-For The Writers-

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°˖➴ SHOW THE EVIDENCE, not the time!! don't say "three months later" and have everything exactly the same. Show the evidence: the houseplant is dead now, there's a new coffee shop, their hair is longer, the season changed, the relationship shifted

°˖➴ People don't pause their lives!! during your time skip, other characters didn't freeze. They got new jobs, started dating someone, developed opinions, had experiences. When we come back, there should be GAPS in what your POV character knows

°˖➴ Anchor it with a CONCRETE detail!! "The last time she'd been in this room, there'd been snow on the ground. Now the garden outside was screaming with roses." Give the reader something tangible to mark the passage

°˖➴ What DIDN'T happen is interesting!! "Six weeks and still no word from him" or "Another year of birthday candles she didn't make wishes on" sometimes the time skip is defined by absence and waiting

°˖➴ Compress boring stuff, expand important stuff!! "The trial took three months" can be one sentence. But the five minutes after the verdict? That might be three pages. TIME IS ELASTIC in fiction, use it!!!

Intimacy isn't always just the spicy stuff! Here's a few ways to show it through your characters in a few, simple ways...

Kissing their S/O's hand, knuckles, wrist...bonus points for eye contact!

Speaking of which...eyes. Glances across the room, prolonged eye contact, staring at each other

Tending to the other's wounds/ injuries

Knowing the other's tiny habits

Reaching out to the other when in pain, trouble, ect

Whispering jokes to each other

Carefully wiping off a stain from their clothes or face

Taking care of each other when sick or hurt

Hand over the heart/ ear over the heart just to hear it beat

Pressing their thumb over the pulse point for the same thing

Tracing scars, tattoos, birth marks, freckles

Giving the other something tiny that means a lot, a picture, a shiny rock, a flower

In fantasy settings, helping the other put on/ take off armor...trusting the other to know where daggers, knives, poisons are hidden

Telling each other secrets/ thoughts they've told nobody before

Tucking back the other's hair

Putting a piece of jewelry on the other or letting them borrow clothes

Keeping each other warm in the cold

In cases with chronic illness, letting the other care for/ know symptoms

Brushing, braiding hair, applying skincare, etc.

Nightmare comfort

Wiping away tears

Proximity- sitting near each other, sticking close, standing beside each other while doing a task such as cooking, laundry, painting...

Write it badly or it'll never be written

Write it badly or it'll never be written

Write it badly or it'll never be written

Write it badly or it'll never be written

When character is angry:

Snapped

Spat

Snarled

Hissed

Barked

...or sad:

Choked

Mumbled

Managed

Croaked

Murmured

...or if they're feeling nervous:

Stammered

Babbled

Rambled

Muttered

Squeaked

...and even when flirting:

Coaxed

Purred

Teased

Hummed

When you’re stumped and you don’t know what’s not working for your writing, or you don’t know where to go next, take out a rubber duck (or any equivalent friend/inanimate object, I like to use my dogs) and start explaining every single detail as if the rubber duck knows nothing about writing or about your story. Explain out loud what’s going on, what part you’re up to, why you’re stumped, and what you know you need to get to when you figure out how to get there

“It was my job, my duty and gift, to provide for her, and I wouldn’t let her down. She’d been through enough—she deserved only the best things. She deserved everything.” - Guardian

“Any good feeling I can give you, I want you to take it from me.” -Guardian

“I’m here, I’ll always be here precious.”-Guardian

“All I know is that I have to be near her. I have to know what she’s doing at all times. Her life from this moment on will never be the same. She’ll never walk alone again. I’ll be her shadow, and in the night, I’ll be her dark. I’ll consume her so she never knows loneliness again.” -Creed Blackstone

“She is my morning, noon, and night. My rainbow and my shooting star. She is all I’ve wanted for so long, and now I've had her, and I just want her more. I want her mind, body, and soul. I want her heart.” -Atlas Hart

“I’ll always take care of you. I’m going to embed myself so far under your skin, you’ll die if you ever try to cut me out.” - Grayson Maxwell

“We were made to be together. Everything about this feels right. She doesn’t know it yet, but I’m going to make her my wife. My partner. The goddamned mother of my children. She was always mine…I just hadn’t found her yet. - Grayson Maxwell

