SniperFiction

28, he/him, Christian.

[sniperfiction]

Notes from Writing Advice Videos

Some notes I took from watching a ton of writing advice videos. Take what works for you and leave what doesn't :)

Character stuff:

Background: Who raised them, and how? Who damaged them, and how? Who heals them, and how?

Secrets: What are they hiding, and why? How far would they go to keep their secret?

Write 3 memories. Happy memory: something that brings them joy. Sad memory: something that makes them sad. Perhaps they would rather forget it? Mysterious memory: either something they don't have all the answers to and would like to figure it out, or something that has more context they don't know about, revealed later in their journey.

Character identity! Write 3 I am statements from their perspective.

Additional notes: Stress reveals character. Characters should adjust their behavior depending on the situation or who is around. Example: You may act differently at work than you would at home. Or meeting with the queen versus meeting with a relative. How does your character react to things? Fight, flight, freeze? Problem-solver or wallower? Blame themself or blame others? Subdued or animated? If they got a gift, would they be overjoyed or feel guilty? Just some examples.

[thestarfishface]

tfw you have a loose collection of ideas for a new story but it's still really early on so most of it's really loose concepts and not anything solid enough to fully brainstorm, but you REALLY REALLY want to get to the point where you can DO something with it

I have essentially planted a mystery seed in the garden and am now staring at the little patch of soil waiting for something to happen and it's driving my CRAZYYYYYYY

[sniperfiction]

How does one proceed from this point? How does one nurture the mystery seed?

[alinascribblenote]

friends to lovers dialogue prompts/starters

"hey, do you happen to have my hoodie?"

"we're not just friends and you fucking know that"

"i already know everything about you"

"i just don't think getting with him/her is a good idea, that's all..."

"hey, (friend's parent's first name), how's it going?"

"why are you here?" - "your mum/dad invited me over for dinner. i couldn't possible say no"

"your cat/dog loves me more than he/she does you, that must mean something!"

"he/she's just a friend"

"you know, last time i checked, friends didn't talk to each other that way"

"do you have a crush on me, or something?"

"why would you kiss me?" - "i've always wanted to do that, haven't you?"

"just look me in the eye and tell me you don't have feelings for me?"

"shall we watch the prince/princess' favourite movie ever?"

"i can't pretend you're just a friend anymore..."

"wait, how long have you liked me for?" - "give or take... third class/grade?"

"why are you still dating her.him?" - "why shouldn't i?" - "cause i've been in love with you forever and i can't stand seeing you with someone else, goddamit!"

"stop looking at me like that" - "like what?"

"if we're both still single by thirty, do you wanna get married?"

"you still have my jacket?"

"oh my god, i used to love this slide" - "i know"

"how the hell did you get into my room?" - "you forget i'm your mum/dad's favourite non-biological child"

"but 'just a friend' wouldn't look at me like that"

"it's you. it's always been you"

"will you kiss me again? it doesn't have to be anything" - "so like... friends with benefits? no, baby. if i kiss you again, you gotta mean it just as much as i do"

"friends kiss each other all the time, right?"

[deception-united]

hi!! just found your blog :))

so i've been wondering if you have any tips on writing characters in general. i feel like everytime i write, they're all the same (their internal dialogue are hardly different from each other) and rather boring and bland. do you have any advice for this issue? thanks <33

Hi, thanks for asking! It's a common challenge for writers, myself included, to create characters who feel vivid and distinct on the page—especially when there's a particular type of character that I enjoy writing more. This induces reluctance to explore and can make characters too similar in their mannerisms, quirks, and speech. Here are some tips to help you develop more dynamic characters:

Create detailed character profiles. Before you start writing, take some time to flesh out your characters. Think about their backgrounds, personalities, motivations, fears, desires, and quirks. The more you know about your characters, the easier it will be to make them unique.

