Aspiring Fantasy Writer

Patreon || Ko-Fi || Masterlist || Work In Progress

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Resources

Resources For Creating Characters

Resources For Describing Characters

Resources For Writing The Mafia

Resources For Writing Royalty

Commentary on Social Issues In Writing

General Tips

Guide to Character Development

How To Fit Character Development Into Your Story

Tips on Character Consistency

Designing A Character From Scratch

Making characters for your world

Characters First, Story Second Method

Understanding Your Character

Tips on Character Motivations

31 Days of Character Development : May 2018 Writing Challenge

How To Analyze A Character

Alternative Method of Character Creation

Connecting To Your Own Characters

Interview As Your Characters

Flipping Character Traits On Their Head 

Character Driven vs. Plot Driven Stories

Traits

Tips On Writing About Mental Illness

Giving Your Protagonists Negative Traits

Giving Characters Distinct Voices in Dialogue

Giving Characters Flaws

Making Characters More Unique

Keeping Characters Realistic

Archetypes

Writing Good Villains

Creating Villains

Guide to Writing The Hero

Positive Character Development Without Romanticizing Toxic Behavior

Tips on Writing Cold & Distant Characters

Balancing Multiple Main Characters

Creating Diverse Otherworld Characters

Foreshadowing The Villain

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Masterlist | WIP Blog

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I was tagged by @captainrynna to fill these out. Thank you so very much for tagging me! :)

1. Do you have an OC that’s basically a version of yourself?

Most of my OCs have at least some part of me in them. Whichever character tends to be the most bookish, prone to sullen moods and antisocial behavior, likes darker colors or is drawn to them, has a propensity for slightly pompous language, a knack for cooking, loves trivia and arcane/esoteric knowledge tends to be based off of me and as I write fantasy and sci-fi, there’s almost always one. A love of art, film, museums & zoos/aquariums tend to be pluses as well. At the moment in my current WIP, that’d be Elial “Eli” Mallory, fugitive demon formerly of Clan Baeloch, thief of the Shade Chronicles and novice Elementalist in his human form. In many ways we’re unalike (he isn’t tall, bespectacled, rotund, good with kids, etc.) but he fits most of the above traits.

2. What is your favorite type of scene to write?

Intro scenes for characters, establishing shots of mega-structures/cities/major story location, chase scenes, exposition scenes involving plot macguffins and their lore, clothing descriptions, any scenes involving elaborate food descriptions, etc.

3. Do you write cliffhangers?

Yes, I find them to still be a fun way to keep the reader reading. Trying to get good at them, think I’m starting to get the knack.

4. Once word or phrase that you think you overuse (but probably don’t)

Goodness, I know I use certain phrases/descriptors/expressions/idioms/words, etc., more often than I mean to but I can’t think of any off the top of my head right now. I know I’m fond of reusing certain color schemes (black and silver, blue and gold, black/white/red, etc.) and certain character types/descriptions do come up now and again. Crystal, marble, silver and gold, gemstones, basalt, granite, silvered steel, etc, these all show up frequently, too.

5. Least favorite thing about writing?

Editing. Writer’s block. Typos. Screen fatigue. Forgetting details and having to go back and insert them.

6. How much prepwork do you do before writing if any? (outline, scene breakdown etc)

I’m not usually much of an outliner but I’m trying to do at least basic ones to makes certain I finish at least a draft. I usually make files for brainstorming, files for references & images, files for basic dramatis personae with separate files for proper character info, files for countries/cities/organizations/creatures/artifacts. I usually do some basic planning in each one, then update every few chapters as I acquire new facts/inspirations, etc.

7. Do you use any visuals to help you with writing? If so, what?

I use visuals now and again, yes. For characters, I’ll scroll through TV Tropes, Wikipedia, TV Shows, video games and fan art/official art pages for other series and draw inspiration from those, mix and match features until they come close to what I see in my head. I’ll do the same for important locations, creatures, artifacts, clothing, etc., as well as pull from memories of places I’ve been (my suburban New England upbringing for mundane, domestic settings and agricultural/temperate scenery, Montreal/Boston/San Diego/Honolulu for metropolitan backgrounds, various parks/beaches/forests/libraries/museums for other locales, hospital kitchens/theaters/supermarkets/bookstores for work settings, etc.)

