomatopoeia: Using words that sound like what they mean.
Oxymoron: Creating a phrase using words that donât seem to go well together.
Neologism: Creating new words.
Portmanteau: Combining two words together.
Chiasmus: Reversing the order of words in parallel lines.
Kenning: Using a metaphorical or poetic phrase to refer to something.
hello! i'm trying to write a manipulative/cunning character that uses his charm to get what he wants, but i'm unsure how to go about it without being too overt. he basically acts all polite and uses peoples' inherent biases (like how they are more likely to listen to or trust someone who's conventionally attractive)
i'm also struggling to come up with instances where he'd use those skills. i have an example from another story, but that'd make this ask long, so i'll give it if necessary
thank you for your time!
Writing a Cunning Character
I think the key to writing such a character would be to show how aware he is of the subtle reactions of others, and purposefully saying/doing things knowing fully well that there is plenty of room for misinterpretation.
For example:
He takes note of a waitress tucking her hair behind her ears and staring at him, and he smiles and calls her over specifically to order. Maybe she ends up giving him a free brownie.
When he sees someone debating whether they should accept his offer or not, he purposefully reaches across the desk to let his Rolex flash in the line of their sight, showing off his wealth.
You can show him carefully noting such details, in situations where he wants something out of the other person, like a job or money or a one-night stand...whatever it is. Maybe he uses his charm to cheat people out of their money or to get them to obey ridiculous orders because he just likes the sensation of exerting control over someone.
If you're writing from the cunning character's 1st person POV, you can insert little mental notes that he makes to himself. Perhaps he smiles internally at how easy the other person is, or is even proud of himself for a particularly manipulative move.
If you're writing 3rd person, it would be enough to write (1) the manipulative action/diagloue and (2) the corresponding result right next to each other to imply what's going on.
example: He reached across the desk for the cup, and their knuckles brushed briefly. A pair of dimples flashed as he smiled with all of his face. She swallowed; and nodded. "Alright."
Hope this helps! As always, happy writing.
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Things Real People Do in Dialogue (For Your Next Story)
Okay, letâs be realâdialogue can make or break a scene. You want your characters to sound natural, like actual humans talking, not robots reading a script. So, how do you write dialogue that feels real without it turning into a mess of awkward pauses and âumsâ? Hereâs a little cheat sheet of what real people actually do when they talk (and you can totally steal these for your next story):
1. People Interrupt Each Other All the Time
In real conversations, nobody waits for the perfect moment to speak. We interrupt, cut each other off, and finish each other's sentences. Throw in some overlaps or interruptions in your dialogue to make it feel more dynamic and less like a rehearsed play.
2. They Donât Always Say What They Mean
Real people are masters of dodging. Theyâll say one thing but mean something totally different (hello, passive-aggressive banter). Or theyâll just avoid the question entirely. Let your characters be vague, sarcastic, or just plain evasive sometimesâit makes their conversations feel more layered.
3. People Trail Off...
We donât always finish our sentences. Sometimes we just... stop talking because we assume the other person gets what weâre trying to say. Use that in your dialogue! Let a sentence trail off into nothing. It adds realism and shows the comfort (or awkwardness) between characters.
4. Repeating Words Is Normal
In real life, people repeat words when theyâre excited, nervous, or trying to make a point. Itâs not a sign of bad writingâitâs how we talk. Let your characters get a little repetitive now and then. It adds a rhythm to their speech that feels more genuine.
5. Fillers Are Your Friends
People say "um," "uh," "like," "you know," all the time. Not every character needs to sound polished or poetic. Sprinkle in some filler words where it makes sense, especially if the character is nervous or thinking on their feet.
6. Not Everyone Speaks in Complete Sentences
Sometimes, people just throw out fragments instead of complete sentences, especially when emotions are high. Short, choppy dialogue can convey tension or excitement. Instead of saying âI really think we need to talk about this,â try âWe need to talk. Now.â
7. Body Language Is Part of the Conversation
Real people donât just communicate with words; they use facial expressions, gestures, and body language. When your characters are talking, think about what theyâre doingâare they fidgeting? Smiling? Crossing their arms? Those little actions can add a lot of subtext to the dialogue without needing extra words.
8. Awkward Silences Are Golden
People donât talk non-stop. Sometimes, they stop mid-conversation to think, or because things just got weird. Donât be afraid to add a beat of awkward silence, a long pause, or a meaningful look between characters. It can say more than words.
9. People Talk Over Themselves When They're Nervous
When weâre anxious, we tend to talk too fast, go back to rephrase what we just said, or add unnecessary details. If your characterâs nervous, let them ramble a bit or correct themselves. Itâs a great way to show their internal state through dialogue.
