kittykatninja321: I’ve said this before but I think all sci-fi and fantasy adventure needs a little bit of horror as seasoning. It doesn’t need to be full sci-fi horror or fantasy horror but a little bit of scary adds flavor.[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
eightfifteen: Crazy how many people want characters in fiction to speak and act like they’ve had 20 hours of intensive therapy. Could NOT be me I want these bitches fucked up insane
mummer: why dont you read/watch something that forces you to confront the fact that you are capable of feeling empathy for a person who has done deeply cruel or evil things. And maybe you’ll calm down
cemeterything: my desire to see more characters try to self-destruct by vomiting up a deluge of the most damning lies about themselves in a fit of despair and loathing and desire to be punished in some way vs. my knowledge[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
whump-in-the-closet: characters whose strengths become their greatest flaw. for a moment, for a fleeting moment, they are the burning sword and torch left lit. They are the banner and the banner cry (unbroken, eagle-eyed, bright). Then they burn. They collapse[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
maileesque: I ❤️ self-loathing characters, characters who struggle with monstrosity (either fearing or embracing it), characters who are so lonely, who have a gaping hole in their chest, who bottle up & repress their feelings, who claw their way up[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
cemeterything: cemeterything: i think it’s great when someone tries to pull off a tragic self-sacrifice in a story and there’s at least one guy who’s just like “no this is fucking stupid actually. you’re an idiot.” about it. because it[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
prokopetz: dragonsaffron: prokopetz: “Why does this 19th Century novel have such a boring protagonist” well, for a lot of reasons, really, but one of the big ones is that you’re possibly getting the protagonist and the narrator mixed up. A[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
scofflawsins: ‘WHERE are the manic pixie dream BOYS?’ well, ur not gonna like it, but mostly in hallmark christmas movies
fireball-me: hiddenramen: one of my greatest pet peeves in fiction, and it is truly stupid I know, is that no one seems to understand how genuinely hard it is to kill someone via stabbing. stab wounds have a mortality rate[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
elainiisms: female protagonists will literally go through 30 life altering traumas at the age of 16 and you ppl still have the audacity to call them annoying bc they cry about it and act like teenage girls
word-for-today: sexygaywizard: p7agu3: sexygaywizard: Does anybody have that image of what cyberpunk dialogue is like. “to crack a cyber lemon this nasty” or whatever That’s the bitch If you want an idea what more authentic oldschool hacking language sounds like,[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
dear-massacre: god, i miss when it was normal for TV shows to have 22 episodes in a single season
panakina: frownyalfred: Tips for writing those gala scenes, from someone who goes to them occasionally: Generally you unbutton and re-button a suit coat when you sit down and stand up. You’re supposed to hold wine or champagne glasses by the[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
cnc-pet: The subtext of monster fucking is romanticizing traditionally undesirable traits and the text of monster fucking is that fangs and tentacles are hot
xtine-daae: celciusdiscourse: augustdementhe: funereal-disease: Thesis: the rise of fanwank and anti culture correlates directly with diminished understanding of what “romantic”, in a literary sense, actually means. It doesn’t mean “this is ideal or healthy or even realistic”. It means “this is beautiful, this[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
godteri-takk: sharkpilot: asparklethatisblue: out-there-on-the-maroon: donutsandpacifism: andersons-kilted-ass: ruminationofficial: calibornsbottomboo: disney concept art: the most beautiful dynamic original thing i have ever seen disney finished project: rubber same face minimalism regurgitated plots concept art: final version: What makes me so mad is[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
saints-who-never-existed: “In the war film, a soldier can hold his buddy—as long as his buddy is dying on the battlefield. In the western, Butch Cassidy can wash the Sundance Kid’s naked flesh—as long as it is wounded. In the boxing[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
toyota-supra: toyota-supra: toyota-supra: more people should consider the effects of hypoglycemia when they write “magic comes from your physical energy” worlds your wizard just cast their most powerful fire spell so that everyone could make it through this hard fight[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
natalieironside: natalieironside: My favorite mode of literature is Homeric, i.e. loving descriptions of problematic gay ppl making terrible choices and killing each other Six of one, half a dozen of the other
charlottan: having narratively irrelevant sex with my one dimensional wife. in a flashback from before her death btw
alarajrogers: clarityofhatred: greyhawkrogue: mikkeneko: mikkeneko: the whump fan’s dilemma the notes on this post really do paint a picture of the psychology of fans, don’t they YES. YOU GET IT. Yes. That is the way.
