comics and story tutorials storage

A long ass beginner level tutorial for all of you comic folks who want to start using sketchup for your backgrounds but don’t know how to get started.

Character Chart Character’s full name: Reason or meaning of name: Character’s nickname: Reason for nickname: Birth date: Physical appearance Age: How old does he/she appear: Weight: Height: Body build: Shape of face: Eye color: Glasses or contacts: Skin tone: Distinguishing marks: Predominant features: Hair color: Type of hair: Hairstyle: Voice: Overall attractiveness: Physical disabilities: Usual fashion of dress: Favorite outfit: Jewelry or accessories: Personality Good personality traits: Bad personality traits: Mood character is most often in: Sense of humor: Character’s greatest joy in life: Character’s greatest fear: Why? What single event would most throw this character’s life into complete turmoil? Character is most at ease when: Most ill at ease when: Enraged when: Depressed or sad when: Priorities: Life philosophy: If granted one wish, it would be: Why? Character’s soft spot: Is this soft spot obvious to others? Greatest strength: Greatest vulnerability or weakness: Biggest regret: Minor regret: Biggest accomplishment: Minor accomplishment: Past failures he/she would be embarrassed to have people know about: Why? Character’s darkest secret: Does anyone else know? Goals Drives and motivations: Immediate goals: Long term goals: How the character plans to accomplish these goals: How other characters will be affected: Past Hometown: Type of childhood: Pets: First memory: Most important childhood memory: Why: Childhood hero: Dream job: Education: Religion: Finances: Present Current location: Currently living with: Pets: Religion: Occupation: Finances: Family Mother: Relationship with her: Father: Relationship with him: Siblings: Relationship with them: Spouse: Relationship with him/her: Children: Relationship with them: Other important family members: Favorites Color: Least favorite color: Music: Food: Literature: Form of entertainment: Expressions: Mode of transportation: Most prized possession: Habits Hobbies: Plays a musical instrument? Plays a sport? How he/she would spend a rainy day: Spending habits: Smokes: Drinks: Other drugs: What does he/she do too much of? What does he/she do too little of? Extremely skilled at: Extremely unskilled at: Nervous tics: Usual body posture: Mannerisms: Peculiarities: Traits Optimist or pessimist? Introvert or extrovert? Daredevil or cautious? Logical or emotional? Disorderly and messy or methodical and neat? Prefers working or relaxing? Confident or unsure of himself/herself? Animal lover? Self-perception How he/she feels about himself/herself: One word the character would use to describe self: One paragraph description of how the character would describe self: What does the character consider his/her best personality trait? What does the character consider his/her worst personality trait? What does the character consider his/her best physical characteristic? What does the character consider his/her worst physical characteristic? How does the character think others perceive him/her: What would the character most like to change about himself/herself: Relationships with others Opinion of other people in general: Does the character hide his/her true opinions and emotions from others? Person character most hates: Best friend(s): Love interest(s): Person character goes to for advice: Person character feels responsible for or takes care of: Person character feels shy or awkward around: Person character openly admires: Person character secretly admires: Most important person in character’s life before story starts: After story starts:

• laugh at their own jokes

• don’t finish/say complete sentences

• interrupt a line of thought with a sudden new one

• say ‘uh’ between words when unsure

• accidentally blend multiple words together, and may start the sentence over again

• repeat filler words such as ‘like’ ‘literally’ ‘really’ ‘anyways’ and ‘i think’

• begin and/or end sentences with phrases such as ‘eh’ and ‘you know’, and may make those phrases into question form to get another’s input

• repeat words/phrases when in an excited state

• words fizzle out upon realizing no one is listening

• repeat themselves when others don’t understand what they’re saying, as well as to get their point across

My Favorite Mythology/Folklore and Cryptid monsters collected by Country/Continent.

MEDIEVAL EUROPEAN MYTHOLOGY / FOLKLORE (Book of Imaginary Creatures, Heraldry, Alchemy, Medieval Bestiary, Roma, Left-Over European)

The Muscaliet is so hot it will inflate everything it touches into a burning column of fire. Entire forests burn away when they find their way into earthly forests.

