helping myself attempt to write: a saga

[writingwithvvaves]

You never said anything because it was him. He was the one all of the other girls dreamed of. He had the kind smile and the curly hair and you had drank too much and you had been reckless and you had acted like you wanted it. "You'll ruin him," they said. He was good kid. He had a good future. He had plans. What about him? What about his finger tips that left bruises across my hipbones? Or the way he shoved his tongue down my throat? What about all the other girls before me? And the girls after? What about me? So you keep your mouth shut. You listen to your friends talk about him in passing. And you never say anything. Because he is him and you are you.

- why didn’t you say anything? 

[rivalwrites]

93 fun OC asks because why not

Basics:

1. What is their gender? 

2. What is their sexuality?

3. What is the meaning behind their name? Do they have any nicknames?

4. Do they have any siblings? How many? Are they older or younger?  Which sibling are they the closest with? 

5. What’s their relationship with their parents like? What about other relatives?

6. What would they give their life for?

7. Are they in a romantic relationship? With who? How did they meet?

8. What do they believe will happen to them after they die? Does this belief scare them?

9. What is their favorite color? Favorite animal?

10. What are some of their talents/skills? 

11. If they could make a mark on history, what would they like it to be? 

12. How old are they? When is their birthday?

13. What do they do for fun?

14. What is their favorite food? How often do they get to eat it?

15. What was something their parents taught them?

16. Are they religious?

17. Where were they born? 

18. What languages can they speak? Where did they learn these languages? 

19. What is their occupation?

20. Do they have any titles? How did they earn them? 

Personality:

21. What is their favorite thing about their personality?

22. What is their least favorite thing about their personality?

23. Do they get lonely easily?

24. Do you know their MBTI type?

25. What is their biggest flaw?

26. Are they aware of their flaws?

27. What is their biggest strength? 

28. Are they aware of their strengths?

29. How would they describe their own personality?

30. When frightened, will they resort to “fight” or “flight”?

31. Does this character ever put somebody else’s needs before their own? Who do they do this for? How often do they do this?

32. What is their self esteem like?

33. What is their biggest fear? How would they react to having to face it?

34. How easily do they trust others with their secrets? With their lives? 

35. What is the easiest way to annoy them?

36. What is their sense of humor like? Give an example of a joke they would find humorous.

37. How easy is it for them to say “I love you”? Do they say it without meaning it?

38. What do others admire most about their personality?

39. What does their happily ever after look like?

40. Who do they trust most? Is that trust mutual?

Physical Profile:

41. What does their laugh sound like? Do they snort when they laugh? How often do they laugh? 

42. What is their favorite thing about their physical appearance?

43. What is their least favorite thing about their physical appearance?

44. Do they have any scars? If so, what are the stories behind those scars?

45. How would they describe their own appearance?

46. How easily can they express emotions? How easily can they hide emotions?

47.  What’s their pain tolerance like?

48. Do they have any tattoos? What are the stories behind those tattoos?

49. Do they have any piercings?

50. How would you describe their style of clothing? How would they describe their style of clothing?

51. What is their height? Weight?

52. What is their body type? Are they muscular, chubby, skinny, etc?

53. What is their hair color? Eye color? Skin tone?

54. What is their current hairstyle? What have been some of their past hairstyles? Which was their favorite hairstyle?

55. What is their alcohol tolerance like? What kind of drunk are they? How bad are their hangovers?

56. What do they smell like? Why do they smell like this? (Is it the things they’re around or a perfume they wear?)

57. How do they feel about sex? Are they a virgin?

58. What is their most noticeable physical attribute?

59. What does their resting face look like? Do they have RBF?

60. Describe the way they sleep. 

Environment: 