anurarana: t4tails: im starting to think you guys dont like it when stories make you feel things [ID: a reply with the url and profile picture cropped off: “You do NOT need to kill off a character for ‘emotional impact’,[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
frodo-of-the-nine-fingers: deeply unlikeable and unpleasant female characters are actually so important for the ecosystem and also as a good litmus test over if a person is Weird about women or not
brightlotusmoon: dysgraphicprogrammer: dysgraphicprogrammer: silver-flame-alchemist: neosilverthorn: dreamswhistlesandstories: natalieironside: What’s the trope name for when someone finds out they’re the Chosen One™ and is like “No, thank you” and goes and does something else Refusal Of The Call is the actual trope[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
lastoneout: lastoneout: I would like to nominate “You promised” “I know” as one of the most heartbreaking exchanges in the english language It’s about the quiet betrayal, about resignation in place of an apology, the helpess admittance that thing have[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
tlirsgender: tlirsgender: tlirsgender: Honestly every time a fictional serial killer is an abuse survivor I’m just like ok. Good for them So much horror/crime/etc media is like “what if someone who has been repeatedly harmed in horrific unspeakable ways when[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
gasterofficial: put that old man in a sexual predicament
tvheadfalls: tvheadfalls: tvheadfalls: hey you. indie creator. get rid of the corporate execs and the imaginary writers room in your brain. the cynical youtube reviewers and disney fans who want sanitized uwu gays probably are never even gonna be even[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
bytedykes: maybe i didnt come back wrong maybe i was just a weird freak when i was alive but i hid it and acted so normal and after i died i decided to stop pretending. maybe being resurrected was the[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
outofthepapers: mischief7manager: july-19th-club: simply cannot ever resist what i call the little mermaid or the tin man or the pinnochio plot, the one about a character who is either inhuman or human but outside in some way, constantly searching for[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
caffeineecold: best part of princess bride is that inigo loudly and openly states to anybody who will listen that he’s going to kill a guy for revenge and has been chasing this for a while and instead of anybody saying[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
open-sketchbook: I have a new theory which has resulted from me writing porn on my phone which im certain is old hat to everyone but is new to me it kinda goes like this basically, as a person or community[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
hellshire-harlot: mack-anthology-mp3: you came back wrong and i am racked with guilt because i cannot bear to see you like this and i should have let you rest. i loved you so much that i defied death itself but i[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
okthatsgreat: dating simulator where it starts normal but it slowly becomes clear that all of the romanceable characters are attempting to cover up an extremely specific murder they committed a year ago before you arrived wait no but what if[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
coldgoldlazarus: sandersstudies: sandersstudies: sandersstudies: sandersstudies: Every 21st century piece of writing advice: Make us CARE about the character from page 1! Make us empathize with them! Make them interesting and different but still relatable and likable! Every piece of classic[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
scorndotexe: i can’t lie to you i loveee bad endings sometimes. what if nothing worked out. what if the characters gave into their worst instincts. what if they became worse. what if there’s truly no hope left. what will they[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
whump-in-the-closet: when a powerful figure is reduced to kneeling. when the lord is forced to bow. when the exile stumbles into an unwelcoming bar. when the “beast” is chained by their horns. when a god is dragged behind their enemy’s[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
souldagger: souldagger: souldagger: i love when characters don’t get to die this is about villains/antagonists/general horrible people who finally face up to what they’ve done. especially if they try to pull the good ole “Dramatically Does One Good Thing To[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
mangofen: fipindustries: nuclear-wizard: bloomedwings: Ugh, was having a great time mocking my recently imprisoned rival when I noticed the camera positioning makes it so that I appear behind the bars, thus framing me as trapped in a metaphorical prison of[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
vamprisms: vamprisms: i need a job at the making characters factory clocking in like what if there was a guy
catmask: maybe a crazy take idk but i dont actually think many scenes in stories are ‘unneccesary’ i think they just make people uncomfortable and rather than try to understand the significance of that discomfort and why the author mightve[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
skarchomp: i hate when a villainous character gets popular enough to become a hero and writers try and retcon their histories so they never fucked up in the first place. “harley quinn was actually a good psychiatrist who cared about[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
kitkatpancakestack: unavoidable that you will be the villain in someone else’s story. You will be painted in an unfavorable light. You will be the irredeemable one. and all of this will happen despite how nice you might usually be or[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
trufflesmushroom: elegantlypractical: prokopetz: Cruel choices #137: you must consume one – and only one – of the following pieces of media. 1. Sailor Moon retold in the style of a 19th Century Russian philosophical novel. 2. The Brothers Karamazov retold[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
pro-bopass: chriscdcase95: rookthebird: “redemption arcs are toxic, you shouldn’t try to fix someone!” actually it is so important to me that being in community and experiencing human connection can save people. thanks [Tags reading, “#it is insane to me that[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
isabellaofparma: ‘don’t you want your favourite character to be happy???’ no? i want my favourite character to be interesting. i want me to be happy. which sometimes involves my favourite character being in exquisite agony
chekovsphaser: emeraldburn: : My redesign hot take is that if you’re aiming to “desexualize” a female character, don’t make her boobs smaller. You’re implying a lot here. Instead of shrinking her boobs, try: Changing her posture to something normal people[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
softsarkisian: I’m sorry but name ONE trope better than “broken people with different kinds of baggage come together and form their own family” there is nothing to top it
cadaverkeys: i luv when characters have blood red eyes but theyre not evil. like. ESPECIALLY if no one acknowledges it. its just like. theres my dark winged demon friend. shes normal.