A Bao A Qu / Barometz or Vegetable Lamb / Basilisk / Cagrino or Chagrin / Carbuncle / Catoblepas / Echeneis or Remora / Flaga / Goblin / Gold-Digging Ant or Formica Aurum / Hypnalis / Ichneumon or Hydrus / Imp / Incubus / Leontophone / Leucrotta or Crocotta / Muscaliet / Myrmecoleon or Antlion / Nependis / Nightmare or Mare / Odontotyrannos / Pard / Peryton / Salamander / Scitalis or Scytale / Seps / Succubus / Undine / Will o Wisp / Wyvern / Yale or Centicore / Ziphius

Abarimon / Aspidochelone / Bicorn / Blemmyes / Bonnacon / Cerastes / Chichevache / Cockatrice / Cynocephaly / Haermorrhois or Blood-Letter / Indus Worm / Keythong / Musimon / Onocentaur / Panotti / Parandrus / Sandman / Wild Hunt / Ypotryll / Zitiron

==============================================================

GREEK MYTHOLOGY (Ancient Greek/Roman Mythology)

Nemean Lions (named Golden Lion or War Lion in Mythika) are powerful hunters with very tough skin which is almost impossible to pierce with normal weapons. Their manes are covered with arrows and the weapons from their victims.

Akheilos / Amphisbaena / Anteros / Argus / Cacus / Centaur / Cerberus / Charon / Charybdis / Chimera / Chrysaor / Dactyl / Echidna / Empusa / Erinyes or Fury / Faun or Satyr / Gorgon or Medusa / Harpy / Hekatonkheires or  Hundred-Handed One / Hippocampus / Hydra / Kampe / Karkinos or Cancer / Ketos or Cetus / Ladon / Lamia / Lampad / Makhai or War Daemon / Minotaur / Narcissus / Nemean Lion / Nosoi or Pandora Box / Phobetor / Scylla / Sphinx / Thriae

Aegipan or Capricorn / Aetos or Caucasian Bird / Antaeus / Arachne / Celedon / Circe / Cyclops / Dryad / Erote or Cupid / Erymanthian Boar or Dire Boar / Eurynomos / Gegenees / Geryon / Graeae or Stygian Hag / Griffon or Griffin / Khalkotauroi / Maenad / Mormo / Pytho or Delphyne / Scorpios / Skolopendra / Spartoi / Stymphalian Bird / Symplegades or Planctae / Talos or Bronze Colossus / Teumessian Fox / Triton / Typhon / Zelus

==============================================================

NORSE MYTHOLOGY (Ancient Norse Mythology)

Fenrir are said to be ancestors of all canine species, and in Mythika they are among the most powerful, only Cerberi stand a chance. Their skin is riddled with ice crystals and their breath is cold as winter.

Berserker / Draugr / Fafnir / Fenrir or Fenris / Hraesvelgr / Jormungandr / Jotunn or Frost Giant / Nidhogg / Svartalfar or Dark Elf / Troll / Valkyrie

Alberich / Dwarf / Elf / Hell / Hrimfaxi / Naglfar / Ratatoskr / Skinfaxi / Ymir

==============================================================

CELTIC MYTHOLOGY / WESTERN EUROPE MEDIEVAL MYTHS (English, Welsh, Manx, Scottish, Irish, Breton and Arthurian)

Tatty Bogle are evil animated Scarecrows which can control birds and animate objects they touch. It is said that they are created by evil Hags which use the hearts of humans and the soul of a bogeyman to animate them.

Afanc or Addanc / Alp-Luachra or Joint Eater / Ankou / Awd Goggie / Banshee / Barghest or Black Dog / Boobrie / Brobinyak / Brollachan / Brucha / Buggane / Cirein Croin / Cu Sith / Cwn Annwn / Dullahan or Headless Horseman / Fachen / Fear Liath or Grey Man / Fomorian / Gancanagh / Grindylow / It / Jack-in-Irons / Kelpie / Knucker / Lavellan / Leanan Sidhe / Marool / Muirdris / Nuckelavee / Phooka or Pucca / Questing Beast / Rawhead or Bloody Bones / Redcap or Dunter / Shellycoat / Sianach / Sluagh / Spriggan / Springheel or Spring-Heeled Jack / Stray Sod / Tatty Bogle / Water Leaper or Llamhigyn Y Dwr / Wizard’s Shackle or Burach Bhadi

