1. Is there anything your OC finds creepy? (concepts, places/things, phrases, etc.)
2. What's something that might get a positive reaction from your OC?
3. Does your OC give 'special permissions' to one or two other characters, but no one else? (ex: 'only Character B can get away with this' or 'I only like when Character B says this')
3a. Is it because they like Character B/enjoy when B does this, or is it because of some other dynamic?
3b. Is B aware?
4. What kind of betrayal would hit your OC hardest?
4a. What kind of betrayal could they just kind of 'walk off?' From whom?
5. What kind of insult, and directed at whom, would make your OC angriest?
10 Flaws to Give Your Perfect Characters to Make Them Human
If you're tired of the usual vices like arrogance or impatience, here are some unique (or at least less basic) character flaws to give your perfect characters:
Pathological Altruism
A character so obsessed with helping others that they end up doing more harm than good. Their inability to let others grow or face consequences creates tension.
2. Moral Narcissism
A character who sees themselves as morally superior to others, constantly justifying selfish or harmful actions because they believe they have the moral high ground.
3. Chronic Self-Sabotage
A character who intentionally undermines their own success, perhaps due to deep-seated feelings of unworthiness, pushing them into frustrating, cyclical failures.
4. Emotional Numbness
Rather than feeling too much, this character feels too little. Their lack of emotional response to critical moments creates isolation and makes it difficult for them to connect with others.
5. Fixation on Legacy
This character is obsessed with how they’ll be remembered after death, often sacrificing present relationships and happiness for a future that’s uncertain.
6. Fear of Irrelevance
A character-driven by the fear that they no longer matter, constantly seeking validation or pursuing extreme measures to stay important in their social or professional circles.
7. Addiction to Novelty
Someone who needs constant newness in their life, whether it’s experiences, relationships, or goals. They may abandon projects, people, or causes once the excitement fades, leaving destruction in their wake.
8. Compulsive Truth-Telling
A character who refuses to lie, even in situations where a lie or omission would be the kinder or more pragmatic choice. This flaw causes unnecessary conflict and social alienation.
9. Over-Identification with Others' Pain
Instead of empathy, this character feels others' pain too intensely, to the point that they can’t function properly in their own life. They’re paralyzed by the suffering of others and fail to act effectively.
10. Reluctant Power
A character who fears their own strength, talent, or influence and is constantly trying to shrink themselves to avoid the responsibility or consequences of wielding it.
Looking For More Writing Tips And Tricks?
Looking for writing tips and tricks to better your manuscript? Check out the rest of Quillology with Haya; a blog dedicated to writing and publishing tips for authors!
Instagram Tiktok
PS: This is my first short-form blog post! Lmk if you liked it and want to see more (I already have them scheduled you don't have a choice)
Hello! I find your blog very helpful! I was wondering if you had any recommendations on other blogs or even masterlists for writing fantasy? Thanks :)
I'm not aware of any active writing blogs that focus on fantasy, but keep an eye on the comments in case anyone else knows of any!
Here are my posts on writing fantasy:
Fantasy
Race in Fantasy
Coming Up with Swear Words in Fantasy
Incorporating Cultural Elements into Fantasy
“King” Doesn’t Mean “Husband of the Queen”
Writing a Fantasy without Building a Whole World
Naming a Fantasy Race and Other Fantasy Elements
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!
Visit my FAQ
See my Master List of Top Posts
Go to ko-fi.com/wqa to buy me coffee or see my commissions!
Other Words for "Look" + With meanings | List for writers
Many people create lists of synonyms for the word 'said,' but what about the word 'look'? Here are some synonyms that I enjoy using in my writing, along with their meanings for your reference. While all these words relate to 'look,' they each carry distinct meanings and nuances, so I thought it would be helpful to provide meanings for each one.
Gaze - To look steadily and intently, especially in admiration or thought.
Glance - A brief or hurried look.
Peek - A quick and typically secretive look.
Peer - To look with difficulty or concentration.
Scan - To look over quickly but thoroughly.