woobifiedvillain: woobifiedvillain: Going insane about kicked dog with rabies type characters On a more serious note though perhaps I’m obsessed with this because I want more sympathy for characters who externalize their problems. Fuck being a perfect victim fuck being[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
detectivehole: the classic trope of “what if you went to a town and it was weird” never fails
kentucky-fried-goth-attire: “let’s run away together” trope fucks me up bc it’s almost always doomed. but what if it’s not this time.
yeahwrite: captainclickycat: liesmyth: freedominthedarkmp3: freedominthedarkmp3: Can I be controversial for one sec I do enjoy when fictional gay people are tormented by their sexualities and have internalized homophobia and are violent about it both with themselves + with others. I[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
keclan: i love when sibling characters are fucked up from the same event but in opposite ways
bealittleimprobable: peasantexchangeprogram: i love the term “unwell”… theres something very very wrong with you. not saying what tho “I’m afraid my brother won’t be joining us, he’s… unwell.” Could be anything. In bed with flu? Having a migraine? Hungover as[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
copepods: duckapus: copepods: leitmotifs never get old to me like holy shit dude there’s this melody that corresponds to this one guy and if you hear the melody it means the guy is there. holy shit. and sometimes it refers[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
unknownundergrounds: Romance in a fictional story is no more “unnecessary” than car chases and sword fights are unnecessary. Some things are just put there because they’re interesting to watch There shouldn’t be any deep and hard reasoning why romance is featured[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
derinthescarletpescatarian: scaryorganmusic: i have such a profound hate for stories that go ‘what if just some guy like literally just some guy was thrown into these horrible circumstances with huge stakes’ and then take it back and go ‘haha he[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
asymbina: andreaszchen: I had a very interesting discussion about theater and film the other day. My parents and I were talking about Little Shop of Horrors and, specifically, about the ending of the musical versus the ending of the (1986)[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
apricops: hey writers if you want to make a metaphor for racism, please maybe remember that racism is literally based on nothing. Africans weren’t enslaved en masse because the Robo-Musa threatened to destroy the world, they were enslaved because it[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
cygnahime: imissthembutitwasntadisaster: Suzanne Collins gripping my face with her hands: listen listen the first step to evil is dehumanisation, always, the second you start to see people as less than people no matter what they’ve done to you that’s when[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
piterelizabethdevries: ‘Found family’ is dull as balls, UNLESS you get a villain in there who never gets better in any way. If he’s got to be stuck in this group it will be the entire group’s problem. Let’s take a[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
themightyhumanbroom: It’s always risky killing off a character but if you have to, you must have them HAUNT the narrative. Let their death and absence be constantly felt at some level.
nilefreemans: characters in their 30’s and older exploring their sexuality and discovering themselves beyond their teens and twenties is so important and beautiful and worth telling
matt-smiths: why are people so against negative character development? characters don’t need to improve and become better people they can get worse and make mistakes and end up in a worse state than when they began and it’s just as[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
cemeterything: can’t stop thinking about how the “convinced to return for one last job” trope is a kind of resurrection. digging up a restless corpse that maybe should have stayed buried.
rs-hawk: Working on my novel and couldn’t figure out why it felt so empty. I didn’t have any filler. It was all 100% plot. The characters only interacted when necessary. I didn’t prattle on about the scenery or how the[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
xuanelle: they may be doomed by the narrative but atleast they had gay sex
saraswritingtipps: Good Traits Gone Bad Exploring good traits gone bad in a novel can add depth and complexity to your characters. Here are a few examples of good traits that can take a negative turn: 1. Empathy turning into manipulation:[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
bamsara: “the ‘power of love’ trope is such an overused and cliche gimmick” i do not care i will love it always and forever. love prevails and explodes the enemy
fandomchill: vmures: erelierraceala: trishacollins: viaalterego: Actually, my therapist has told me this is a healthy way of processing things. Because you can get the trauma out of your head And you can write the ending you wish it had. The[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
feathery-dickmuffins-deactivate: Controversial opinion but I like it when a story is about an ugly and terrible revenge. I love it when revenge is ravenous and sharp and stabs with the ferocity of thunder, when it leaves blood on the hands[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
rhinozilla: You know what I’m a slut for? When a character visibly drops a ruse. Like, the way their face changes the moment they give up a facade and reveal themselves. This applies to revealing love, apathy, anger, evil intent.[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
geeneelee: Minthara spells it out for you, but really the line between your tragic companion that you’d do anything for and just another casualty, if a little unfortunate, is razor thin in Baldur’s Gate 3. It could have one of[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
natalieironside: The assumption that YA literature needs must be lesser than other forms of writing just betrays a deep and profound lack of familiarity with the medium. Simple as. If that’s what you think, you’ve been reading shitty books and[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
iamalivenow: yeah bro it’s a character study. the 2 thousand words of blowjob is vital to the study of the character This, but I am dead serious, no irony.