Arkan Sonney / Black Annis / Bluecap / Bodach / Boobach or Bugaboo / Bugbear / Cat Sidhe / Cath Palug / Ceffyl Dwr / Clurichaun / Curnunnos / Dobhar-Chu / Far Darrig / Fear Dorcha / Fear Gorta / Gwyllion / Kilmoullis / Leprechaun / Lunantishee / Ly Erg

==============================================================

NORTHERN EUROPE MEDIEVAL MYTHS (Germanic, Scandinavian, German, Norwegian, Finland, Sweden, Iceland, Dutch, Belgian and Danish)

Osschaart are bizarre constructs made by the Jack-in-Irons. Osschaarts dangerous aura’s increase gravity and they can animate and control the chains that form most of their bodies.  

Ajatar / Alraune / Buckrider / Colorobetch / Doppelganger or Fetch / Erlking or Erlkonig / Gloson or Gravso / Gulon / Horerczy / Hrokkall / Ice Worm or Lagarfljot Worm / Iku-Turso / Kraken / Land Wight or Landvaettir / Osschaart / Pesta / Swamfisk / Valravn or Vilderavn

Askafroa / Baldanders / Fossegrim or Nakken / Helhest / Hrosshvalur / Huldra / Kludde or Aufhocker / Kobold / Lorelei / Mandragora or Mandrake / Nachtkrapp / Norn / Otso / Skotumodir / Snow Queen / Traicousse / Vatnagedda / Waldgeist

==============================================================

EASTERN EUROPE MEDIEVAL MYTHS (Slavic, Russian, Polish, Romanian, Slovenian, Lithuanian and Serbian)

Combining the most feral features of both wolves and dragons the Zburator is a nocturnal hunting dragon that unlike most other dragons hunt in packs, they mostly hunt for other dragons.

Aitvaras / Bagiennik / Bauk / Bukavac / Fext / Hala or Ala / Karzelek / Kikimora / Leshy or Leshii / Lich / Moroi or Vampire / Nocnitsa or Night Hag / Planetnik or Demon Storm / Poludnica or Lady Midday / Shtriga / Veela or Vila / Vodyanoi or Vodnik / Zburator / Zirnitra / Zlatorog or Goldhorn / Zmey or Gorynych

Abaasy / Alkonost / Baba Yaga / Balaur / Bolotnik / Domovoi / Drekavac / Ebajalg / Indrik / Likho / Nosferatu / Ovinnik / Psoglav / Rusalka / Sarkany / Tculo / Ziburinis

==============================================================

SOUTHERN EUROPE MEDIEVAL MYTHS (Spanish, Basque, Maltese, Sardinian, Italian, French, Swiss, Austria, Cyprus and Medieval Greek)

Every year the scales on a Cuelebre’s body become harder, until after a 1000 years they reach Adamantium hardness, once they reach this age they are almost impossible to destroy with normal weapons and most spells will simply bounce of their shimmering iron scales.

Aatxe / Agrippa / Barbegazi / Butatsch-Cun-Ilgs / Codrille / Cuelebre / Erchitu / Gargoyle or Gargouille / Gaueko / Hellequin / Kaw Kaw / Lou Carcolh / Marabbecca / Nuberu / Peluda / Pyrausta or Pyrallis / Stella / Tarasque / Trenti / Vrykolakas

Aerico / Caladrius / Drac / Krampus / Tartalo / Vouivre

==============================================================

NATIVE AMERICAN FOLKLORE AND MYTHOLOGY (Inuit, Canadian, Navajo, Cherokee, and other such Tribal American)

Psonen are beautiful, but ice-cold bird monsters that are said to be related to the Phoenix. They mostly serve the Snow Queen as aerial mounts. They summon cold weather wherever they go.

