I swear when someone says a character is "relatable" they actually mean "aspirational" because the most relatable characters in Austen are also the most cringe-fail, and everyone is just refusing to see themselves that way
"Elizabeth Bennet is so relatable!" No, you wish you were Elizabeth Bennet. That is a very different thing. Take a moment and accept that you share some traits with Mr. Collins and Kitty Bennet and that's fine
Give them small, everyday habits
The way they drink coffee, procrastinate, or hum when nervous makes them feel human.
Let them want something simple
Not every motivation has to be ✨EPIC✨. Sometimes they just want approval, peace, or to belong.
Show their flaws early
Perfection puts them at a distance. Imperfection creates connection.
Give them private, intimate fears
Fear of failure, abandonment, disappointing someone. These are emotional anchors for readers.
Let them be wrong sometimes
People relate more to characters who misjudge situations or make bad calls.
Show how they treat others
Kindness, sarcasm, loyalty, jealous. Relationships should reveal personality quickly.
Give them moments of vulnerability
A character dropping their guard is often the moment readers start caring.
Let them struggle with decisions
Inner conflict makes readers think “Yeah… I’d struggle with that too.”
Show what makes them happy
Joy reveals humanity just as much as suffering does.
Give them something to lose
Relatability happens when readers understand what matters most to the character.
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.
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Sanji is for the people who have a past they try to forget, it but haunts them anyways, and it shaped them into the person they are today.
Sanji is for the people who have a toxic family, for the people who survived despite all the odds and how weak they felt.
Sanji is for the people who never felt loved by their father, who were only wanted when of use to him, or were clearly undermined by their father in favor of their siblings.
Sanji is for the people who were bullied by their siblings. Berated. Beaten. Hurt in every way because of reasons that shouldn't have mattered.
Sanji is for the people with that one person that saved them. Their Reiju. The person whether in or out of their family that pushed them to the real world and promised kindness awaited.
Sanji is for the people who love their mother because she was the one kindness they had. For all the soft moments she gave that the others didn’t.
Sanji is for the people who dont want to be like them. They can't, be like them. They won't.
Sanji is for the people who are kind despite the odds, because they want to be the kindness they didnt have.
Sanji is for the people who hate waste, because they personally understand how meaningful every speck of food (or money) can be.