Give each character a distinct voice. Pay attention to the way each character speaks and thinks. Consider their education, background, and personality when crafting their dialogue and internal monologue. Each character should have their own vocabulary, speech patterns, and mannerisms (see my post on character voices for more!).

Focus on contradictions. People are complex, and characters should be too. Think about the contradictions within each character. Maybe they're confident in public but insecure in private, or they're fiercely independent but secretly crave companionship. These contradictions add depth and realism to your characters.

Use character flaws. Flaws are incredibly important. They make characters more relatable and multidimensional, causing internal conflict and affecting their decisions, actions, and relationships. Give your characters weaknesses, insecurities, and vices that they struggle with throughout the story. These flaws can drive the plot and create opportunities for growth and development.

Explore character relationships. Characters are shaped by their interactions with others. Pay attention to the dynamics between your characters and how they influence each other. Conflict, friendship, love, and rivalry can all reveal different facets of your characters' personalities.

Give your characters goals. What does each character want, and what are they willing to do to achieve it? Their goals can drive the plot forward and provide insight into their motivations and priorities.

Consider the environment. Characters are influenced by their surroundings. Think about how factors like culture, society, family, and upbringing shape your characters' identities and behavior.

Allow for character growth. Characters should change and evolve over the course of the story. Give them opportunities to learn from their experiences, overcome challenges, and develop as individuals.

Read widely and observe people. Pay attention to how people behave in real life and in literature. Study how different authors create memorable characters, and consider what techniques you can apply to your own writing.

Check out this ask game for inspiration!

Hope this helped ❤

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[deception-united]

Let's talk about internal conflict.

Having clear external conflicts is essential to driving forward your plot, but internal conflicts help add depth and complexity to your characters. They'll make your characters better rounded-out, more believable, and relatable.

Internal conflicts are the struggles, doubts, and desires that exist within a character's mind and heart. They indirectly hinder them from reaching their ultimate goal by influencing their decisions, actions, who they choose to befriend, their fears, or how they react in different situations.

Here are some ways to integrate and determine your characters' internal conflicts:

Explore their desires and fears. Figure out what goals are they striving to achieve and their motivations behind it. From here, delve into their fears and insecurities that could obstruct their progress by causing internal turmoil. This duality adds depth to their personalities and motivations.

Show conflicting emotions. Characters should experience a range of emotions, sometimes simultaneously. They may feel torn between loyalty and self-interest, love and duty, or ambition and morality. Allow these conflicting emotions to drive their decisions and actions, leading to internal tension and growth.

Develop a backstory. Every writer's favourite step. Determine how their past experiences, traumas, and relationships create internal conflict for them. Past events or unresolved issues play a key role in shaping their beliefs, values, and behavior, influencing their present-day struggles.

Use moral dilemmas. Present your characters with ethical dilemmas or moral choices that force them to confront their beliefs and values. These situations can reveal the depth of their character and provoke internal conflict as they wrestle with the consequences of their decisions, as well as providing further insight into their personality and character.

Show internal growth. Allow your characters to evolve and grow throughout the story by facing and eventually overcoming their internal conflicts. Make them struggle. Have them make bad choices out of fear, or love, or jealousy. Force them to deal with the consequences. And turn that—the confrontation of their fears, reconciliation of their desires, the difficult choices—into a transformative journey.

Hope this was helpful! Make your characters suffer ❤

Next

[luna-azzurra]

What Characters do when they're Alone!!!