Acheri / Ahkiyyini / Akhlut / Amikuk / Aniwye / Awahondo / Baykok / Binaye-Ahani / Delgeth or Thelgeth / Djieien / Ewah / Gaasyendietha or Meteor Dragon / Haietlik or Lightning Serpent / Mahaha / Mishibizhiw or Underwater Panther / Nalusa Falaya / Nida / Oniate / Piasa / Psonen / Pukwudgie / Qalupalik / Rougarou or Werewolf / Skinwalker / Tlanusi / Tsenahale / Utlunta or Spearfinger / Wendigo or Windigo / Yeitso

Adlet / Agloolik / Amarok / Amhuluk / Aziwugum / Baxbakwala / Cervitaur / Fastachee / Hinqumemen or Engulfer / Ijiraq / Ishigaq / Isitoq / Kokogiak or Qupqugiaq / Raven Mocker / Thunderbird / Tizheruk / Tupilaq / Ugjuknarpak

==============================================================

CENTRAL AMERICAN MYTHOLOGY / FOLKLORE (Aztec, Mayan, Mexican)

The Reptilian Xhumpedzkin are famous for the lethal headaches they cause with their psychic aura’s. They feed on other creatures shadows.

Ahuizotl / Camazotz / Cipactli / Lechuza / Nagual / Xhumpedzkin

Camulatz / Chaneque / Huay Chivo / Quetzalcoatl / Tezcatlipoca

==============================================================

SOUTH AMERICAN MYTHOLOGY / FOLKLORE / CRYPTIDS (Brazilian, Chilean, Paraguay, Colombia, Venezuela, Patagonian, Surinam and Argentina)  

Cherufe are the voice, will and mobility of a living volcano. They can take any shape they like but are always formed from lava and magma. Inside their volcanic homes these elementals are invincible, only outside the volcano the creature can be slain. 

Abuhuku / Alicanto / Caleuche or Ghost Ship / Candileja / Cherufe / Chon Chon / Cuero / Curupira / Eintykara / Encantado / Inulpamahuida / Invunche / Kayeri / Mapinguari / Minhocao / Nguruvilu / Peuchen / Succarath / Tuyango

Anhanga / Ao Ao / Boitata / Bush Dai Dai / Camahueto / Capelobo / Colo Colo / Cuca / El Tunche / Huallepen / Kori / Yacuruna

==============================================================

AFRICAN FOLKLORE AND CRYPTIDS (Central and South African Countries)

The Migas in Mythika kinda resembles the LOTRing’s Watcher in the Water. Swamp Octopi with more than twenty tentacles, fighting one of these aberrations is like fighting an entire army of tentacles.

Aigamuxa / Asanbosam or Sasabonsam / Bouda or Werehyena / Cagn or Mantis / Dingonek / Eloko or Biloko / Emela Ntouka / Gbahali / Impundulu or Lightning Bird / Intulo / Jba Fofi / Kongamato / Lukwata / Lunwaba / Mbielu Mbielu / Migas / Mngwa or Nunda / Nandi Bear or Chemosit / Popobawa / Umdhlebi / Ya-Te-Veo

Abada / Adze / Anansi / Aziza / Chipfalamfula / Emere / Gambo / Grootslang / Jengu / Kwamang-A / Mokele-Mbembe / Ngoubou / Nguma-Monene / Ninki Nanka / Olitiau / Rompo / Yehwe Zogbanu

==============================================================

EGYPTIAN MYTHOLOGY (Ancient Egyptian Mythology)

Sak are strange, wingless Griffons with a beautiful lotus flower on the end of their tails. This lotus flower releases a calming fragrance which takes away aggression in its victims. Sak love the flesh of Unicorns and other equine creatures.

Ammit or Devourer / Khepri / Petsuchos / Sak / Salawa or Set Animal

Axex / Heqet / Mummy / Phoenix or Firebird / Serket / Serpopard

==============================================================

LEVANTINE FOLKLORE, RELIGION, MYTHOLOGY ( Arabian, Persian, Iran, Iraq, Turkish, Sumerian, Mesopotamian, Akkadian and Middle East)

The centaur-like Urmahlullu combines the best features of the lion and a humanoid. They are the perfect hunters and both gentle and evil variants exist.