“I don’t think you’re nothing” -Maddox

“We don’t have to do anything until you are ready and you don’t have to love me back either. But im telling you right here, right now, that I love you and will always love you and that I will wait forever for you.” -Grayson Hays

“Your scars are as beautiful as you, they show what you’ve been through and show how strong you are to have overcome it and be here, with me. So I kiss them because it reminds me how strong you are everyday. And it reminds me how grateful I am that you are here with me.” -Landon Carter

“You are not the kind of women a man loves once and then walks away from.” -Cal Calix

“You have my word; she’ll never experience a second of pain for the rest of her life. If she does, I’ll torture the world and everyone it, bring them to their knees so she can take her revenge.” - Carmine Milazzo

“I’m afraid I have to admit I might love her to an extreme. A catastrophic extreme could hurt many people if they ever got in my way.” - Carmine Milazzo

“I can’t wait to go home and show you off. To tell everyone I found the love of my life.” -Dimitri Moon

“Are you what beautiful is?” - Elias Ainsworth

“No need to worry. I made it clear I’ll take care of you.” -King Lionheart

“Know this, I don’t need any other women. The only woman I desire is you and only you.” -King Lionheart

“Foolish girl. Your life was offered up to me and it is mine. It is my property. Do not presume to dare take it away from me.” -King Lionheart

“However, I was able to choose you. Your very existence is truly a blessing to me.” -King Lionheart

“I know of no woman who is more beautiful than you. When I look upon you, each and every single one of your features, they are just as beautiful as the heavenly realm to me.” -King Lionheart

“I want you. I want you to be here. I want to be with you. I don’t want anyone else.” -Lord Kiyoka Kudo

“It’s okay to tell me how you really feel, know that I’m going to be there for you. Don’t think that it’s selfish. You can tell me anything. I’ll listen to all of it. Don’t feel bad for seeking comfort.” -Lord Kiyoka Kudo

“This past year has been a good one because it’s the year I met you.” -Lord Kiyoka Kudo

‘I am completely worthless when I am without you.’ - Lord Kiyoka Kudo

“If something is upsetting you, it’s not silly.” - Kole

“I may not know what happened in your past, but I hope you’ll trust me enough to tell me. I promise you that whatever happened to you is in your past, I won’t let it happen to you here. I promise to help and protect you” - Noah

“Her smile, and oh how that smile lifts my lonely soul. I’m going to do my best to see it every. single. day.” -Dan

‘she turns away from me, hoping I won’t notice but I do. I notice everything about her.’ -Dan

“Thank you for trusting me with that. Here, in the safety of this house, shed the layers you use to protect yourself. I want as much of the real you as I can get.” -Fox Alderidge

‘I will take the burden of her demons and be enough to hold us both up.’ -Fox Alderidge

“You’re safe, mishka. No one can hurt you while I’m here. No one scares you and gets away without punishment.” - Pavel ‘Pasha’ Morozov

“You are the purest thing I’ve ever touched in my life, and I will never, ever hurt you.” -Pavel ‘Pasha’ Morozov

“There are so many things I wished I had in my life, but nothing compares to having her be mine. As long as I have her, I don’t need anything else.” -Pavel ‘Pasha’ Morozov

‘what is love to you Pasha?’ “The feeling of never being close enough. I have the need to somehow absorb you into my chest, so you’ll always be with me. Safe from harm. Only mine. Forever.” -Pavel ‘Pasha’ Morozov

“I hope she knows regardless of whatever game we have going on between us, that she’s safe with me.”- Rhett Baxter III

‘Who are you?’ “I’m hers.”-Rhett Baxter III

“Thank you. If you wouldn’t have fucked her over, I would have missed out on the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” - Rhett Baxter III

‘Her?’ “Her.” -Rhett Baxter III

“She’s beautifully happy, and I vow to do everything in my power to keep her that way.” - Rhett Baxter III

“I live by the philosophy that I tell her and show her how much she means to me every day.” Rhett Baxter III

“I can’t promise much of anything other than the fact that I will love you until my dying breath and I’m sure long after that.” -Mikhail