10. Inside Jokes and Shared History
Real people have history. Sometimes they reference something that happened off-page, or they share an inside joke only they get. This makes your dialogue feel lived-in and shows that your characters have a life beyond the scene. Throw in a callback to something earlier, or a joke only two characters understand.
11. No One Explains Everything
People leave stuff out. We assume the person weâre talking to knows what weâre talking about, so we skip over background details. Instead of having your character explain everything for the readerâs benefit, let some things go unsaid. Itâll feel more naturalâand trust your reader to keep up!
12. Characters Have Different Voices
Real people donât all talk the same way. Your characters shouldnât either! Pay attention to their unique quirksâdoes one character use slang? Does another speak more formally? Maybe someoneâs always cutting people off while another is super polite. Give them different voices and patterns of speech so their dialogue feels authentic to them.
13. People Change the Subject
In real life, conversations donât always stay on track. People get sidetracked, jump to random topics, or avoid certain subjects altogether. If your characters are uncomfortable or trying to dodge a question, let them awkwardly change the subject or ramble to fill the space.
14. Reactions Arenât Always Immediate
People donât always respond right away. They pause, they think, they hesitate. Sometimes they donât know what to say, and that delay can speak volumes. Give your characters a moment to process before they respondâitâll make the conversation feel more natural.
Important note: Please donât use all of these tips in one dialogue at once.
because "my parents hit me or force me to be perfect" won't cut it for every character in the cast
-characters who grew up poor. poverty is traumatizing, people. i wanna see characters who never ask for anything, count dollars and coins, freak out when the bill isn't split fairly and immediately suspect bed bugs when someone says they're itchy. and mention the ugly stuff too. smelling bad and having water stains on the walls. ice cream for dinner and not eating breakfast. lights going out and fourteen year olds supporting a family of five.
-characters who were neglected. not physically abused, neglected. who don't understand why people care when they don't show up, or seem kind of down today, or leave a party without saying goodbye. who are too independent for their own good. who can't think of anything to say when asked to describe their parents. who are okay with being lonely. who always feel lonely. who get uncomfortable if you even ask them how their day was. who does that?
-characters who were smothered. who were treated like a toddler well into their teens. who were practically stalked by their own parents, never allowed a moment of privacy. who were constantly belittled and denied their autonomy as the adults in their life made every decision for them. regardless of how loved they truly were, this is abuse. this could go in two diverging directions: end result of a very guarded, mature character feeling a constant need to prove themself, or end result of a passive, immature character who requires attention, praise and constant assistance. both have extremely low self-esteem.
-characters who are fundamentally different from their family. maybe they're queer, or adopted, or disabled, or aren't fully related to the rest of them (bonus points if they aren't the same race as their family). characters who watch like a ghost as everyone else smiles and bonds. and maybe it's their fault that they're like this, or maybe it's their fault for not reaching out to the family themself, but... nobody else had to ask for it.
I hope this message finds you and your family in good health. My name is Eman Zaqout from Gaza. I am reaching you out to seek your urgent help in spreading the word about our fundraiser. I lost both my home and my job due to the ongoing genocide in Gaza and we are facing catastrophic living conditions. đ
I kindly ask you to visit my campaign. Your support, whether through donating or sharing, will help us reach more people who can make a difference. Thank you for your continued support for the Palestinian cause. Your dedication brings us closer to freedom. đđ
Note: Verified by several people as 90-ghost and aces-and-angels. â
because you can't just say a character has x personality trait if they're written in the exact same way as everyone else
-role call! do they say "here" or "present"? do they say "HIII!" with a big smile on their face? do they say nothing at all, and opt to just raise their hand? sarcastic remark? did they space out and not realize their name was being called until the third time it was repeated?
-signatures! how legible is their handwriting? is it cursive? first name-last name, or just first name? or just last name? or first name-last name initial? maybe first name initial-last name? the possibilities are endless. i love the subtlety of this one.
-adverbs! not adjectives, adverbs! is she smiling charmingly, or slyly? is he looking in confusion, or intrigue? does he clear his throat awkwardly, or assertively? if you describe how your character is carrying out an action, you're also describing the character without having to hand it to the reader directly!
-hand shake! who sticks their hand out first? maybe one is a little put off by the otherâs formality? are their hands rough? soft? big? small? do they have a ring on their finger? bracelets on their wrist? is the shake firm or loose? do they make eye contact? if so, is it comfortable for both parties?
-looks! their clothes! their hair! slightly crooked nose from breaking it so many times? scars? bruises? eye bags? dramatic makeup? elaborate outfit or a t-shirt and basketball shorts? how tall and strong are they, and how does that impact them as a character? tattoos? do they push back their cuticles?
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