61. Which season is their favorite season?

62. Have they ever been betrayed? How did it affect their ability to trust others?

63. What is always guaranteed to make them smile?

64. Do they get cold easily? Do they get overheated easily?

65. What’s their immune system like? Do they get sick often? How do they react to getting sick?

66. Where do they live? Do they like it there?

67. Is their bedroom messy? What about their bathroom? Kitchen? Living room?

68. How did their environment growing up affect their personality?

69. How did the people in their environment growing up affect their personality?

70. How do they feel about animals? Do they have any pets?

71. How are they with children? Do they have any? Do they want any?

72.  Would they rather have stability or comfort?

73. Do they prefer the indoors or outdoors?

74. What weather is their favorite? Do they like storms? 

75. If given a blank piece of paper, a pencil, and nothing to do, what would happen?

76. How organized are they?

77. What is their most prized possession?

78. Who do they consider to be their best friend? 

79. What is their economic situation?

80. Are they a morning person or a night owl?

Miscellaneous:

81. Are they bothered by the sight of blood?

82. What is their handwriting like?

83. Can they swim? How well? Do they like to swim?

84. Which deadly sin do they represent best?

85. Do they believe in ghosts?

86. How do they celebrate holidays? How do they celebrate birthdays?

87. What is something they regret?

88. Do they have an accent?

89. What is their D&D alignment?

90. Are they right or left handed?

91. If they were a tweet, what tweet would they be?

92. Describe them as a John Mulaney gif.

93. What’s the most iconic line of dialogue they’ve ever said?

[skinhorses]

tender quotes:

1.  “The number of hours we have together is actually not so large. Please linger near the door uncomfortably instead of just leaving. Please forget your scarf in my life and come back later for it.” (mikko harvey, from “for m,”)

2.  “I still feel like the world is a piece of bread, I’m holding out half to you.” (eileen myles)

3. “Wherever you are it’s okay. You can come back from it. Whatever happened to you down there, whatever the world looks like now, that’s not how it always looks. That’s not how it’s always going to look. There’s more. There’s always more.” (patrick ness, from “more than this”)

4.  “I was making dinner and I got a message. Go look outside, she said, go look at the sunset. My apartment is small, with four rooms and two windows that don’t see much light so I had no idea. I pulled my coat on and hurried out. I was running to this sunset, suddenly the only thing that mattered. I hurried past the taller buildings to the park and the sky was leaking shades of pink and purple. It was beautiful and fleeting, there one minute and gone the next. I would’ve missed it; I almost kissed it. And so I started thinking, how great it would be to get a nudge, a tap on your shoulder, a moment or two before your life changes. Stop what you’re doing and look around, you’ll want to remember this later. In a minute, you’re going to fall in love.” (kelsey danielle, from “unexpected sunset”)

5.  “Today is a day like any other: twenty-four hours, a little sunshine, a little rain. Listen, says ambition, nervously shifting her weight from one boot to another―why don’t you get going? For there I am, in the mossy shadows, under the trees. And to tell the truth I don’t want to let go of the wrists of idleness, I don’t want to sell my life for money, I don’t even want to come in out of the rain.” (mary oliver, from “black oaks”)

[writingwithvvaves]

boiling water

They say, if you throw a frog in boiling water it will hop right out. But, if you turn up the heat slowly, it will boil to death. I did not realize that the heat was inching upwards and upwards. I was swimming in burning water, in blissful ignorance of when it would all come crashing down. I did not know that I was boiling.

[recovering-suggestions]

I’ve seen a lot of people talk about how they want to be okay, feel better, and I’m gonna drop some knowledge on you right now. Just the fact that you want to feel okay means you’re getting better. You saying ‘this isn’t where I want to be in life’ means you are looking forward, looking to get better. And just that little bit of motivation means that you are okay, because you’re still alive and still looking forward. You haven’t lost hope yet, and I’m sure that’s better compared to where you used to be. I believe in you. Keep getting better.

[emelkae]

Y'know, I'm really loving the return to a "tropes are good" mindset. Embrace the cliché. Use the overused. If it makes you feel good to read and write, don't stress if it's not completely original. It's so much more fun to not agonize over having to make every aspect of a piece revolutionary

[escapetoluna]

How to write about Grief:

There is no right or wrong way to experience grief. Just as there is no right or wrong way to write it. Everyone is different, each set of circumstances are different. 