8. Is there magic or new technology in your WIP? How did you come up with it?

This current WIP has magic derived from the bond between Elementals and either a human, an angelic Adastri or a demon-like Chtonic. Each bond applies to the Three Principles of Body, Mind, Spirit with four elements per principle, leading to a grand total of 12 Elementals available to each species, 36 total accessible by those rare Elementalists who are cross-bonded, marked with trident symbols. In the main story setting, some technology of a 21st-century level (slightly near-future) has been created via links between Elementals and specially adapted crystals/metals/glass, etc. However, there is also plenty of magic not interlinked with technology and vice-versa. In the framing story of 10,000 years in the future, magic and technology are almost indistinguishable per Clarke’s Third Law, so holographic bridges, moon colonies and skybarges fit alongside shadow portals and flame-swords, while High Seeresses share powers with the Synthetic-Lord and the Automatons and Constructs bound to the Prime Artifice.

As for how I developed these systems, I just figured I wanted Elemental amgic that was beyond the usual as that’s a bit old hat, figured I’d try using the whole cognitive/physical/spiritual stuff found in the works of Sanderson, Arakawa and others and give it my own twist, grafting it onto technology for a future setting reminiscent of Dune.

9. What are you currently reading?

In the middle of a reread of Robert Jordan’s The Great Hunt, an old Doctor Who book called St. Anthony’s Fire by Mark Gatiss (that one’s definitely one of the weaker books) I keep trying to start R.F. Kuang’s The Poppy War and keep putting it down, sigh.

10. What would you like to see more of in Fantasy novels?

More diverse characters in regards to race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexuality, culture, species, etc. While I may be inspired by many beloved classics, I want to see much that is new-not just in order to expand my scope and experience as a person and writer, but also so I have entertainment that isn’t always rooted in the same tired tropes or isn’t always deconstructing them (some beloved ones may stay or get expanded upon, others can stay in the past, either to be abandoned or to serve as an anchor for modern and future works). I also love seeing newer magic systems & weapons/artifices, new types of cities/biomes/nations, new character dynamics, etc. I also love seeing more art being added to fantasy novels-and better art, too, the kind we get with Stormlight Archive rather than some of the older fantasy art styles, much as some of them are beloved classics. Maps that aren’t just ripoffs of Tolkien would be lovely, intricately detailed and with different fonts/symbols, etc.

“Hmmm, tough call bro. Have you tried gouging out your eyes so you don’t have to see all those bodies anymore?”

“wut”

“What?”

“Shouldn’t you tell them to… stop dressing like that or something?”

“Don’t see why. It’s not their fault that the fact that they have bodies makes you a fucking sinful horndog. Gotta fix that problem yourself, buddy. Go on, blind yourself.”

“Uh….”

“How can I avoid like, an accidental slip of the hand when…they’re dressin like that?”

“Cut it off.”

“wut”

“Cut it off. Your hand. If it’s a problem, stop having a hand.”

“wut”

Australia is no longer on fire

U-Haul is offering free 30 day storage for displaced college students and discounted rates on moving services

The second person in the world was just cured of HIV!

There's going to be a new Dr. Seuss book this fall, published from a manuscript he wrote that was discovered 21 years after his death

Student loan payments are being halted with no interest until the pandemic clears

A zoo in Indiana recently announced the birth of two Chacoan Peccaries, an animal that is currently endangered (and also adorable)

On that train, two cheetah cubs were recently born in an Ohio zoo via vitro fertilization, which could seriously boost efforts to help endangered species survive

One more about animals - a komodo dragon in a Tennessee zoo just gave birth without male involvement! Which isn't something new, but it is rare and cool.

The state of Virginia has banned conversion therapy for minors recently, and is the first Southern state to do so

Scotland has created the worlds first Carbon Positive Gin made from peas instead of wheat, which reduces the carbon footprint created by normal gin making. Without wheat....it might also be a gluten free alternative (not certain on that one, you'd have to reach out to the creators). You can buy it here

The worlds first 3D printed houses were just created in Mexico, with the hopes to combat homelessness. They are designed to withstand seismic activity and come with two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, and bathroom.

Disneyland is donating all acceptable food to food banks in Orange County during their closure

The Olympic Games are hoping to become "climate positive" by the year 2030, and by next year they plan to start planting an "Olympic Forest" in Africa in an effort to combat desertification

Hopefully I can add more day to day, but even the small stuff makes you smile sometimes. Yesterday at my coffee shop, a woman tipped me five dollars because, and I quote, "Just because there's a virus doesn't mean I can't tip you for my coffee."

Cleveland Clinic has found a way to make the Corona Virus test go from a 5+ day waiting time for results down to 8 hours, which helps speed up treatment and quarantine and slows the spread of the virus

You've definitely heard about this one, but citizens in Italy (including famous opera singers) have been singing with and playing music with each other during their quarantine

Hundreds of local restaurants (and some chain restaurants) are offering free meals for kids who rely on school lunches as their primary source of nutrition.