˙⋆✮ Talking out loud to themselves through problems like no one is listening because no one is

˙⋆✮ The face they make when finally alone after too long being perceived

˙⋆✮ Dancing in a way they would die before doing in front of anyone

˙⋆✮ Practicing conversations that will never happen or already have

˙⋆✮ Eating whatever they want with zero performance of restraint

˙⋆✮ The shows they watch that they'd never recommend because they reveal too much

˙⋆✮ Crying at something small that was really about something large

˙⋆✮ Lying on the floor for no reason and finding it solves something

˙⋆✮ Narrating their own life quietly like a documentary no one commissioned

˙⋆✮ The hobby they've never mentioned to anyone because it belongs only to them

˙⋆✮ Laughing at their own thoughts in an empty room

˙⋆✮ Rehashing old arguments and finally saying the perfect thing three years too late

˙⋆✮ The way their posture completely changes when the last person leaves

˙⋆✮ Making elaborate meals or eating cereal over the sink with no in between

˙⋆✮ The music played at volumes that would concern the neighbors

˙⋆✮ Sitting in silence so deliberately it becomes its own kind of noise

˙⋆✮ Allowing themselves to want things they'd never say out loud to another person

˙⋆✮ The kindness they extend to themselves only when no one is watching

˙⋆✮ Falling apart in the shower because it's the only place that feels private enough

˙⋆✮ The version of themselves they are at 2am that no one else has ever met

[deception-united]

Let's talk about enemies to lovers tropes.

Indisputably one of the best tropes out there. And one of the most infuriating, to write and to read.

When writing an enemies-to-lovers romance, there are several elements to consider in order to create a compelling and engaging story.

Here are some things to avoid and include:

DO NOT:

Create one-dimensional, flat characters. Both characters should have depth, flaws, and virtues that make them relatable and interesting.

Force conflict. While conflict is essential in this trope, it should arise naturally from the characters' personalities, circumstances, and past interactions. Avoid contriving conflicts solely for the sake of drama.

Cause sudden, unrealistic transformations in character behavior. While characters can change and grow throughout the story, it should be gradual and believable.

Overuse tropes. Try to bring fresh perspectives and unique elements to your story to avoid clichés and predictability. Yes, readers will still read the story if they like the trope, but unique elements will make it stand out amongst the sea of literature out there.

Rely on stereotypical traits for either character. Subvert expectations and give your characters complexity and nuance.

DO:

Develop rich backstories for both characters, including the reasons behind their animosity towards each other. This adds depth and understanding to their dynamic.

Ensure there's palpable chemistry between the enemies-turned-lovers. Their interactions should spark tension, passion, and intrigue to draw readers into their evolving relationship.

Show gradual character development as they transition from enemies to lovers. Each should challenge the other's beliefs, which can ultimately lead to personal growth and introspection.

Build emotional tension through witty banter, charged encounters, and moments of vulnerability. Letting the unresolved tension simmer beneath the surface will help keep readers invested in their relationship.

Introduce conflicts with high stakes that test the characters' newfound bond. This can come from internal struggles, external threats, or obstacles that force them to confront their feelings.

Allow the romance to develop gradually, building anticipation and suspense as the characters navigate their evolving feelings for each other.

Even as enemies, there should be moments of mutual respect or admiration between the characters. These moments can show the underlying potential for a deeper connection.

Stay true to the characters' personalities and motivations throughout the story. Authenticity will give your story more believability and emotional resonance.

Happy writing ❤

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[creativepromptsforwriting]

Reasons for being frenemies

Why are they frenemies? What do they like or hate for each other? Asked for by codeine-cockbite

having the same goals, but very different approaches on how to get there

having wronged each other, but they still rely on each other socially or professionally

getting betrayed, but they are tied together by mutual friends

getting betrayed, but they have to maintain appearances

not liking each other, but pretending to get along for benefits

power imbalance, where one holds control or influence over the other, keeping the dynamic unbalanced but intact

being wronged, but continuing their relationship due to social pressure

past emotional or physical hurt was never fully resolved, leading to underlying resentment

passive-aggressive behavior, where hostility is masked with politeness or fake support

gossiping behind each other’s backs, yet acting friendly in person

taking the credit for the other's work, but they still need to be professionally nice to each other

manipulation disguised as kindness, where one keeps the other close to control or influence them

being competitive friends, who try to one-up the other

using each other for personal gain, whether socially, emotionally, or professionally

old friendship turned sour, but both struggle to let go of what they once had

insecurity or fear of being isolated, causing one to maintain the connection even if it's toxic

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[luna-azzurra]

Ways to Show a Character is Falling in Love and Doesn’t Want To ...

