Angel Face

By Writerthreads on Instagram

1) Establish who they are at the beginning

Before anything can change, you need a clear picture of who your character is when the story begins. This includes their flaws, limiting beliefs, fears, and emotional wounds. Are they guarded because of past betrayal? Do they seek validation through success? Create a version of your character that feels believable but incomplete—someone the reader can root for, even if they’re not yet who they need to become.

2) Define what they want vs need

This is the core tension within your character. What they want is usually external and obvious—winning a competition, being accepted, solving a mystery—while what they need is internal, often hidden even from themselves. They might want revenge but truly need healing; they might chase love when they need self-worth. The arc comes from the slow, often painful realization that what they’ve been pursuing doesn’t address their deeper emotional truth.

3) Challenge them

Growth doesn’t happen in comfort zones. Put your character through situations that directly challenge their worldview. Let them make mistakes, lose things that matter, or be forced to face contradictions in their beliefs. Each turning point should push them closer to discomfort—and therefore closer to transformation. The tension between how they see themselves and who they could become is where real development takes place.

4) Show the moment of shift

Eventually, something will happen that forces your character to confront who they are and what they’ve become. This doesn’t have to be one dramatic moment—though it can be—but it should be emotionally honest. Maybe it’s the realization that they’ve been hurting others in the pursuit of a hollow goal, or that vulnerability doesn’t mean weakness. This shift marks the beginning of change, when they start to make different choices not because the plot demands it, but because they’ve truly evolved.

Step 5: Let their ending reflect their growth

By the end of the story, your character should not be the same person they were at the start. They might not be perfect, but they’ve learned something meaningful—and we should see that in how they act, speak, and make decisions. Their arc should feel like the natural consequence of everything they’ve endured, a reflection of internal growth that feels earned, not forced.

The Bear: Richie’s arc (mild spoilers!)

The Bear (before it fell off imo) is a great show that showcases the humanness of its characters and how they interact and grow.

At the start of The Bear, Richie is loud, defensive, and stuck in the past. He clings to tradition and power in a restaurant that’s moving on without him.

He wants respect and purpose but seeks it through authority, not action. What he needs is to let go of ego.

When he’s sent to stage at a fine dining restaurant, Richie’s thrown completely out of his comfort zone, but learns from his peers after being dismissed and humiliated.

In Season 2, Episode 7 Forks, Richie finds joy in polishing cutlery and precision in his service. He lets go of his ego finally.

When he returns to his restaurant, The Bear, he’s more thoughtful, and nurtures his staff without feeling the need to dominate. He hasn’t become someone new—he’s become a better version of himself.

A great character arc doesn’t erase who someone is—it reveals who they were capable of being all along.

Final thoughts

A powerful character arc isn’t just about change—it’s about truth. It’s about peeling back the layers of defense, denial, and doubt until what remains is raw, real, and resonant. The best arcs leave us feeling like we’ve grown alongside the character.

* taps mic * is this thing on ? hi pookies ! it's the week before christmas & today , i'm presenting to you all a list of different occupations for your muses . i've categorized them based on alphabetical order for a neater look & it'll be easier for you all to read / browse through . i hope you find this masterlist helpful !

a like + reblog would be greatly appreciated . happy holidays !

The Character Development Template is a comprehensive tool for creating detailed and well-rounded character profiles, ideal for writers, roleplayers, or anyone exploring character creation. It covers essential details like identity, personality traits, relationships, and background while diving deeper into habits, quirks, and beliefs. Additional sections include alternate universes, scenario-based questions, and a variety of fun, introspective prompts to uncover hidden aspects of your character. The template also provides space to list inspirations from media, historical figures, and quotes, making it a versatile resource for building dynamic, multidimensional characters.

❛  act natural.  ❜ ❛  be careful.  ❜ ❛  but why?  ❜ ❛  calm down.  ❜ ❛  come here.  ❜ ❛  do you?  ❜ ❛  don't ask.  ❜ ❛  don't cry.  ❜ ❛  don't go.  ❜ ❛  don't move.  ❜ ❛  for what?  ❜ ❛  good idea.  ❜ ❛  guess what?  ❜ ❛  hurry up.  ❜ ❛  i forgot.  ❜ ❛  it's nothing.  ❜ ❛  join me.  ❜ ❛  keep quiet.  ❜ ❛  leave it.  ❜ ❛  let's go.  ❜ ❛  not bad.  ❜ ❛  not now.  ❜ ❛  now what?  ❜ ❛  shut up.  ❜ ❛  take care.  ❜ ❛  take this.  ❜ ❛  that's impossible.  ❜ ❛  then when?  ❜ ❛  think quickly.  ❜ ❛  time's up.  ❜ ❛  try me.  ❜ ❛  wake up.  ❜ ❛  watch out!  ❜ ❛  well done.  ❜ ❛  what happened?  ❜ ❛  what now?  ❜ ❛  who knows?  ❜ ❛  why me?  ❜ ❛  your turn.  ❜ ❛  you're wrong.  ❜

