help lol

gryffindor. oversized jumpers; roasting marshmallows over a crackling fire; laughing hysterically while pumpkin carving; the smell of cinnamon and baking; playing in puddles with bright gumboots; hair blowing wildly in the wind; cute beanies with pom poms; warm, rosy cheeks; burning your tongue when you sip a hot drink too quickly; early morning runs; worn, flannel shirts; pretending to be a dragon with clouds of warm breath in the cold air

hufflepuff. long, woollen socks; vanilla-scented candles; a warm blanket over your shoulders; jumping into a pile of autumn leaves; fluffy earmuffs; creamy hot chocolate with whipped cream on top; hanging fairylights everywhere; playing with your pet on a warm rug; thick mittens; a warm bath to relax after a long day; the crunching of leaves underfoot; capturing the image of dancing leaves with a vintage camera

ravenclaw. people-watching through foggy windows in cafés; reading a favourite book by candlelight; long, thick scarves; staying up late to play board games; wandering aimlessly under falling leaves; oversized, knitted cardigans; muted sunlight filtered through autumn leaves; late nights binging on netflix; a chilly wind freezing the tip of your nose; scribbling in notebooks under overcast skies; the natural silence of the woods; the dancing tendrils of steam from a mug of hot tea

this is something that kind of randomly came to me to write. i thought it might be helpful to a few people to share! it took me a little while to learn this, but speech patterns are the most integral part of accurately portraying your character. and if it is an OC, giving them a unique and specific voice is an important factor in making them well rounded and original. here are a few things i have found make the biggest difference in figuring out your muse’s speaking patterns. because you might know a character like the back of your hand, but when you go to have them reply to someone it becomes a STRUGGLE. and sometimes their dialogue can come out bland or feel off. 

first off, it’s an important to remember no one speaks with perfect grammar. it’s a good idea early on to figure out the small nuances of slang and punctuation your muse uses. for example:        “  that ain’t a problem  ”  vs.  “  that isn’t problem  ”          “  i dunno what you’re talkin’ about. ”  vs.  “  i don’t know what you’re talking about.  ”

additionally, does your muse tend to speak in long sentences or short fragments.        “  that ain’t a problem for me or my people.  ”  vs.  “   that ain’t a problem for me. or my people.  ” 

secondly, it is important if your character has an accent, or is multilingual  (  and even if not  )  to figure out how they use contractions and how their accent is integrated into their speech. don’t be afraid to write the word the way it sounds coming from them. a lot of people unaccustomed to speaking english, will say things more formally. a big factor is contractions. how and when do they use: can’t, won’t, don’t, isn’t etc. there is a difference between;          “  sorry, i cannot do that.  ”  vs.  “  sorry, i can’t do that.  ” commonly, when someone is speaking more firmly or are trying to make a point, they will drop contractions.  “  i will not allow this.  ”

the speed and confidence with which someone speaks is also very distinct for each individual. does your muse speak slowly and concisely, or do they tend to speak in rush sentences with a lot of stops and pauses as they try to put their thoughts together? do they have stutters, or words like  “ uh, um, i think, maybe  ”  etc that they insert?           “  i, uh, was hoping, maybe, you might come to dinner - or we could do something else, i don’t know, it’s up to you.  ”            “  i was hoping you might come to dinner. or we could do something else. it’s up to you.  ” 

when your character asks a question, whether literal or rhetorical, it’s important to know what order they place words in and where the inquisitive structure of the sentence is.           “  you got a real gratitude problem, you know that?  ”  vs.  “  you know? you got a real gratitude problem.  ”            “  do you know where we’re going?  ”          “  where are we going, do you know?  ”          “  where are/where’re we going?  ” 

something else rather vital to portrayal, is knowing how someone speaks and reacts when they are angry or excited. does your muse’s voice get lower or higher in pitch? do they speak more loudly, or just more firmly.           “  i don’t want your help!  ”  she yells.  vs.  “  i don’t want your help.  ”  she mutters. 

lastly, really just figuring out what sort of phrases and figures of speech someone uses really helps individualize them. as well as what sort of expressions they use if they are more on the sassy and snarky side what words/phrases do they commonly use to compliment? (  lovely, beautiful, wonderful, great, amazing etc ). with an OC it’s a good idea to pick a few words and have them use them consistently.  what phrases do they use to be sarcastic?  (  “ wow. ”  “ i’m so impressed. ”  “ yeah. i’m practically shakin’ in my boots.  ”  “  sure ya’ did. ”  etc ) .  what do they say if they are surprised or don’t know what to say? if they swear, how often, when, and how do they use it. also which words do they use?  (  “  oh my god!  ”  “  oh, god.  ”  “  holy s––!  ”  “  f––! ”  “ oh, woah.  ”  etc. )