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They notice the sound of their name in that person’s mouth and hate that it sounds better. Like their name was meant to be said that way.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They start to dress better when they might see them, subconsciously at first. “Oh, this old thing?” Sure. The old thing you ironed twice.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ Their laugh becomes a trigger. Not in the trauma sense, in the “I suddenly forgot how to breathe and now I want to die” sense.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ Every conversation feels like walking a tightrope between wanting to tease and wanting to touch.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They say they don’t care, but they’re paying way too much attention. Who they’re talking to. How they’re smiling. Who made them smile.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They avoid them, dramatically, stupidly and it physically hurts. Like withdrawal. They’ll literally hide behind shelves, peek around corners, act like a spy in their own life.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They start saying their name too often. “Oh, yeah, Alex said that too.” “Alex likes that band.” “Alex once...” Shut up, my dude. Please.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They mock them to their friends, but there’s a softness in the way they do it. A little too much affection in the “ugh, they’re so annoying.”

⋆.𐙚 ̊ Their stomach does that thing, you know the one, when they catch their scent on something, and it’s not even strong, just a hint, and suddenly they’re useless for the next ten minutes.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They overthink texts. “Okay, no emojis looks cold. Too many looks desperate. Maybe one. No, zero. Period. Wait, does the period look aggressive?”

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They dream about them, not even romantically, just constantly. Their brain won’t let them rest.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ Their jealousy doesn’t make sense. “Why are you talking to them?” “Because they’re a person.” “Oh, right, cool, yeah, totally fine, no reason, haha.” (proceeds to spiral internally).

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They act colder, on purpose. But it’s performative. The kind of detachment that’s practically begging to be noticed.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They start arguments for no reason. Because fighting feels easier than confessing.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They imagine kissing them during fights. Yes, during. It’s sick. They hate it.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They think about what they’d say if they ever got drunk enough to tell the truth. Then immediately pray that moment never comes.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ Their pulse spikes when their phone buzzes. It’s embarrassing how fast they grab it. And when it’s not them? Oh, the rage.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They watch their every expression. Like a scientist studying a dangerous animal. “What does that smile mean? Are they flirting or just friendly?” They never know. It’s torture.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They make jokes about being heartless. “Me? Love? Gross.” Meanwhile, they’re literally halfway in love already.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They defend them when no one asked. “They’re not that bad.” Bro. No one said they were. Chill.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They keep trying to rationalize it, listing all the reasons it can’t work, all the flaws they can find, like that’ll stop the feeling. It won’t.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They flinch when someone else flirts with them, then pretend they didn’t notice.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They convince themselves the other person doesn’t feel the same, because that’s safer than hoping.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ Their denial becomes its own obsession. “It’s not like that.” “It’s nothing.” “I don’t even like them.” Said for the fiftieth time this week.

⋆.𐙚 ̊ They get defensive when someone points it out. “Me? Them? You’re insane.” They’re not.

[luna-azzurra]

Some Tips for writing internal conflict

Wanting Two Things at Once Imagine your character really wants to chase after something big, like a dream school, a major opportunity, or maybe even moving to a new city. But at the same time, they’re terrified of leaving behind everything they’ve ever known. Or maybe they’re in a relationship that’s holding them back, but they can’t bring themselves to let go. Show them getting pulled in two directions, torn between their ambition and their fear of losing the people or places that ground them.

Right vs. Wrong Sometimes, your character will know deep down what the right choice is, but it’s the most difficult one to make. Like, maybe they see someone getting bullied and know they should stand up, but doing so could make them a target. Or maybe they have to decide between helping a friend and doing something that could ruin their own future. These moral dilemmas create intense internal conflict because it forces them to question who they are and what they stand for.