On this note, hundreds of teachers across the country are pulling from their pantries to make their less fortunate kids care packages (I know, they shouldn't have to, but they are, so let's celebrate the kindness)

Students of a school in Pembroke got together for the 13th year in a row to shave their heads for cancer research, earning more than 100,000 dollars

Woolworths has dedicated a set period of time for letting only elderly clients shop so they can stock up on supplies with less risk of catching covid19

A customer at a bar in Columbus tipped the staff $2500 on a $30 bill because of the shutdown of in house service for all bars and restaurants in Ohio, which will severely impact servers wages and tips

The last patient with Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was just released with a full bill of health

Scholastic is offering free courses for kids stuck at home during school closings

Reporters Without Borders have opened an uncensored library.....in MINECRAFT. In countries where a lot of books or articles are banned, Minecraft is still available, and they have made these books and articles readable through the platform. You can download it here

Today is National Panda Day!!!!! Here's a picture of a Floof Panda looking wistfully to their left:

Michael Symon is hosting free online cooking videos during the Corona Virus on Facebook

Ballet Nova Center for Dance is live streaming classes for all levels (beginner adult included!) on Facebook for the next week for anyone who might be interested in learning

Uber Eats is waiving the delivery fee for all local businesses so that you can keep supporting your mom and pop shops without risking getting sick or getting others sick. They're also offering contactless deliveries, giving affected drivers financial aid, and are donating meals to first responders and healthcare workers in the US and Canada

Its a struggle y'all, but there's good shit happening out there. Keep trucking, tip your delivery drivers and servers because they're making nothing now, and stay inside unless you absolutely can't. And please remember to wash your hands.

(Image ID: Black and white photo of Fred Rogers smiling. Quote reads: "When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'" End ID)

Looking for cool character names? Try:

94 of the 'worst' names - and their terrible meanings

Some absolute gems. Also:

67 worst baby names history ever had

Worst baby names for 2019

95 Evil (gothic!) baby names

Cursed disaster names

This was a lot of fun...

Idk… I just wanna know some weird things about your virtual kids…. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Send a number and the name(s) of the OC(s) you want answers for.

*It helps if you put the names of the OCs you’re willing to respond for in the tags when reblogging the ask list

How do they respond to having a song stuck in their head? Does that happen to them often?

How do they feel about confronting their friends when issues arise? 

When speaking to themselves in their mind, how do they refer to themselves?

Do they enjoy wearing socks/stockings when they aren’t wearing shoes?

Do they have any unappealing habits (ex: picking their nose, hawking loogies)?

How do they cope with losing a game?

How do they cope with losing an argument?

How do they cope with losing a friend?

How do they cope with losing a lover?

Do they enjoy sitting on countertops?

How expressive is their face? Are they easy to read?

How do they deal with experiencing physical pain?

Are they easily insulted?

Would they prefer to act or react?

How would they respond to performing on stage?

Would they ever wear perfume or cologne? When? What would the scent be?

Could their personality or interests be considered “flighty?” Do they change their mind/interests often?

Do they daydream? Of what?

What is the most inappropriate thing they have ever done in public?

What was their favorite toy as a child?

What was their favorite way to play as a child (ex: playing pretend, playing games with rules like tag,)?

How do the sneeze (ex: loudly, quietly, openly, into their elbow, hold the sneeze in)?

When engaged in an irritating conversation, how to they conduct themselves?

What words make them cringe?

How do they feel in large crowds?

Would they ever spend an afternoon in a library? What section would they spend the most time in?

Do they find it difficult to try new foods?

If a friend asked them to taste something and it turned out to be unpleasant, how would they handle it?

Do they wear underwear?

Can they pee in front of other people?

What story gave them nightmares as a child?

How would they respond to being handed an infant?

How would they respond to being asked to watch over a child for an afternoon?

Do they enjoy climbing trees?

In which of their own skill sets do they have the most confidence? Why?

Do they enjoy receiving compliments? How do they respond to it?

How often are they the one to initiate physical contact?

Do they prefer salty or sweet things?

Do they get the urge to jump from high places?

Have they every written a dirty letter and actually sent it?

How would they describe their love life?

How would they describe their sex life?

Do they hide objects? What and where?

What are their reasons for getting up in the morning (outside of achieving their main goal)?

Who is their greatest confidant? Who confides in them?

What is something they’ve always wanted to do, but know they shouldn’t?

Is there someone whose laugh makes them laugh as well?

How festive are they on holidays?