The point of this post is to show you how different people react in different ways, and give points on how you might write that, depending on your character and story.

Reactions to Grief

Numbness: Your character may go into auto-pilot and be unable to process the events that have unfolded.

Anger: This can be aimed at other people, at a Higher Being, or at nothing in particular.

Unsteady: Your characters may be unsteady. For example, unable to stop their voice from shaking or they may find it difficult to stand.

Focusing on Others: Your character may disregard their own feelings because they are so overwhelmed and instead concentrate on someone else’s well-being. 

Seek out routines: Amid upheavals, your character may seek comfort in tasks that are familiar and “safe,” such as working, cleaning, making their bed, making absurd amounts of tea or taking a morning walk.

Pretending that Everything Is Okay: Grief is viewed as an emotion that should cease or be concealed once the funeral is over. So people mention the news in an offhand comment, then talk and laugh as if all is right with the world.

Denial: Some people deny the reality of death and convince themselves that the news is a joke or can’t be true.

Reactions from people surrounding your character:

People may avoid your character as they do not know what to say or simply can’t find the right words.

Some may even go as far as to cross the street when they notice your character approaching.

Even people that the character has known for years may act strange or standoff-ish, simply because they don’t know what to say.

On the other side of that, some people may be overly helpful and friendly.

It is not uncommon for estranged friends, family or others to suddenly reappear in a person’s life after they have experienced grief. 

Either because those people want to offer their support and love  or because they’re being nosy and they want to be kept up to date on the “drama”.

Most people will move on from the event fairly quickly if they weren’t emotionally invested. 

Some people may even get annoyed at your character for still being upset weeks or months later.

When talking about the person they have lost:

Your character may recall a memory or tell a story about their loved one, these are possible reactions. (I have encountered all of them.)

Your character may being to cry or get upset at the thought of the person they have lost. 

The person they are talking to may become awkward and avert eye contact when your character brings up the person they have lost. 

Others may ask or tell your character to stop talking about the person they have lost. They may roll their eyes, cough awkwardly, or cut off your character mid sentences so that they can change the subject.

Some people may ask inappropriate questions about the circumstances in which the character’s loved one passed away. Depending on the personality of your character then may react differently. 

Other things to note:

Grief is not constrained by time. 

One of the main problems with grief in fiction is that a character is typically heartbroken for a couple scenes and then happy again. But grief does not evaporate because the world needs saving. 

Allow your character to wrestle with their grief. 

Your character may feel guilty. Your character may feel a twinge of guilt when they laugh or have a good time with someone else; when they do something to remind them that they’re alive, and their loved one isn’t. 

Grief is a game changer. A previously outgoing character may withdraw and isolate themselves. Some people may take grief and/or bereavement as a sign that life is too short; they may make big decisions in an attempt to make themselves feel better and grow away from their pain.

Sometimes grief can help you find your purpose.

At first grief can be all consuming. It hurts and you can’t really control it. It may seem unrelenting. Eventually the grief will become easier to deal with, your character may find the days to be better, but that doesn’t mean that when the grief hits it doesn’t hurt any less.

For most people, grief never really goes away. “Sometimes you have to accept the fact that certain things will never go back to how they used to be.”

It is rare that a person will ever give a long speech about their feelings, a lot of people struggle to even find the words. But that’s okay. Show the reader how your character feels, rather than just telling them.

Don’t pause the plot to deal with the aspect of grief. This could overwhelm the readers and drag the pace down. In reality, life doesn’t just stop due to grief, the world keeps spinning and things still need to be done. Use the character’s grief as a backdrop for the story’s events.  

Yes, grief affects the character’s day-to-day life, goals, and relationships. But it shouldn’t drive readers away or stagnate the story. Instead, should engage readers and produce empathy that keeps them turning pages.

You don’t need to tell your readers that everything will be fine. You don’t need to provide all of the answers.