Observe - To watch carefully and attentively.
Inspect - To look at closely in order to assess condition or quality.
Stare - To look fixedly or vacantly at someone or something.
Glimpse - To see or perceive briefly or partially.
Eye - To look or stare at intently.
Peruse - To read or examine something with great care.
Scrutinize - To examine or inspect closely and thoroughly.
Behold - To see or observe a thing or person, especially a remarkable one.
Witness - To see something happen, typically a significant event.
Spot - To see, notice, or recognize someone or something.
Contemplate - To look thoughtfully for a long time at.
Sight - To suddenly or unexpectedly see something or someone.
Ogle - To stare at in a lecherous manner.
Leer - To look or gaze in an unpleasant, malicious way.
Gawk - To stare openly and stupidly.
Gape - To stare with one's mouth open wide, in amazement.
Squint - To look with eyes partially closed.
Regard - To consider or think of in a specified way.
Admire - To regard with pleasure, wonder, and approval.
Skim - To look through quickly to gain superficial knowledge.
Reconnoiter - To make a military observation of a region.
Flick - To look or move the eyes quickly.
Rake - To look through something rapidly and unsystematically.
Glare - To look angrily or fiercely.
Peep - To look quickly and secretly through an opening.
Focus - To concentrate one's visual effort on.
Discover - To find or realize something not clear before.
Spot-check - To examine something briefly or at random.
Devour - To look over with eager enthusiasm.
Examine - To inspect in detail to determine condition.
Feast one's eyes - To look at something with great enjoyment.
Catch sight of - To suddenly or unexpectedly see.
Clap eyes on - To suddenly see someone or something.
Set eyes on - To look at, especially for the first time.
Take a dekko - Colloquial for taking a look.
Leer at - To look or gaze in a suggestive manner.
Rubberneck - To stare at something in a foolish way.
Make out - To manage to see or read with difficulty.
Lay eyes on - To see or look at.
Pore over - To look at or read something intently.
Ogle at - To look at in a lecherous or predatory way.
Pry - To look or inquire into something in a determined manner.
Dart - To look quickly or furtively.
Drink in - To look at with great enjoyment or fascination.
Bask in - To look at or enjoy something for a period of time.
Calling all aspiring storytellers with hearts full of whimsy! Get ready to sprinkle a touch of enchantment into your scenes with my Scene Wo
683 members, 435 posts about #creative writing #creative writers #helping writers • Guiding Writers to New Heights
Places you should add to your little town/city in your fantasy world!!
Post offices. Wild, I know. But give me the unhinged kind. Pingeons and little postal dragons all over the place. You enter. The most disgusting smell fucking assaults your nostrils. You know what it is. Letter in hand, you go up to the counter. The postal worker is just a slightly bigger pigeon. You shed a tear.
PLAYGROUNDS!! Create the most dangerous kinds of playgrounds, the ones suburban moms would TRIP if they ever saw one. Monkey bars that are way too tall, swings that go full circle... The metal slide stays the same, it's already painful enough.
PARKS!! MAKE IT ALIVE!! Show people going on walks, reading beneath trees. C'mon most of them are already hundred years old (And are going to die after that CR 15 creature wrecks the town) anyways!! Show couples and picnics, show a family enjoying the sunday, give me someone picking flowers for their loved ones.
A bakery! Do you know how much these places are underrated? And do you know how much plot potential they have? Every good story starts with food poisoning or granny's recipe! Give me a place your players/readers are going to treat like home and, for once, it's not a tavern or a guild.
Government buildings! Give me a town hall that has a kilometric line in front of it. Give me a registry that is as old as this town. Give me police stations! Give me courtrooms! Make one of your players get arrested and now all of the party has to go through burocracy like a bunch of normal people!
(Who am I kidding? You don't need to make them get arrested. They are going to do that for you.)
Touristic attractions! Give me a full-on statue of the country's leader! Give me museums! Give me streets, ruins and whatnot that attract thousands of tourists everyday! Give me an annoying city guide that tries to get the party's attention everytime!