How would they respond to their ears ringing for an extended period of time?

Do you tell her that you miss her? Her eyes are dark and warm. Her eyes are a home you run to, when you have been away for too long. Her hair is softer than silk, that gleams in the evening sunlight, when everything else seems so dull. She left home to escape the lunacy of daily life and find freedom in foreign lands she had never seen.

Do you ask her to stay? Stay with you. Or better yet. To bring you with her. You can hear yourself saying it. Bring me with you, my love. You are the beat of my heart. You are the home I never had but always wished I did. I hope you can find home in my arms. I need to touch your face and kiss your eyelids when you wake up. Need. Not want. Because I don’t think I can live without you. Ever since you left, I think I stopped breathing. I stopped living. Bring me with you, so I can feel alive once more.

What if it’s too late? You can see her walk away. She smiles, because she doesn’t know what will happen next, but she knows it the future will hold something good for her. Pain is inevitable, but there is no point crying over it, is it? She walks with determination, and faith. Faith. You need to have faith. You need to, or else you will lose her again. Don’t lose her. Go run after her, and tell her you love her.

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I know this is quite long but you guys I’m kind proud of this bear with me. 

bonus:

Hey, I haven’t done one of these in a while! Thanks, @aziz-writes, for tagging me… an actual entire month ago l m a o

Rules: Share the last line of your WIP and then tag as many people as words in the last sentence

This one is from my new wip Nature & Nurture (wip intro post here because shameless self-promotion can be good sometimes~)

Ellie stopped with her fingertips resting on the doorknob. After a moment of mournful contemplation, she turned to face her mother.

Okay, so, twelve words means twelve people so I’ll tag my twelve most recent followers (who aren’t on hiatus/appear to participate in tag games like this haha): @akanorskwritblr, @nintendonianrose, @lemon-writings, @literary-lavender, @magic-is-something-we-create, @kai-is-writing, @captainrynna, @rebelwritingwild, @saiko-tsuki, @aelenko, @silas-the-reading-addict, @anika-writes

This is from a bit later in the series after The Trials of Athenelle - but I still like it!

(took a while for me to start this one, apologies for that!)

With this tag, I want to encourage the discussion of our characters and character dynamics, because people on Writeblr often make very interesting and nuanced characters, and finding new ways of showcasing them is always fun.

I also hope that this will help some of us to develop our characters more :)

Guidelines:

Make a post about the given topic, related to the character(s) in your WIP, and tag it #chdiscuss.

You can answer the questions of the previous topics, too. There’s no time limit to it.

Reblog other people’s posts with any questions and comments. Talk! Discuss! Ask each other questions! Because the main purpose of these posts is discussion, this part is very important!

These topics are mainly a discussion starter. So feel free to let your discussions veer away from the question, as long as you keep talking about the characters.

                                                        —•—

Topic #3: Your character’s future

How much does your character think about the future? If they don’t, why not?

How certain are they about their future? Are they 100% sure about it or do they not have a single clue about what it’ll be like?

Does it seem bright? Dismal? Are they absolutely terrified about it?

Does their view on the future impact anything they do?

At any given point in your story, if the character met their future self, what would they want to ask? And what would this future self tell them?

                                                         —•—

Previous chdiscuss topics

chdiscuss #1: Your character’s powers

chdiscuss #2: Your character’s motives

                                                          —•—

WIP Character Introduction: KING DAMIEN

King Damien is the antagonist and one of six PoV characters in my fantasy trilogy. With Damien being the last of a divine bloodline, his father clung to him, filling his head with preposterous ideas that led Damien to believe he could do no wrong. He was not an individual but an extension of his father. Damien was too young to understand back then. In retrospect he was used… he knows that now. Rigorous training and near-constant supervision were but mere catalysts for his transformation into the type of ruler he is. From his father he learned to weaponize trust, to prey upon vulnerability. From his councilmen he learned to bend minds and shepherd loyal followers toward a stronger world. As a lad, Damien was their object. Their puppet, ready to be crafted and played with. One would imagine change when a prince grows into his kingly crown, yet Damien is so accustomed to hunting for acceptance that change doesn’t come naturally. For too long he has lived with whispers in his ear. He bothers with little else but presenting himself as a king favored by the gods. He is riddled with contradictions: charming yet childish, gentlemanly yet competitive, selfish yet loyal, confident yet insecure, patient yet eager, versatile yet close-minded, boastful yet secretive. And perhaps most of all, he is desperate. When we meet Damien, he is at a dangerous point… where he will do literally anything to prove his worth.

Read more about KING DAMIEN under the page break: