Personal Archive Of Helpful(?) Posts

✧ Broken ribs suck. You don’t just “walk it off.” Breathing hurts. Laughing hurts. Existing hurts. Characters with rib injuries won’t be doing heroic sprints.

✧ Concussions aren’t instant naps. Dazed vision, nausea, dizziness, maybe even personality changes, but they’re not going to collapse neatly like in the movies.

✧ Blood loss is sneaky. It’s not just about dramatic pools of blood. It’s dizziness, confusion, and the body getting cold as circulation tanks.

✧ Adrenaline lies. Someone can take a serious injury and not feel it until the fight’s over. That “I didn’t realize I was bleeding until later” trope? Very real.

✧ Twisted ankles are brutal. One bad step and suddenly running is off the table. Even walking hurts like hell. Perfect way to ground a chase scene.

✧ Burns linger. Even small burns hurt more than most people expect. Blisters, infection risk, constant pain, it’s not just a cool scar later.

✧ Dislocated shoulders = useless arm. Characters can’t keep swinging a sword or firing a gun. They’re basically fighting one-armed until it’s fixed.

✧ Shock is a thing. Pale skin, trembling, rapid heartbeat, and eventually disorientation. A character might not even realize how bad their wound is.

✧ Stitches aren’t magic. Getting sewn up is painful and recovery takes time. They’re not instantly battle-ready after a needle and thread.

⊹ standing too close. like just barely not touching. why are their shoulders breathing on each other??

⊹ conversations that sound normal but feel like foreplay. “pass the salt” has never been so loaded.

⊹ one of them says something flirty and the other freezes for 0.2 seconds like “oh.”

⊹ eyes dropping to lips and then—back up. with effort.

⊹ holding eye contact just a little too long. like... are they gonna kiss or duel??

⊹ unintentional physical contact that lasts one second too long and now they’re both broken

⊹ a hand on the small of the back. that’s it. that’s the tweet.

⊹ tension so thick that other characters start noticing like “hey are you two okay?” (they are not)

⊹ “accidental” sleepovers. “oh no there’s only one bed.” yeah. suuuure.

⊹ biting back a smile. biting back a moan. biting anything really.

⊹ one of them walks away and the other has to physically restrain themselves from watching the hips

✧ "because leaving first hurts less than waiting to be left."

✧ "because people don’t stay. they never do."

✧ "because if you knew the real me, you wouldn’t even be asking."

✧ "habit, i guess."

✧ "because I’m scared you’ll figure out I’m not worth staying for."

✧ "do we really have to do the therapy talk right now?"

✧ "it’s just easier this way. less mess. fewer pieces to clean up."

✧ "i don’t push people away. they just get tired of reaching."

✧ "because i like being in control of who leaves me."

✧ "i don't know. trauma? probably trauma."

✧ "because being close means being seen and i’d rather be invisible than disappointed."

✧ "some people are born to be held. i think i was born to be temporary."

✧ "oh. so you noticed that, huh?"

✧ "because i learned early on not to trust the good things."

✧ "what kind of answer are you looking for? the poetic kind or the ugly truth?"

✧ "i don’t know how to let people care about me without feeling like i owe them something."

✧ "because it’s safer when no one knows where the soft spots are."

✧ "people leave either way. might as well speed it up."

✧ “You don’t get to hurt me and then act confused when I don’t trust you anymore.”

✧ “Say it. Say it out loud. Say exactly what you did so you can hear how f*cked up it sounds.”

✧ “Stop acting like I’m the villain for reacting to the sh*t you did.”

✧ “You lied to my face, and you’re still looking at me like I’m the one who owes you something.”

✧ “I begged you not to break me. And you did it anyway.”

✧ “You keep saying you ‘did your best.’ Your best nearly destroyed me.”

✧ “I would’ve forgiven you. You didn’t even ask.”

✧ “Every time I think of you, it feels like rot in my throat.”

✧ “You want to talk? Fine. Let’s talk about how you abandoned me the second it got inconvenient.”

✧ “I’m not angry anymore. That would mean I still cared enough to be hurt. Now? I’m just done.”

✧ “You always show up when it’s too late and expect me to be the same person who waited."

✧ “You don’t get to miss me. You threw me away. You don’t miss trash.”

✧ “I kept waiting for the version of you who said you loved me to show back up. He never did.”

✧ “You broke my heart and then asked me to help you clean up the mess. That’s not love. That’s manipulation.”