“You are mine to love and nothing will change that. I promise to treat you like the queen you are. Please, I’m begging you to trust me or to at least try.” -Kane

“I am completely yours. I will never belong to anyone else.” -Kieran

“I don’t know how long it will take you to understand, but I will say it over and over again until you understand. I love you. Everything about you. Your past doesn’t define you. The events of your life don’t dictate your future. I’ll always be here for you, and I will never leave you.” - Mace

“I don’t care. Let them stare. I’m not ashamed to show them my love for you.” -Shane

“You are my addiction. Those beautiful lips of yours will be the death of me.” -Sebastian

“No thanks necessary, cher. just giving you everything you should’ve had all along.” - Rune Fontaine

“It’s keeping you safe, love. You never have to thank any of us for doing that.” -Kylian Sutton

“You escaped an abusive relationship, and you were afraid. What you didn’t need were three guys making demands on you. What you needed was time—and space—to heal and feel safe. We wanted to give that to you.” -Cian

⭒ "Stop apologizing for taking up space you were literally invited into."

⭒ "You're not 'too much.' You're just around people who prefer you at half-capacity."

⭒ "How many versions of yourself have you buried trying to be easier to love?"

⭒ "You keep calling it compromise, but you're the only one getting smaller."

⭒ "When did you start treating your own needs like they're optional?"

⭒ "You say you don't mind, but your face says you've been minding for months."

⭒ "At what point does being understanding turn into being a doormat?"

⭒ "You're allowed to be angry. Stop repackaging it as disappointment."

⭒ "You don't sound grateful. You sound like you've forgotten you're allowed to want things."

⭒ "How long have you been pretending your boundaries are suggestions?"

⭒ "You keep saying yes when your whole body is screaming no."

⭒ "Stop acting like having standards makes you difficult."

⭒ "You're not keeping the peace. You're just swallowing your anger until it rots."

⭒ "When was the last time you asked for something without apologizing for asking?"

⭒ "You don't have to earn the right to be treated well."

⭒ "You keep shrinking yourself and then wondering why nobody sees you."

⭒ "Being low-maintenance shouldn't mean you get nothing."

⭒ "You're not being selfless. You're being self-erasing."

⭒ "Stop calling it patience when what you mean is silence."

⭒ "You act like wanting respect is the same as being demanding."

⭒ "How many times are you going to forgive something you never said was okay?"

⭒ "You're not avoiding conflict. You're just having it alone in your head instead."

⭒ "Stop making yourself digestible for people who are never going to appreciate the meal."

⭒ "You keep waiting for someone to notice you're drowning instead of just saying you can't swim."

⭒ "Being kind to everyone else doesn't count if you're cruel to yourself."

“I'm not jealous! I just… It just bothers me that… Holy shit. I'm jealous.”

“Why do I even care? It's not my life!”

“Oh.” Oh.

“Fuck. That wasn't part of the plan.”

“I never meant to develop feelings, but… I think I did.”

“You're like a virus I can't get rid off, and I think lately the infection has reached my heart.”

“Oh, I'm an idiot.”

“You make me happy like no one else. I'm not sure what exactly that means yet, but… I know it means something.”

“I care, that's all. We're friends; friends care. That's all this is…”

“We're more than just friends, aren't we?”

“I think… Maybe, I knew all along, and was just too afraid to admit it to myself.”

“This was never just friendship.”

“I can't keep pretending anymore.”

“How much longer can I tell myself this isn't what it looks like to everyone else?”

“Ah, shit. That explains all the dreams.”

“How did you realize I had feelings for you before I did??”

COMFORTING after experiencing something stressful or traumatic, pressing your head into their chest, whispering quiet reassurances, rubbing your back, giving soft forehead kisses.

UNSURE when the last meeting is a while back and neither is sure how they stand, barely touching and pulling away quickly, checking each other's expression, smiling nervously, and when they part ways again making it up with a long, deep hug.

RELIEVED after being separated for a while, hitting each other hard because neither slowed down, "there you are...", arms pulling each other close, burying their nose in your hair, only pulling away to cup your face and check on you.