Aghash or Evil Eye / Asag / Asdeev / Bushyasta / Caspilly / Devalpa / Druj Nasu / Dybbuk / Fulad-Zereh / Ghul or Ghoul / Girtablilu or Aqrabuamelu / Golem / Ifrit or Efreet / Jidra / Karkadann / Manticore / Miraj or Almiraj / Ouktazaun / Roc or Rukh / Sandwalker / Shadhavar or Siranis / Tiamat / Urmahlullu / Zaratan

Anzu / Arzshenk / Asena / Djinn / Ghawwas / Humbaba / Lilith / Palis / Pazuzu

==============================================================

HINDU BELIEFS (Hindu Religion, Buddhism)

Raktavija are masters in blood magic, they can animate and harden their own demonic blood into shields, armor and weapons. To refill their lost blood they simply drain other creatures dry of theirs.

Juggernaut / Rakshasa / Raktavija / Virabhadra / Vish Kanya or Poison Girl / Vritra 

Airavata / Apaosha / Garuda / Makara / Naga 

==============================================================

JAPANESE MYTHOLOGY AND FOLKLORE (Yokai, Japanese Stories)

Oh, can I keep it? Keukegen look like fuzzy, innocent creatures made entirely from hairs, in reality they spread horrid itching diseases and in the worst case a victim will scratch its own skin off.

Akaname or Filth Licker / Ashinaga-Jin / Bakekujira or Ghost Whale / Baku / Dorotabo / Enenra / Gashadokuro / Harionago / Heikegani / Isonade / Ittan-Momen / Jinmenju / Jorogumo / Jubokko or Vampire Tree / Kamaitachi or Sickle Weasel / Kappa / Keukegen / Kurage-no-Hinotama / Muramasa Blade / Namazu / Nekomata or Bakeneko / Nogitsune or Kumiho / Nurikabe / Omukade / Otoroshi / Raiju or Thunder Beast / Rokurokubi / Sagari / Sazae-Oni / Tenaga-Jin / Tengu / Tenome / Tera-Tsutsuki / Tesso / Tsuchigumo / Umibozu or Sea Bonze / Wanyudo / Yuki-Onna or Snow Maiden

Akashita / Ame-Onna / Hahakigami / Hannya / Hyakume / Jinshin Mushi / Kamikiri / Kasa Obake / Kasha / Katsura-Otoko / Kirin or Qilin / Kitsune / Mekurabe / Nodeppo / Nue / Nure-Onna / Oni / Shachihoko / Suiko / Tanuki / Yanagi-Baba

==============================================================

CHINESE MYTHOLOGY AND FOLKLORE (China, Chinese Stories)

Xiao or Hsigo are kleptomaniac pests, they steal for the act of stealing and even attack other creatures to rob them of their possessions, especially gemstones and golden coins are wanted by the little thieves. Their leaders are called Ahools and they combine baboons with bat features.

Dijiang / Gaki or Preta / Kun Peng / Shen or Chan / Taotie / Terra-Cotta Warrior / Xiao or Hsigo / Xing Tian / Zhenniao

Azure Dragon / Bai Ze / Byakko / Dragon Turtle / Feng Huang / Genbu / Nian / Pixiu / Zheng

==============================================================

POLYNESIAN MYTHOLOGY AND FOLKLORE (Philippines, Indonesia, Melanesian, Malaysian, Solomon Islands and Vietnam)

Terrifying aberrations, the Kurita use their many arms for swift locomotion, grabbing their victims along the way, they can eat and move at the same time without much trouble.

Abaia / Abere / Adaro / Bakunawa / Batibat or Bangungot / Berbalang / Bonguru / Con Rit / Dalaketnon / Jenglot / Kurita / Mambabarang / Nuno / Orang Minyak / Polong / Pua Tu Tahi / Sigbin / Tikbalang / Tiyanak

Ahool / Anggitay / Aswang or Manananggalen / Babi Ngepet / Banaspati / Berberoka / Bungisngis / Gawigawen / Genderuwo / Imoogi or Imugi / Kapre / Pelesit / Sarangay / Siyokoy / Tiburones / Toyol / Veo

==============================================================

AUSTRALIAN MYTHOLOGY, CRYPTIDS AND FOLKLORE (Australian, Aboriginal and New Zealand)

Tiddalik suck up water and spit it at great force at their prey, putting them off balance and turning them into easy prey to swallow. There are also jungle variants of the Tiddalik which shoot with poisonous water and which look like giant mutant poison-arrow frogs, they can climb in trees as well.