○○○  — IMAGE TEMPLATES BY SCINTPABLOS

REQUESTED BY ANONYMOUS. // These are two pretty basic and simple templates that was requested so here ya go. If you guys want a more specific amount of boxes or whatever, I don’t mind making more. Just let me know. These are super easy to use — you just need to be utilize clipping masks. The psd used in the preview is my personal psd but the doodles aren’t mine, you can find them here by @louistrps​. All I ask is that you don’t redistribute/claim as your own or use this as a base without my permission. Like/reblog if using!

another week , another gift ! today i'm sharing a list of secrets that i've compiled over the years of being in the rpc .

under the cut , there are 70+ secrets that i have individually grouped into different categories to make it easier for you to browse through the extensive list . although not all of them focus on dark & mature topics , keep in mind that a handful of these still have certain trigger warnings so please proceed with caution . hopefully you find this masterlist helpful .

a like and reblog would be greatly appreciated ! enjoy ♡

THE GRAM . PSD

[ snoop dog vc ] greetings luvd 1s . for the end of march i present to you a template inspired by the most recent instagram update ! i wanted to make one ever since they switched the feed from square photos to rectangle ones so here we are :] everything is colour coded so that beginner photoshop users can easily edit this template ; just make sure you know how to use clipping masks & you have the font ' poppins ' downloaded . if you have any queries or feedback , don't hesitate to send me an ask , & as always , a like + reblog would be greatly appreciated ♡

greetings , loved ones ! recently , i've noticed some roleplay groups adding a most likely to... in their applications & decided to make a masterlist of superlatives in hopes to give you all some inspiration when filling in an app form . the under the cut , you'll find 50+ character superlatives that can help with the development of your muses . i hope you find this list helpful !

as always , a like + reblog would be greatly appreciated .

Make a fake conspiracy board connecting every character like you're solving a murder. Use string, post-its, color-coded chaos. Even if your book isn’t a thriller, this helps you spot secret relationships, hidden motivations, and “oh crap, this character actually caused that moment three chapters later” reveals.

Write a therapy session transcript for your protagonist. What would they say to a stranger? What wouldn’t they say? What does the therapist pick up on that they don’t? (Also: gives you instant internal conflict fuel.)

Record a fake podcast episode where your villain is a guest. The topic? “Why I Was Right and Everyone Else Is Just Soft.” Let them monologue. Let them get unhinged. You’ll learn so much about their worldview and how they justify their chaos.

Assign zodiac signs to all your main characters and write how they’d react to a haunted house. Not because astrology is the answer—but because forcing your brain to imagine characters in weird situations unlocks surprising truths. (Your Scorpio would definitely flirt with the ghost. Your Virgo brought sage.)

Write the worst possible ending to your story on purpose. Like, make it hilariously bad. Deus ex machina, everyone dies, aliens show up—it doesn’t matter. Sometimes mocking your plot actually helps you figure out what doesn’t work so you can reverse-engineer what does.

Do a “what if this happened instead?” daydream session in the shower or on a walk. No pressure. Just free-thinking. Let your brain go off-road. You might stumble into a better twist, or a softer moment, or a scene that guts you in the best way.

Write the one scene you’re most excited about—now. Even if you “haven’t earned it” yet in the draft. Screw linear order. Give yourself a jolt of joy. That scene might be the key to unlocking everything else.

Make your characters write Yelp reviews about each other. “One star. Always steals my fries. Would still die for him.” This is ridiculous, yes. But it will reveal interpersonal tension you didn’t know was there.

Tell your plot to someone who knows nothing about it—and see where they get confused. Your roommate. Your cat. Your reflection. If you can’t explain it out loud in 2 minutes, it’s probably too complicated. Simplify the heart of the story. Get clear again.

under the cut, you’ll find a total of 102 hobbies your character could have. if you find this post useful, please consider giving it a like / reblog ♡♡ happy writing!

i collected a couple of plot ideas from some of the movies i thought had interesting stories or characters that i hope can help you with your applications / character connections. please note that a lot of these are, by no means, the actual plots of the films and are only inspired by them. i’ve taken the liberty of making a couple of edits for them to be ‘plotless town rp-friendly’. also, i would’ve separated them by category (platonic, romantic, familial, etc.) but tbh a lot of these can be taken in any way so feel free to put your own spin on them, too, or even make combinations!

trigger warnings: nothing too specific, but there are light mentions of death, road accident, infidelity, illness, injury, drug addiction.

now, without further ado:

Love at First Sight

Soulmates

Slow Burn Romance

Unrequited Love

Forbidden Love

Opposites Attract

Friends to Lovers

Enemies to Lovers

Second Chance Romance

Age-Gap Romance

Fake Relationship

Arranged Marriage

Love Triangle

Long-Distance Romance

Celebrity/Fan Romance

Time-Travel Romance

Amnesia Romance

Childhood Sweethearts Reunited

━━━ .°˖✧ romance tropes ⋆˙⊹

𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝐼 𝑎𝑚 𝑔𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑡 𝑎 𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑢𝑛𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑠. 𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑡 𝑑𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑝𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑒, 𝑜𝑟 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑝𝑓𝑢𝑙 𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑢𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑜𝑐𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑒.