Magazine stands! Magazines don't exist? Newspaper stands! From the Queen's Journal to the most questionable new piece of Fox's Tailtracker, you have it all! Make your players doubt what's actually happening, sprinkle a little fake news... Or is it fake at all?
...Toy stores. OK HEAR ME OUT. Make magic toys; miniature skyships that actually fly, metal toy dragons that expel fire, little wands that make little light spells, wooden creatures that can move and make noises... Make children happy! And your players too because they will waste their money on these stuff.
Instrument store!! Make your bards happy with special instruments or just weird ones! Give me a battle in one of those that is just filled with funny noises and the worst battle soundtrack ever!!
Not exactly a place but... Cleaning carts!!! Show me people cleaning the streets, picking up the trash, cutting trees!! Make the town look clean!! Give me an old man that is really proud of his work!!!
(or ways to make your players feel even worse when the villain destroys the town later on :) )
~ OBLIVIOUS PINING ~ PROMPTS about denial of feelings
requested by: anonymous
request: how can i resolve very heavy denial of feelings? it doesn’t feel organic to just have a “oh crap, i like them” moment for this specific character
Feel free to use and reblog!
changing their behaviour towards the other person before they realise their own feelings
doing something nice for the other impulsively
growing softer in their attitude towards the other
finding themselves daydreaming about the other
being annoyed by how much the other occupies their thoughts/their daily life
realising certain single traits of the other they like/adore
being in the other's debt, so they can't hate them so much anymore, they 'have to' like them at least a little
getting flustered when the other is nice to them
realising they're feeling much better when they know that the other is happy
enjoying making the other smile
^ and being worried afterwards about these new strange sensations towards the other's happiness
*eye-rolling* "Well, I guess I can do that for you."
feeling bad when they're treating the other shitty
feeling bad when they're ignoring the other
telling themselves that they can be nice without that having to mean they like the other (that's totally normal, right? to give someone a gift and it doesn't mean anything)
A talking to C about B: "Yes, we're getting along better now. But I mean, it's normal, right? To do nice things, even though you weren't on good terms just a week ago. People change. Relationships change. But that doesn't mean we like each other, alright?"
spending hours wondering who the other actually is and what they mean to them
"Nothing has changed." *when in fact, everything has changed*
"It has always been like this." *when in fact, they're losing their mind about not seeing sooner how it has actually been*
"Come on, it can't come as a big surprise to you." *when in fact, it's the biggest surprise to themselves*
Writing Problem: The Villains Are Cartoonish, Evil-for-the-Sake-of-Evil
Problem: The Villains Are Cartoonish, Evil-for-the-Sake-of-Evil
Solution: Villains require just as much character development as the novel’s heroes, protagonists, and perspective characters. Effective villainy incorporates consequential decision making, relatable character motivations, believable perspectives and experiences, and most important, intention. When a writer diversifies these facets of a so-named villain’s free will, humanity, personal interests, and relationship with the story’s main conflict, one is better-positioned to craft a more diverse and more engaging villain.
Writing Resources:
How Your Character’s Failures Can Map A Route To Self-Growth (Writers Helping Writers)
Good Character Flaws: Create Complex Antagonists (Now Novel)
50 Questions to Ask Your Antagonist (Alyssa Hollingsworth)
Antagonist Starts Good, Becomes Drunk With Power (related, master list) (Writing Questions Answered; ahbwrites)
16 Villain Archetypes (Chosen by the Planet; ahbwrites)
How to Give Your Antagonist a Little Humanity (Fiction Writing Tips; ahbwrites)
How to Write the Perfect Villain (Jericho Writers)
How to Build an Antagonist (How to Fight Write)
Negative Trait Thesaurus (Evil) (One Stop for Writers)
Theme and Symbolism Thesaurus (Evil) (One Stop for Writers)
❯ ❯ Adapted from the writing masterpost series: 19 Things That Are Wrong With Your Novel (and How to Fix Them)