↳ What lie do they tell themselves to sleep at night? Seriously. What’s the little piece of denial that keeps them functioning? Do they pretend they don’t care what people think? Tell themselves they’re over that one person? Convinced they’re not the villain of someone else’s story? We all lie to ourselves; your OC is no exception.

↳ What’s their emotional kryptonite? A specific thing that absolutely shatters them, like someone crying? Being ignored? Praise from a parent figure? The sound of an old song? The smell of something nostalgic? Find it and use it against them (lovingly, of course).

↳ When do they feel the most alive? Is it mid-battle, mid-baking, mid-breakup? Does adrenaline light them up, or do they find joy in the quiet, mundane things, like folding laundry while listening to sad girl music? This can reveal a LOT about what drives them.

↳ What would totally ruin their day? A bad haircut? Someone touching their stuff? Or is it something deeper, like being reminded of their failures, or seeing someone else succeed where they couldn’t?

↳ Who do they think they should be? And who are they really? This one’s juicy. Do they think they should be a hero, but keep acting like a villain?

↳ What’s the one thing they’d never admit out loud, even under duress? The shameful thought. The inappropriate desire. The thing they desperately want but don’t think they deserve. DONT FORGET: Characters are built on what they repress.

↳ What are they petty about? Don’t pretend your OC is above this, I mean everyone’s petty about something. Do they hold grudges over stolen pens? Get irrationally jealous of someone’s hair? Still mad about a game of Uno from 2007? Petty makes them fucking real.

↳ How do they act when they think no one’s watching? Do they let their mask slip? Dance around the kitchen? Talk to their cat in baby voice? Cry a little?

↳ What would make them snap? Where is the breaking point? What line has to be crossed for them to finally say “Enough”? Is it injustice? Betrayal? Feeling powerless? You’ll know you’ve found it when it scares you a little (Or a lot).

The question is: are they becoming actual friends or is it more like enemies with benefits?

Enemies to Friends with Benefits

Text Prompts

One minute ago they were fighting for real, next minute they were wrestling on a nice and comfy bed.

They called it friends with benefits or fuck buddies, but they were definitely still neither friends nor buddies.

Once was an accident, but that accident just kept on happening.

They would have to end it eventually, but in the meantime they could have a little fun.

Meeting your enemy for a little tryst should feel wrong, but it surprised them how exciting and just right it felt.

They knew what would happen if people found out about this, but it was too tempting not to try it once and too good to stop afterwards.

Dialogue Prompts

"This does not mean I like you. I just like to have fun."

"Don't even think about falling asleep. I'm kicking you out as soon as we're done here."

"I need someone to scratch an itch, and I hate to admit it, but you're good at scratching."

"If you tell anyone about this, I will kill you."

"Just some stress relief."

"I will never ever admit to this."

"You're good at this... not a compliment, just a fact."

"I may not like you, but physically speaking, I do see the appeal."

Have fun!

✧ acts overly supportive, like, too supportive it’s suspicious

✧ suddenly finds flaws in someone they used to like just fine

✧ laughs at jokes that aren’t funny, then immediately regrets it

✧ drops compliments that are 80% praise, 20% passive aggression

✧ asks “innocent” questions that are secretly digging for dirt

✧ starts competing for attention in subtle, exhausting ways

✧ makes snide comments and pretends they’re just kidding

✧ points out how “perfect” someone is… through gritted teeth

✧ gets real quiet when the other person gets praised

✧ forgets how to act natural the second their rival enters the room

✧ shows up where they don’t belong, “just to help”

✧ makes weird comparisons that no one asked for

✧ tries to bond with their competition, then instantly regrets it

✭ brushing your thumb over their knuckles while you're both not saying a word, just existing quietly in the same space like it's the most sacred thing.

✭ them absentmindedly playing with the hem of your sleeve because they want to touch you but aren’t ready to say it yet.

✭ “can i kiss you?” whispered like they’re afraid the moment might shatter if they speak too loud.

✭ their voice cracking just a little when they say your name for the first time in a long time.

✭ them resting their forehead against yours and just… staying there. No words. No movement. Just breath. Just nearness.

✭ sharing headphones and they keep looking at you during the best part of the song. you don’t even know what the song means to them but suddenly it means everything to you.

✭ "stay the night?" said so soft it might’ve been a wish.

✭ dragging their fingers gently down your back like they’re trying to memorize the map of your spine.

✭ tracing your features with their fingertip like you're a sculpture in a museum and they were not supposed to touch you, but god, they can’t help it.

✭ “don’t leave yet.” not because you’re going somewhere. but because being with you is the safest they’ve felt all day.

✭ their voice in the dark. low. quiet. like the night is just for you two.

✭ "this reminded me of you" and it’s just a stupid rock or a weird leaf but you hold onto it like it's a diamond because it's you to them.

✭ laying in bed, face smushed into the pillow, sleep-drunk and murmuring, “you make me feel like i’m home.”

⭒ Fixing her lipstick in the mirror without looking away from you, like she knows exactly where your eyes are and likes it.

⭒ Running her fingers through her hair after something messy, like she’s resetting herself, but somehow it makes you want to ruin her again.

⭒ Laughing with her head thrown back, completely unbothered, like nothing in the world could touch her unless she lets it.

⭒ Pulling her sleeves over her hands when she’s cold, then slipping her fingers into yours without asking.

⭒ Looking up at you from under her lashes like she’s debating whether you’re worth her time... and you want to earn it.

⭒ Sitting on a countertop, legs swinging, sipping something strong and looking at you like she’s already decided how this night ends.

⭒ Stretching with zero self-consciousness, back arched, shirt riding up, like she forgot you were watching, or didn’t care.

⭒ Standing way too close when she’s arguing with you, eyes locked, voice low, like the fight’s just foreplay.

⭒ Smudging mascara under her eyes after a long night, and somehow looking even hotter wrecked than she did going out.

⭒ Catching you staring and not looking away, just raising a brow like yeah?

⭒ Curling up in your hoodie and making it look criminally better than you ever did.

⭒ Putting on jewelry in the mirror, slow and focused, like each ring and clasp is armor, and she’s about to start a war.

From someone who’s definitely been in too many and would very much like a refund...ツ

⊹ Waiting rooms are emotional purgatory. They’re too bright, too quiet, and weirdly timeless. Fluorescent lights buzzing, TVs playing muted news no one watches, coffee that tastes like burnt stress. People aren’t relaxing in there, they’re just existing, awkwardly pretending their phones are interesting while dissociating at 40% battery.

⊹ Everyone talks in a whisper, but not because it’s respectful, no, it just feels wrong to speak normally. Like the walls might be listening, like if you talk too loud, something worse might happen, even the loud people get quiet in hospitals.

⊹ Overnight stays are hell. hospital chairs? medieval torture devices with upholstery. even if someone’s trying to nap next to a patient, they’re not sleeping. They’re half-listening to the symphony of beeping machines, nurse shoes squeaking, the occasional cough, and distant Code Something crackling over the intercom. it’s anxiety with a blanket.

⊹ The smell is unforgettable, like it’s not just antiseptic. it’s plastic and cafeteria meatloaf and sweat and fear and the smell of a place where people are very much not okay. the first time your character walks in, it’ll hit them like a wall. later, they might not even notice, or maybe it’s the only thing they can smell for days after.

⊹ Talking to doctors is a weird performance. You're trying to be calm, they’re trying to be calm. But no one is calm, your character wants to ask 47 questions and not sound desperate. The doctor explains things like they’re narrating a science video, and when they leave, someone will immediately go “wait... we forgot to ask” every. single. time.

⊹ Monitors beep constantly. half the time, it’s nothing. A wire got loose, someone rolled over. But the second it is something, the vibe shifts fast. Nurses appear like ghosts, machines start going off, and everyone starts moving. And your character? they might freeze, or panic, or forget they have lungs. Go with whatever makes sense for them, but make it visceral.

⊹ Time goes full funhouse mirror. Ten minutes waiting for test results feels like a year. A full hour stretches into eternity, meanwhile, three hours can pass without anyone realizing it. You can use this in your pacing, make it drag when the waiting is unbearable.

⊹ Hospital cafeteria food: Garbage. It’s either offensively bland or stupidly overpriced. The grilled cheese is six dollars and tastes like regret, and someone will 100% cry into a cold sandwich at 3am, because grief doesn’t care where you are.

We all hit those blah writing days. Your fingers are ready, your doc is open... and your brain goes static. That’s where writing exercises come in — small creative boosts to shake off the dust and get back into your story flow. Here are six to try when your words feel stuck in traffic.

1. The 5-Minute Word Sprint

Pick a random word (use a generator or close your eyes and point at a book), set a 5-minute timer, and write anything involving that word. No stopping, no deleting.

2. Dialogue Without Context

Write a short convo between two people. No descriptions. No setting. Just back-and-forth lines.