Doubting Themselves We all have moments where we wonder if we’re enough, smart enough, strong enough, brave enough. Let your character wrestle with that same doubt. Maybe they’re the kid who has always been told they’re special, but now they’re in a place where everyone is just as good, and they start to wonder if they even belong. Or maybe they’ve been through something tough, and they’re not sure if they can bounce back. These moments of insecurity make your character feel human, like they’re trying to figure it all out, just like everyone else.

Dreams vs. Fears Show your character dreaming big but getting frozen by their own fears. It’s like wanting to ask someone out but being terrified of rejection, or wanting to move away for college but being scared to leave home. Let them imagine all the things that could go wrong , that moment when fear makes them doubt if they should even try. But also show their desire burning just as strong, making it impossible to ignore. That’s the heart of internal conflict: they’re stuck between wanting something so bad and being afraid of what it’ll cost to go after it.

Beliefs Being Challenged As your character grows, the world will start challenging their beliefs. Maybe they grew up in a family that drilled certain values into them, and now they’re meeting people who see things differently. Or maybe they’re experiencing something new, and it’s changing their perspective. It’s like when you think you have everything figured out, and then life throws something at you that makes you go, "Wait, maybe I’ve been wrong this whole time." This kind of internal conflict is powerful because it forces the character to question who they’ve always been.

Keeping Secrets If your character is hiding something, like a mistake they made, feelings they’re afraid to admit, or a truth they don’t want to face, that secret becomes a huge part of their internal conflict. The fear of being found out or of dealing with the consequences can create a constant pressure in their mind. Maybe they’re scared they’ll lose their friends if the truth comes out, or maybe they’re dealing with guilt they can’t shake. The tension comes from their battle to keep it hidden while knowing they can’t keep it locked away forever.

Pressure from Everyone Your character might feel like they’re trapped between what they want for themselves and what everyone else wants from them. It could be pressure from parents, who have their whole future planned out, or pressure from friends to fit in or follow the crowd. Maybe your character wants to be true to themselves, but they’re scared of disappointing people or standing out too much. This kind of internal conflict is super relatable because, at some point, everyone feels like they’re stuck between living for themselves and living for others.

Fear of Failing Sometimes the biggest obstacle isn’t the external challenge but the internal fear of failure. Your character might have big dreams, but they’re paralyzed by the thought of messing up. Whether it’s competing in a sport, performing on stage, or just trying something new, the fear of not being good enough can be overwhelming. Maybe they’re afraid that if they fail, everyone will see them differently, or worse, that they’ll see themselves differently. The internal conflict comes from their desire to succeed battling against their crippling fear of failure.

[differentnighttale]

Thats so deep.

And useful to write.

[prophetic-writer]

Sometimes writing feels like you're following up one scene with the next and the story is just flying onto the page. Sometimes, though, it feels like you're following up one sentence with the next and you have to take 3-5 business days to reflect on each sentence before typing it out.

[sl33pyg1]

It’s always like that😔

[sniperfiction]

Dude 😭 So much me

[depsidase]

[syro-malabar-baby-deactivated20]

[penandinkprincess]

the real challenge of adulthood that no one tells you about in advance is how many goddamn pieces of paper you have to keep up with that are never important until they are suddenly VERY important

[sniperfiction]

Isaiah 10:1-4

1 Woe to those who make unjust laws,

to those who issue oppressive decrees,

2 to deprive the poor of their rights

and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people,

making widows their prey

and robbing the fatherless.

3 What will you do on the day of reckoning,

when disaster comes from afar?

To whom will you run for help?

Where will you leave your riches?

4 Nothing will remain but to cringe among the captives

or fall among the slain.

[sniperfiction]

All intelligent life has a right to self-determination.

But if you choose a path that prohibits co-existence, do not be surprised when others defend their own rights.