seasoning-city: what if i was very literally doomed by the narrative itself and you used your bloody hands to bend the foundation of reality and change my fate. and we were both girls.
blueirisboy: Reblog if you LOVE fucked up themes and topics in your fiction 🤭🥰🫶
catfoodsminmo: i love u characters who are victims who don’t show things in a way that’s appealing i love u characters whos trauma leaves them with anger issues, with violence issues, with issues with connection and trust and being truthful[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
alliluyevas: alliluyevas: “i hate love triangles” “i hate cheating” “stop writing about love triangles and cheating” people write about love triangles and cheating because complex emotions and romantic conflict are deeply compelling themes. get good. what if instead of writing[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
estrogenesis-evangelion: estrogenesis-evangelion: estrogenesis-evangelion: ok “carbon monoxide alarm” is the new “hehehe how HIGH was OP when they WROTE this???” everyone shut the fuckass up about gas leaks it’s literally just creative writing. it’s people getting silly with it. how long[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
tragedykery: the best characters are ones that suffer from a chronic case of Dramatic Cunt Syndrome
lgbtunis: knights are sooooooo good in horror settings like. blind following and unconditional loyalty to their liege. mistaking evil for divinity. unwavering faith to a corrupted cause. corruption in general (whether they’re the target or an accessory). so many good[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
fecto: fecto: in media i love when love is painful i love when love makes you scream and fall to your knees and rip your hair out i love when love is crushing and deafening In real life eveeyone should[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
notaplaceofhonour: apathetic-revenant: norilski: apathetic-revenant: “oh no, my audience has begun to guess the big twists of my story and are accurately predicting what will happen!” incorrect response: write the rest of the story to be as twisty, shocking and counter[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
naryrising: future-crab: It’s been said before, it will be said again, but it’s still worth saying: the fact that art centering on straight romance is allowed to just be bad, but art with queer romance in it always has to[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
aphel1on: i have such a love for characters who descend into madness or villainy out of deep, deep empathy. characters who fundamentally cannot cope with the cruel realities they find themselves in and blow up about it in spectacular fashion.[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
blueirisboy: Reblog if you LOVE fucked up themes and topics in your fiction 🤭🥰🫶
anneapocalypse: Hey you know what’s super funny about the idea of “good bi rep”? For a character to be canonically bi you have to make sure and establish that they’re attracted to multiple genders. Not all mediums allow you to[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
paragonrobits: some important calvin and hobbes facts in case you haven’t read the original comic strip in a long time or only absorbed stuff on it from memes and out of context bits on here: Calvin’s last name has never[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
darthsuki: cheeseanonioncrisps: grison-in-space: annechen-melo: hiruma-musouka: #this is honestly how I initially thought hanahaki in fic worked #coughing up flowers for years because you won’t cop to your feelings? #that’s the stuff #the dying thing puts on really uncomfortable pressure for me #like ‘love me[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
harpyhormones: harpyhormones: im so dead tired of self aware genre fiction. i dont want the snarky knight or the brooding spaceman to joke about how overplayed something is. gimme back unashamed affect. gimme dudes speaking in thees and thous and[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
dazoru: ‘Revenge is bad’ to YOU. i love when a character destroys everyone who wronged them. i love when they get to bite and maim and tear and rip and scratch and kill. Sorry ur catholic about it but i’m[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
bodhrancomedy: I think it’s important to have villains who are both nice and human. Especially nice. Polite. Empathetic. Thoughtful. Because none of those traits translate directly to good. And a lot of them are easy shields against the description ‘bad’.
zal-cryptid: How my creative process works sometimes. Search your soul. You know it to be true.
🤝 hell yes! Don’t get me wrong– mind control can be fun in certain settings. But what I really prefer is *corruption*. The slow creeping and decay of morals as you become more and more entangled with someone that your[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
elvenmoans: eggplant-crusader: pftones3482: raptorofwar: bonivers: bonivers: just remembered shows used to have 20-25 eps per season Just…all the breathing room to get to know the characters, for them to interact, to build up a history. Of course a lot of[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…