3. Rewrite a Scene in Another Genre

Take a scene from your current story and flip the genre. Drama becomes comedy. Fantasy becomes sci-fi. Romance becomes horror.

4. Describe a Place Using the Five Senses — No Sight Allowed

Can’t mention what anything looks like. Only sound, touch, smell, taste, and intuition.

5. Character Swap POVs

Write a paragraph from the POV of a side character reacting to your main character. Bonus if the POV is brutally honest or completely wrong.

6. One Line Story Hooks

Write 3 one-sentence story starters that make you want to keep writing. (Example: “I woke up married to my enemy, and worse — he knew it before I did.”)

You’ve met her before. The girl with “flowing ebony hair,” “emerald eyes,” and “lips like rose petals.” Or him, with “chiseled jawlines,” “stormy gray eyes,” and “shoulders like a Greek statue.”

We don’t know them.

We’ve just met their tropes.

Describing physical appearance is one of the trickiest — and most overdone — parts of character writing. It’s tempting to reach for shorthand: hair color, eye color, maybe a quick body scan. But if we want a reader to see someone — to feel the charge in the air when they enter a room — we need to stop writing mannequins and start writing people.

So let’s get granular. Here’s how to write physical appearance in a way that’s textured, meaningful, and deeply character-driven.

1. Hair: It’s About Story, Texture, and Care

Hair says a lot — not just about genetics, but about choices. Does your character tame it? Let it run wild? Is it dyed, greying, braided, buzzed, or piled on top of her head in a hurry?

Good hair description considers:

Texture (fine, coiled, wiry, limp, soft)

Context (windblown, sweat-damp, scorched by bleach)

Emotion (does she twist it when nervous? Is he ashamed of losing it?)

Flat: “Her long brown hair framed her face.”

Better: “Her ponytail was too tight, the kind that whispered of control issues and caffeine-fueled 4 a.m. library shifts.”

You don’t need to romanticise it. You need to make it feel real.

2. Eyes: Less Color, More Connection

We get it: her eyes are violet. Cool. But that doesn’t tell us much.

Instead of focusing solely on eye color, think about:

What the eyes do (do they dart, linger, harden?)

What others feel under them (seen, judged, safe?)

The surrounding features (dark circles, crow’s feet, smudged mascara)

Flat: “His piercing blue eyes locked on hers.”

Better: “His gaze was the kind that looked through you — like it had already weighed your worth and moved on.”

You’re not describing a passport photo. You’re describing what it feels like to be seen by them.

3. Facial Features: Use Contrast and Texture

Faces are not symmetrical ovals with random features. They’re full of tension, softness, age, emotion, and life.

Things to look for:

Asymmetry and character (a crooked nose, a scar)

Expression patterns (smiling without the eyes, habitual frowns)

Evidence of lifestyle (laugh lines, sun spots, stress acne)

Flat: “She had a delicate face.”

Better: “There was something unfinished about her face — as if her cheekbones hadn’t quite agreed on where to settle, and her mouth always seemed on the verge of disagreement.”

Let the face be a map of experience.

4. Bodies: Movement > Measurement

Forget dress sizes and six packs. Think about how bodies occupy space. How do they move? What are they hiding or showing? How do they wear their clothes — or how do the clothes wear them?

Ask:

What do others notice first? (a presence, a posture, a sound?)

How does their body express emotion? (do they go rigid, fold inwards, puff up?)

Flat: “He was tall and muscular.”

Better: “He had the kind of height that made ceilings nervous — but he moved like he was trying not to take up too much space.”

Describing someone’s body isn’t about cataloguing. It’s about showing how they exist in the world.

5. Let Emotion Tint the Lens

Who’s doing the describing? A lover? An enemy? A tired narrator? The emotional lens will shape what’s noticed and how it’s described.

In love: The chipped tooth becomes charming.

In rivalry: The smirk becomes smug.

In mourning: The face becomes blurred with memory.

Same person. Different lens. Different description.

6. Specificity is Your Superpower

Generic description = generic character. One well-chosen detail creates intimacy. Let us feel the scratch of their scarf, the clink of her earrings, the smudge of ink on their fingertips.

Examples:

“He had a habit of adjusting his collar when he lied — always clockwise, always twice.”

“Her nail polish was always chipped, but never accidentally.”

Make the reader feel like they’re the only one close enough to notice.

Describing appearance isn’t just about what your character looks like. It’s about what their appearance says — about how they move through the world, how others see them, and how they see themselves.