╰₊✧ ﾟOTHER LINKS . ྀི ⊹ masterlist | taglist | my library

| prompt help | symbol packs | dividers

˖⁺ ⊹୨ forbidden romance ୧⊹ ⁺˖ ━━ when a character cannot openly be in a relationship with someone for some reason ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

˖⁺ ⊹୨ enemies to lovers ୧⊹ ⁺˖ ━━ when two characters are enemies / in violent opposition to each other in the beginning but gradually end up in love ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

˖⁺ ⊹୨ friends to lovers ୧⊹ ⁺˖ ━━ when two characters are friends first, but end up falling in love with each other ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

˖⁺ ⊹୨ dark/taboo tropes ୧⊹ ⁺˖ ━━ romance between two people that is considered inappropriate or wrong/not acceptable in society ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

˖⁺ ⊹୨ opposites attract ୧⊹ ⁺˖ ━━ when two characters are drastically different people/opposite personalities but still somehow love each other ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

˖⁺ ⊹୨ unrequited love ୧⊹ ⁺˖ ━━ when a character loves someone who is unattainable for some reason. one sided love. ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

˖⁺ ⊹୨ fake relationship ୧⊹ ⁺˖ ━━ when two characters feel no romantic feelings for one another but are forced to be together. in some cases, they eventually fall in love. ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

˖⁺ ⊹୨ fish out of water ୧⊹ ⁺˖ ━━ when a character is in an unfamiliar environment and has to adapt. think city girl on a farm. ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

˖⁺ ⊹୨ soul mates au ୧⊹ ⁺˖ ━━ when two characters are meant to be together from birth, destiny, or soul ties. ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

˖⁺ ⊹୨ oblivious to love ୧⊹ ⁺˖ ━━ when a character is clueless about their own romantic feelings towards someone else ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

˖⁺ ⊹୨ reverse harem ୧⊹ ⁺˖ ━━ consists of one female protagonist and three or more male love interests. although I have heard varying definitions. ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

˖⁺ ⊹୨ secret identity ୧⊹ ⁺˖ ━━ when two characters are in love but one is not being truthful with who they really are/they’re hiding something from their love interest (like spiderman) ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

˖⁺ ⊹୨ love triangle ୧⊹ ⁺˖ ━━ when two characters are in love, but a third party loves one of the characters as well. or, one character is confused between two people who they love (edward x bella x jacob, stefan x elena x damon) ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

━━━ .°˖✧ 𝑻𝑹𝑶𝑷𝑬𝑺 𝑻𝑯𝑨𝑻 𝑵𝑬𝑬𝑫 𝑵𝑶 𝑬𝑿𝑷𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑨𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵 ⋆˙⊹ 𝑡𝘩𝑒𝑠𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑠 𝑡𝘩𝑎𝑡 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇-𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚. 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑗𝑓 𝑖 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑢𝑝 𝑤𝑖𝑡𝘩 𝑠𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑜𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡𝘩𝑒𝑚 𝑖𝑡 𝑤𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑏𝑒 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑝𝑙𝑒, 𝑠𝑜 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏. . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ .݁

˖⁺ ⊹୨ marriage ୧⊹ ⁺˖ ━━ when a character is forced to marry another for some reason (arranged marriage) ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

˖⁺ ⊹୨ dark past ୧⊹ ⁺˖ ━━ when a character has trauma or pain because of their past, and their love interest helps them heal. ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

˖⁺ ⊹୨ amnesia / memory loss ୧⊹ ⁺˖ ━━ when a character loses their memory and has to regain their love and memories for another. ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

˖⁺ ⊹୨ alpha hero ୧⊹ ⁺˖ ━━ when a male character is overprotective, bossy, jealous, possessive, and have great sexual appeal. think bad boy, biker, ceo fanfics. This can also be military men, superhero’s, men in leadership. a vague category. ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

˖⁺ ⊹୨ one bed trope ୧⊹ ⁺˖ ━━ when two characters are forced to share a bed 👅 you should know this one ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

˖⁺ ⊹୨ forced proximity ୧⊹ ⁺˖ ━━ when two characters are forced into small spaces together or forced to be together in the same room. ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

˖⁺ ⊹୨ beauty and the beast ୧⊹ ⁺˖ ━━ when a typically male character is capable of great rage and destructive, sometimes a literal monster, but the fem character loves them beyond their looks and sees the good in them. doesn’t have to be a literal monster. ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

˖⁺ ⊹୨ in peril tropes ୧⊹ ⁺˖ ━━ when a character is in some sort of crisis and has to be saved by love interest. ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

˖⁺ ⊹୨ job related tropes ୧⊹ ⁺˖ ━━ when a character is attracted to someone because of their job, or their romance happens at work/ a specific location (corrupt priest, military man, construction worker). can be taboo. ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

˖⁺ ⊹୨ time travel ୧⊹ ⁺˖ ━━ when a character travels back or forward in time and falls in love with someone from that time period. ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

authors note: I am going to be making posts describing each trope individually as well as sub-genres and examples of that trope. I had something similar to this in my notes for my stories and decided to share. there are a lot of tropes out there, so feel free to comment other ones. remember you are loved and important <3