Burrunjor / Dheeyabery / Drop Bear / Mokoi / Muldjewangk / Nargun / Papinijuwari / Punga / Taniwha / Whowie / Tiddalik / Wulgaru / Yara-Ma-Yha-Who

Bunyip / Mimi / Minka Bird

==============================================================

FEARSOME CRITTERS (North American Lumberjack Stories, Cryptids)

Argopelters live high up in the treetops where they use their bizarre tentacle-like arms as whips, they also use them to throw wood-splinters which hit their enemies like bullets, often instantly killing their prey.

Argopelter / Cactus Cat / Hidebehind / Hodag

Hoop Snake / Jackalope / Moskitto / Roperite / Splinter Cat / Squonk

==============================================================

LEFTOVERS (Modern Cryptids, Caribbean, Biblical, Himalayan, Dante’s Inferno and Alien Sightings)

Rat Kings are bizarre beasts which appear like a swarm of rats which tails are all tangled together into an impossible situation. These swarms of rats have a single mind and their diseased aura will cause the pest into any creature that lives close by.

Apocalypse Locust / Chupacabra / Death Worm / Gray or Dover Demon / Mad Gasser / Morgawr / Mothman / Ooze / Rat King / Tooth Fairy / Wolpertinger / Zombie

Beelzebub / Behemoth / Bloody Mary / Boo Hag / Cecaelia / Gowrow / Gremlin / Grendel / Guardian Angel / Horseman of Death / Horseman of Famine / Horseman of Pestilence / Horseman of War / Jack-O-Lantern / Jersey Devil / Leraje / Leviathan / Lusca / Poltergeist / Reptilian or Lizardman / Tree Octopus / Tulpa / Yeti or Abominable Snowman

EDIT: While most of my follower probably already know the descriptions underneath the pictures are from my own project Mythika, they aren’t 100% like the real myth. The collected groups are from the real myths. Though I made a much better version here: https://myth-lord.tumblr.com/post/160584821204/creatures-from-around-the-world-2

Get more writing practice and have fun doing it with ~the supplement~

This tutorial contains tips about writing for webcomics, with my caveat that I’m not formally trained in any of this stuff~~ This is all just my personal observations and tips from the past 10 years of putting comics online, but they’ve served me pretty well so far! For some examples of this info applied to my own work, feel free to check out my webcomics at The Meek and Mare Internum.

All of my tutorials are released in lower-res format to the public 6 months after publication at the Shingworks Patreon. You can access the full tutorial archive, as well as nearly 1.5 years worth of bonus content, by becoming a Patron :] I just wrapped up a two part tutorial about building and launching Patreons, good times.

A long ass beginner level tutorial for all of you comic folks who want to start using sketchup for your backgrounds but don’t know how to get started.

How to Write a Kissing Scene in a Romance Novel

How to Write a Kissing Scene… Valentine Edition

How to write a kiss (1)

NaNoWriMo Expert: How To Write a Kiss? and Should You Write Sex?

How to Write a Kissing Scene in 5 Simple Steps

How to write a kiss (2)

Kiss and Tell – How to Write a Kissing Scene.

a) pick a name, any name

b) let’s go with Kevin

c) fuck up a letter, preferably a vowel

- kevan

- kyvin

- kovon

- kevell

- kivoth

d) congratz u have a name

e) he might be called Tim but that might be short for something

- Timmos

- Timotheus

- Timiron (yeah just add “Ron” when in doubt)

- Tiroth

- Timarimos

Congratulations your Tim both has a cute nickname and a full name that sounds vaguely badass, or if not badass long-winded and unnecessary enough to be a Fantasy Name™.

rooms should be messy to some degree, lived in, and should have personality, even a clean persons room shows they lived there

clothes shouldnt look recently bought unless thats part of the story

no space is empty

no part of the body is perfect

quirks show in accessories, what pocket does the phone go in, headphones or earbuds, how are shoes laced

when was an item bought? not every item is going to be up to date and trendy. age things appropriately

skin picking, nail fidgeting, bruises, chapped lips

quality of make up/self care

waistline of pants/shorts/skirts

are nails taken care of? chewed? polished? etc

damage to objects like helmets, phone, jeans

frizzy, loose hairs

SEAMS IN CLOTHES

signs of failed ambitions/projects. did they try to start using a fitness bracelet or keep succulents? 