“Skirting grief and treating it lightly is easy. But by realistically portraying it through a variety of responses and its lasting effects on the character’s life, readers will form a connection with your characters.“

[thewritershandbook]

[suninks-moved]

worldbuilding: problems

there’s no place where everything runs smoothly. every country has it’s problems. that might be poverty, weak government, fake news, gun violence, or abuse of magical abilities. it could really be anything. so what’s wrong with your world?

what could go wrong:

poverty

corrupt government (a few infiltrations? biased officials? a dictator?)

discrimination/persecution of any kind (sexism, racism, religion, anything that makes someone unique)

violence (gangs, guns, magic, sexual assault)

failing economy

counterfeits (money, expensive products, anything)

drugs (fake drugs, very real and dangerous drugs)

weak government (ie. the government isn’t necessarily corrupt, but no one listens to them and they have no real power at all so everyone just runs amok)

environmental crisis

relations with other countries/regions

war

fake news (can be something smaller like what goes around on the internet today, or something as horrible as the propaganda the axis powers fed their people about the allied powers)

scarcity

terrorist groups

stereotypes (remember, even seemingly positive stereotypes can be damaging)

manipulation/using people

there’s a whole lot more, get creative! as saddening as this will be, scrolling through news articles will give you some good inspiration because our world is pretty messed up

how to choose which problems to include

what is your world like? as obvious as this probably sounds, your world’s problems are directly related to the things in your world. choose pretty much any element of your world, however small it may seem, and there can be made a problem out of it.

in a world of magic:

magic can be abused

magic can be faked (ie. in harry potter, around exam season, students sell items that “enhance your brain” or whatever when it’s really pixie poop, i’m not even kidding)

discrimination between magical and non magical people (muggleborns vs. purebloods)

people rely too much on magic and become weak (a great example of this is the Renegades series, where the non prodigies depend on the prodigies way too much)

non magic people using magical people (or magical people using other magicals, ex. grindelwald/percival graves using creedence to find the obscurial)

really, the problems for a magical world are endless - you can use regular real-life problems with a twist. the magical government lies to the public, buying out the main news source? people of pure magical lineage are somehow better than those related to non magical people? harry potter is a fantastic example of magical worldbuilding, steal stuff from jkr (but don’t make gay characters who are never actually gay)

in a world of science:

i’m a big fantasy nerd, much less sci-fi, so i don’t really have any good examples from books/movies, but here are some ideas anyway

the people who live on a different planet are starting to run out of resources and take over the earth (literally the plot of the Lunar Chronicles series)

the government is testing out new sciencey techy stuff and they accidentally make superhuman demon things (Incredibles, but they’re nice guys, not demon things, except maybe jack jack but he’s a cutie don’t hurt him)

terrorist groups steal a smart guy to make weapons for them (Iron Man)

the world is dying 

two + planets are fighting over something

technology/inventions/whatever can be abused

wow these are terrible i’m sorry i need to read more sci-fi

again, you can take regular real world problems and put a sciencey twist on them; a gang that kills people with laserbeam contact lenses, a new invention that uses a very rare element that’s important to the ecosystem and is starting to destroy the planet, the little robots we send to mars become self aware and build a colony of robots. go off sis

[swellio]

ways your characters can show varying emotions

to show sadness (grief, sorrow):

- sharply sucking in a breath

- hiccuping from crying so hard

- uncontrollable sobbing

- slumped shoulders, head down

- weather can be used to show emotions — not just rain, but a shining sun and birds chirping contrasts well with a grieving character

- depending on the person, sadness can result in lashing out at others for no reason or shutting everyone out

to show anger (rage, frustration)

- red face, fists clenched

- narrow eyes

- sharp comebacks, gritting teeth

- the air around them is tense

- others may be silent, ignoring whoever they’re angry at

- inhales

- angry. tears.

- kicking, punching, slapping

to show shock (hurt, confusion)

- wide, confused eyes

- freezing in place

- collapsing to their knees

- silent and blank-faced

- ignoring everything else happening around them

to show happiness (joy, delight)

- bright eyes

- crinkles around their eyes from smiling so much

- laughter!