ANXIOUS in a moment of great stress, shaking hands being steadied against them, burying face in their chest, guiding you through breathing exercises, them not pulling away until you're ready.

RELUCTANTLY before they part ways, not willing to let go, staining their top with tears, sniffling into their ear, "promise you'll be okay", fingers lingering even after ending the embrace.

THREATENING while trying to hide the danger they pose from others, their arms pinning yours to your torso, the hug tightening painfully, air being pressed from your lungs, them hissing a quiet threat to your ear, letting go real slow to make sure you'll behave and won't retaliate in front of witnesses.

kisses down to a routine: every morning at the breakfast table and every night slipping off to bed

dancing to radio music and booing at the ad breaks

running up the stairs to avoid getting their ass slapped / poked

competetive board game nights

helping them undress before the shower when drunk

breakfast in bed (and deciding never to do it again because of the clean up effort)

having to fight for their place on the couch with their pet

gossiping with tea and feet up on the windowsill

running them a bath in winter

rainy nights spent by the fireplace

sitting together and each pursuing their own respective hobby

making diy decor together

binge watching their favorite shows together like it’s the superbowl

falling asleep on the couch

1. Strip Away Their Last Defense

A breakdown only lands if the character has nothing left to protect themselves with. Take away the coping mechanism they’ve relied on — their pride, their control, their relationships, their denial, or their hope.

The breakdown isn’t caused by pain. It’s caused by the loss of what kept them standing in that pain.

2. Make the Trigger Small but Devastating

The moment that breaks them should often be quiet, personal, and specific, not just the biggest explosion. A single line of dialogue, a realization, or a tiny betrayal can hurt more than the obvious disaster.

3. Let Them Resist the Fall

Don’t drop them instantly into collapse. Let them try to hold it together first. That resistance creates tension and makes the fall feel earned and painful.

4. Show the Internal Shatter Before the External One

Start with the internal fracture — the belief that dies, the truth they can’t ignore, the hope that finally gives out — then let the external breakdown follow.

5. Let the Breakdown Change Them

A real breaking point permanently alters the character. After this moment, they don’t return to who they were before — even if they heal.

✦ Sensory Cheat Sheet for Writing Breakdowns

Use 2–3 of these at most so the scene stays sharp and not overloaded.

Physical Sensations

Chest feels tight, hollow, or painfully heavy

Hands shaking, numb, or clenched too hard

Throat burning, closing, or unable to form words

Sudden weakness in knees or limbs

Feeling too hot or too cold all at once

Emotional Sensations

Sudden exhaustion rather than loud sadness

A sense of “what’s the point anymore?”

Feeling disconnected from their body or surroundings

A sharp wave of shame, guilt, or self-loathing

Emotional numbness replacing intensity

Mental Experience

Thoughts looping uncontrollably

A single devastating realization repeating in their mind

Trouble focusing on anything except the pain

Feeling like time has slowed or stopped

A sense of being very small, trapped, or exposed

Behavioral Tells

Going silent instead of crying

Laughing at the wrong moment

Snapping at someone who doesn’t deserve it

Making a reckless or self-destructive choice

Withdrawing completely from others

Environmental Mirroring (Optional but powerful)

A room that feels too quiet, too loud, or too small

Harsh lighting or deep shadows

Weather that contrasts their emotion (sunny during despair, storm during numbness)

A comforting object that now feels meaningless

✦ Final Tip

A breakdown isn’t about how dramatic the moment is — it’s about how personally devastating it is for that specific character. The more tailored the pain is to their fears, flaws, and desires, the harder it hits the reader.

"stop talking like that, you're going to be fine"

"is that your blood...?"

"stop it, you're hurting them!"

"why didn't you tell me you were in pain?"

"(name)? (name), this isn't funny. please, answer me"

"shit, that's a lot of blood"

"hey, look at me. you're going to be ok"

"don't touch them!"

"you killed them! it was all you!"

"i'm sorry. i can- i can't do this anymore"

"oh, i'm sorry, does this hurt?"

"oh god, you're bleeding"

"that looks broken"

"open your eyes, (name)! open your goddamn eyes!"

"stop saying you're fine, you clearly aren't"

"this is gonna hurt, ok?"