M-most people don’t t-talk like th-this when they st-stutter from n-nerves.

It’s more…it’s more like going back and…and starting over. Maybe repeating some, some words.

Have a chart I developed for visualizing the disposition of your character! This is partly inspired by a chart I saw of Aristotle’s Golden Mean, which is a system he had for developing good character, but of course, this is more about gauging a character’s traits than bringing them into any kind of balance.

there are different types of bilinguals

the All Around: speaks, reads, and writes both languages pretty well

the Conversational: one language is stronger than the other; can speak the other language a lot better than they read/write it (a lot of kids of immigrants are this type)

the High Schooler: understands what’s being said to them in the other language, can’t really speak it

don’t have your characters randomly drop words from their other language mid-sentence around people who don’t speak it lol

languages are a mindset thing. like personally if i’m around english-speakers, i’m speaking english and i don’t really switch to my other language (which is portuguese)

so like if you’re writing a bilingual character who speaks spanish and have them say something like “hey chad let’s go to the biblioteca” to an english speaker i’ll probably spend 5 minutes laughing and then close your story lmao

exception: the character is speaking in their weaker language and forgot a word (”where are the…? uh… llaves…. keys! keys, where are they?”)

otherwise really the only time your character should be randomly switching languages mid-sentence is if they’re talking to another bilingual

like i don’t speak spanish but i’ve legit never heard a spanish speaker say “ay dios mio” to gringos lmao

conversations between two bilingual people can take a few different forms:

Pick One: they pick one language and kinda stick with it for the whole conversation (a conversation i might have with my portuguese-speaking mom: ”you okay?” “yeah, i’m good. how’re you?” “i’m fine, but your dad-”)

Back-and-Forth: someone says something in one language, the other person replies in the other (”tudo bem?” “yeah, i’m good. how’re you?” “tou bem, mas o seu pai-”)

Combo: they speak a combo of the two languages, a popular example being spanglish, though basically every bilingual has their own combo language (”tudo bem?” “sim, tou bem. how’re you?” “i’m fine, mas o seu pai-”)

me and my cousin (native english speakers) speaking our portuguese/english combo sounds a lot different than my mom and my godmother (native portguese speakers) doing the same thing

the kids of immigrants usually come up with their own unique way of saying things that are different than native speakers

if you’re writing a bilingual family the older kids’ll probably be more bilingual than the younger ones

also, to clarify: bilingual characters might say words in another language on purpose in front of non-speakers

either to fuck with them or just ‘cause the word captures what they’re feeling more (i use “caralho” a lot)– basically the point is that accidental switching is relatively uncommon

i know earlier i said that people will forget words if they’re speaking their weaker language but tbh i do it with my stronger language too so really it works both ways

filler words are weirdly universal

so like while bilingual people don’t usually switch languages around people who aren’t bilingual we’ll throw filler words in

“ele me olhou e, like, eu juro que eu quase deu um soco nele-”

a lot of languages borrow words from english so it’s not too weird to have a random english word in an otherwise non-english conversation (my aunt @ my mom: “lilian você viu meu post no Facebook?”)

also sounds in general are just kind of a language transcending thing

you wanna find out what someone’s first language was?? break one of their bones lol

legit me when i cracked my rib: “AIIIIIII JESUS CHRIST TAKE ME TO THE HOSPITAL”

so if your character gets hurt they might make a sound of pain associated with their native language but will probably still speak in the language of the people they’re surrounded by. probably. it depends on just how much pain they’re in

Cultural Heritage Below the Water Line - OIC Moments