- optimism

- playful, laid back nature

- the weight being lifted off their shoulders

- relaxed sigh

if you’d like me to do more of these, please like and reblog, and follow for more!

[swellio]

ways to describe facial expressions in writing

humans can obviously talk to communicate, but you have to remember that, naturally, we use our face to show expressions as well.

EYES

- widened in surprise/shock, filled with confusion/hurt

- narrowed into a glare

- filled with tears

- looking down at the ground defeatedly

- gleaming with mischief

- shining with hope/determination

- burning with hate

- emotionless stare

EYEBROWS

- raised in surprise

- furrowed in confusion/thought/worry

- one eyebrow perked to show attitude

NOSE

- scrunched in digust

- blushing with embarrassment

- lifted higher = more confidence/bigger ego

- aimed lower = less confident/weak

MOUTH

- in a pout = upset

- gaping with shock/confusion

- lips shaking from trying to hold back tears

- pursed in thought

- pulled into a smirk

- widened into a grin

PUTTING THEM TOGETHER

- Eyes wide and mouth gaping, they felt numb with shock.

- They felt their face begin to burn as they shifted their gaze to the ground.

- They pursed their lips as they concentrated, brow furrowing.

- Their eyes gleamed with mischief as they smirked.

using facial expressions is very useful in writing. simply using dialogue to express your characters’ emotions and thoughts will lose your audience’s attention and interest.

keep these in mind while writing!

[fairy-prompts]

How to: write pain

Don't make paragraphs about it - battles are supposed to be fast-paced

Describe:

- the object used to harm the character

-where the injury is

-how long the character had had the injury

-how deep the cut is (for blades)

-whether or not the wound triggers other things (dizziness, bleeding)

There are different kinds of pain

punch/blunt force trauma:

-how it feels: aching, a single spike of pain before it fades into an ache, throbbing, numbness

-effects: swelling, bruising, broken bones, unconsciousness, dizziness, concussion, internal bleeding.

stab wound/cut

-how it feels: stinging (shallow wounds), burning

-effects: bleeding (the blood from arteries is a brighter red, like vermilion, the blood from veins is dark crimson), dizziness from the blood loss, unconsciousness, infection (if left unattended), death

gunshot

-how it feels: depends on the caliber bullet, from how far away they were shot and in what place

-effects: same as stab wounds

Things that an injured character may have/do

-heavy, harsh, ragged breathing

-panting, gasping, crying, grunting, hissing, groaning, whimpering, screaming, shrieking, clenching their teeth

-ears ringing, unable to speak

-pressing their hands on the injury to try and stop the bleeding, trembling, eyes rolling up into their head

-vision blurring, room spinning

Where to hit in a fight

temple and jaw - good for a knockout punch, but are near the skull so it will be dangerous if you miss (it can broke/dislocate your fingers)

nose/eyes - messes up the senses and distracts the opponent

neck: can mess up breathing, talking and the spinal cord

inner elbow: can disable the opponent's arm

solar plexus: hard to hit but very effective

liver: causes immediate pain, dizziness and loss of breath

kidneys

groin

outer/inner thighs

knees

-----------------

But not getting into a fight stops the injury for both the opponents :)

(thank you very much for all the support!!! i appreciate every single reblog/like/comment 💕 I'm happy I could help you)

[ohfugecannada]

Dialogue prompts with a raw, powerful energy

“I’ll do whatever you want” “Then perish”

“My boy, this peace is what all true warriors strive for!”

“What you gonna do? You gonna shoot me?! Better make it count! better kill me in one shot!”

“If god had wanted you to live he would not have created me”

“I am the monument to all your sins”

“Will you fight? Or will you perish like a dog?”

“You know I had to do it to em”

“My city now”

“I’d die for you” “you will…”

“I won’t hesitate, bitch!”

“If it were not for the law of this land, I would have slaughtered you!”