"i came as soon as i heard"

"what... what happened...?"

"god, don't scare me like that"

"where does it hurt?" - "everywhere..."

"you look..." - "awful?" - "broken is one way to put it"

"i can still hear him/her screaming sometimes, you know?"

"you are not dying today, you hear me?"

"just a little longer, you're doing so well"

"wake up! please, just wake up..."

"just breathe.... breathe..."

"why is there a knife in his/her chest? it-it's just a prank, right? it's just-"

"(name), i can't see anything, i'm scared."

"lean on me, yeah?"

"get away from me"

"someone, get help! get help, now!"

"i'm so sorry i wasn't there to protect you"

"he/she's already become cold... you're too late"

"remember me, will you?"

"it hurts so much..."

"he/she's too young to die!"

"why the hell would you stab them? now you've killed them"

"did you get shot?"

"it was too much blood, too quickly... i'm sorry..."

"please be ok..."

"it'll all be over soon, i promise"

"why did you have to be the hero, goddamit!"

"i-i did this...?"

"oh my god, did you break your leg?"

"you re-opened your wound, didn't you?"

For romance, rivalry, found family and other relationships in your writing.

Dynamic / Type (Pick 1)

Friends to lovers

Strangers to allies

Rivals to reluctant partners

Enemies to lovers

Mentor / student

Protector / protected

One-sided devotion or unrequited love

Found family

Ex-lovers

Codependent

Toxic

Power Balance (Pick 1)

Equal

Unequal (status, strength, knowledge)

Shifting (changes with circumstance)

Hidden (one holds unseen leverage)

Illusory (seems equal, isn’t, may involve gaslighting)

Reversed over time

Source of Tension (Pick 1-2)

Miscommunication

Secrets

Fear of loss

Fear of change

Timing

Outside pressure (family, duty, war, society)

Moral disagreement

Unequal commitment

How They Fight (Pick as many)

Silence

Arguments that never finish

Avoidance

Explosive confrontations

Passive aggression

One apologises, the other refuses

Violence and/or misdirected anger

What Makes Them Change (Optional)

A choice

A sacrifice

A betrayal

A confession

A loss

Being forced to rely on each other

Fear doesn’t always scream.

Sometimes it whispers, hides, or slips out in the smallest gestures. If your character can’t or won’t admit what terrifies them, here are 20 ways to show it between the lines.

Laughing at the wrong moment because they don’t know what else to do.

Holding their breath without realising it.

Asking the same question two, three or even four times needing reassurance.

Keeping their back to the wall in crowded rooms.

Jumping at sounds they’d usually ignore.

Avoiding eye contact so no one sees the truth.

Touching an object or necklace like it’s grounding them.

Speaking in short, clipped sentences.

Checking exits as soon as they enter a room.

Fidgeting until they physically force their hands still.

Acting overly calm: too still, too controlled, to the point that one wrong movement will send them flying.

Freezing before they react, even for just a heartbeat.

Walking faster without being fully aware of it.

Laughing something off but their eyes stay wide.

Flinching when someone raises a hand too quickly.

Asking someone to stay "just in case."

Avoiding certain places without giving a real reason.

Rehearsing what they’re going to say before speaking.

Keeping their phone in hand like a lifeline.

Inability to sleep; waking at the slightest noise.

Your characters don't need to own up being afraid, but fear can be shown as a powerful driving force for each action your character takes.

☽  burying face in lover's chest when the sun hits their face

☽  sleepy mumbles that their lover asks them to repeat because they don't understand, until both break into giggles

☽  the scent of coffee steadily approaching as their lovers brings their mug to bed

☽  “ssh… go back to sleep.”

☽  seeing snow falling out the window and curling deeper into the blankets with a soft smile, looking forward to the snowball fight they will surely have

☽  groaning as their head hurts from a night out. make up is smeared on the pillow, lipstick on their partner, clubbing outfits still half on, and a bucket on their bedside in smart foresight

☽  staying in bed way longer than usual on their day off, with intertwined legs and arms

☽  waking to birds chirping and breakfast in bed. "this is some disney movie shit," they mumble as they eat freshly cut fruit