“You are not immune to propaganda”

“Well, there is no god here today. Just me”

“I beg to differ” “then beg”

“What the hell is that?!” “You know what this is, bitch”

“Trust me, given the legal opportunity, I will kill you”

“Don’t ever talk to me or my son ever again”

“What the hell are you doing? Are you out of your fucking mind?!”

“You better scramble like an egg, before you get folded like an omelette”

“Mom says it’s my turn on the XBox”

“You put that thing back where it came from or so help me!”

“Now I am become death, destroyer of worlds”

“Why don’t you just kill me?” “Your punishment must be more severe”

“I can’t drown my demons, they know how to swim”

“I will face god and walk backwards into hell”

“Surprise, bitch. Bet you thought you’d seen the last of me”

“You Fool! This isnt even my final form! Wait until you see my true power!”

“Do not cry brother. Our time shall come soon enough. For they know nothing of our god…”

“Every day we stray further from gods light…”

“Hey peebrain, you teleport?”

“You may spank it, Once”

“Take it easy, dude. But take it”

“Pathetic…”

“Don’t believe his lies”

“Even now, the evil seed of what you have done germinates within you”

“I speak for the trees, and the trees say shut the fuck up”

“We have nothing to lose but our chains”

“It’s my sleepover and I get to choose the movie!”

“Well I’ll tell ya what, you can give up now, or you can dig it out, because I certainly can’t do it without you, and I know you can’t do it without me!”

“You are already dead”

“Then what’s there to stop me from becoming a god?”

“I’d sell you to Satan for a single corn chip”

“It’s over! I have the higher ground!” “You underestimate my power…”

“Where’s your god now?”

“If I were not a holy woman, I’d beat you senseless”

“From hells heart, I stab at thee!”

“Every second you’re not running, I’m only getting closer”

“What is a god…to a cowboy?”

“I see now the circumstances of ones birth are irrelevant, it it’s what we do with the gift of life that defines who we are”

“It’s not over… it’s never over…”

[writingwithvvaves]

chasing stars

there will be nights where you chase stars and follow them through galaxies and supernovas waiting for them to slow down and on those nights you need to land let your feet rest in the craters of the moon and learn that you are the sun

[inanauthorsworld]

quick tips for writing sexual tension

- eye contact. lots n lots of eye contact.

- other characters having to clear their throats, shake people, etc. to get A* and B* to pay attention

- lip biting.

- A* and B* looking at each other real quick, then looking away.

- almost kissing but being interupted

- normal coupley teasing

- coupley teasing that goes rly far

- friendly teasing that becomes awkward, tense, or sexual

- more eye contact

- lots of small touches

feel free to add to this!

[silver-wields-a-pen]

- dopey smiling at each other that fades as they realise they’re about to kiss

[sabrinah-writes]

Reblogging for that one ^^^ cause I’m a total sucker for it

[chraneness]

That one person C who is like “oh just get together already” despite persons A and B’s CONSTANT insistence that it will NEVER happen.

[thatwritergirlsblog]

Writing great friendships

Some of the best chemistry/relationships in fiction exist between characters who are/become friends. Here are some tips for making friendships come alive on the page:

1. Banter

One of the most interesting aspects of fictional friendships is the way the characters interact with each other whilst important plot points are occurring.

If your characters have easy banter, teasing one another without missing a beat and managing to bounce off each other even in the toughest circumstances, it will be clear to the reader that these two are/should be good friends.

Friends know each other well. They know the other’s character so well that they can easily find something to tease each other over. However, this also means knowing which topics are off-limits.

If you want to write a good, healthy friendship, your characters shouldn’t use humour/sarcasm as a way to hurt the other. It should be good-natured and understood as such from both sides.

Different friendships will have different types of chemistry. Some friends may tease each other with facial expressions. Others may already anticipate a snarky remark and counter it before it’s been spoken. Others will have physical ways of goofing around. 

Some friends might not tease each other at all. Banter isn’t necessary; it’s just a good way to make your characters come alive and make their friendship one that is loved by readers.

What’s important is chemistry - the way they automatically react to each other.

Think Sam and Dean in Supernatural or Juliette and Kenji in the Shatter Me series.

2. Mutual support 

Unless you purposefully want to write an unhealthy/toxic friendship, your characters should both be supportive of the other. 

This means that, even if one is the MC and the other the side-kick, both should be cognisant of the other’s feelings and problems, and should be considerate in this regard.

Few things will make your MC as likable as remembering to check in and be there for their best friend even when they are in the thick of a crisis.

You need to show your characters being vulnerable in front of each other and being supportive in ways that are tailored to the needs of each friend.

So, if one of the characters really responds to physical comfort, the other should know to give hugs/rub their back when they’re not feeling well. Similarly, if one of them doesn’t like being touched and responds to material comfort, have the other bring them ice cream and join them for a movie marathon. Whatever works for your characters.

What gets me every time is when a character is falling apart and won’t listen to/be consoled by anyone but their best friend (but this is just personal preference).

3. Knowing the other’s past/family life

This really only applies to characters who have been friends for quite a while.

Good friends know each other’s backstory - the highs and lows and mundane details. They know they layout of their family home and they probably know their family members well.

Friends will often talk about these things, only having to mention a few words for the other to know what they’re talking about i.e. “The ‘09 Thanksgiving disaster” or “You know how Uncle Fred is”

This will instantly make it clear that your characters are close and have come a long way together. 

Perhaps there are issues at home/trauma from the past that the other character will immediately understand. So, if one character appears with a black eye, their friend might know that the father was probably drunk the night before and got violent. Or if the character has a nightmare, the friend might know that it was about childhood abuse etc.

This can also apply to good things i.e. if one of the characters gets a nice note in their lunchbox, the other might know that their grandma is in town.

Whatever works for your story should be used to indicate the level of unspoken understanding the friends have.

4. Being protective

Few things will make your readers love a friendship more than the friends being fiercely protective of each other (in a healthy, non-territorial way).

Has someone hurt one of the characters? The other should be furious and want to exact revenge. Does someone say something demeaning to one of the friends? The other should defend them immediately and vehemently.

This can also take on a humorous twist if one of the characters starts dating someone. The friend can make extra sure that said date is sincere and promise to exact vengeance if their friend is hurt.

This can also be a great plot device, since it could explain why the MC’s best friend joins the quest/goes along on the journey. Perhaps this is the main plot point: a character seeking to protect/avenge their friend.

If you want to go in a toxic direction, this can be taken too far i.e. a friend who never lets the other spend time with anyone else/stalks the other/is patronising etc.

5.  Common interest(s)

Even if the two characters are vastly different, there should be something that keeps them together besides loyalty.

This is especially important for characters who become friends throughout the course of the novel.

This doesn’t have to mean that both of them go hiking every weekend or want to become pilots one day. It could be something small, like a love of cheesy movies or a shared taste in music. Maybe they both enjoy silence/don’t like other people. Maybe they are both social justice warriors, but for different causes. 

This could also be common characteristics instead of interests. Perhaps both are very ambitious/funny/social.

There should just be some factor that ignited the friendship and brings the two of them together.

This doesn’t necessarily have to be a big part of your story, but you should at least have it mentioned to make the friendship appear more authentic.

Reblog if you found these tips useful. Comment if you would like a Part 2. Follow me for similar content.

[whumpster-dumpster]

Injury Discovery Dialogue Prompts

- “You told me that you were okay! You promised!”

- “Why didn’t you tell me?!”

- “How long have you been covering this?!”

- “Who did this to you?”

- “[Name], this is serious!”

- “Cut the crap and tell me what happened.”

- “You’ve been trying to deal with this yourself?”

- “You idiot!”

- “Why did you lie to me?”

- “We could have prevented this!”

- “If you didn’t want to be a burden, you should have gotten it treated right!”

- “You didn’t think it was that bad? Are you looking at it?!”

- “You are not fine!”