My follows this, my mutuals that, no! My friends in boops, who I don't even know how they got to my blog

I like writing romances, but the reason I almost never read romance books is because all the ones I see seem to suffer from what I call Hot Love Interest Syndrome. I'm not interested in watching the protagonist fall in love with someone who's conventionally attractive, tall, charming, wealthy and/or successful, and generally all that and a bag of chips. Anyone can like someone like that. Love, to me, is picking out Just Some Guy (gender-neutral) and deciding that, to you, they're the most specialest guy in the universe.

Give me that in a romance and then maybe I'll read it.

All jokes aside, I'm really happy with this though. Her first scene has her introduced as this almost old-school Disney-style princess who's sweet and upbeat and loved by her people and takes her princessing duties very seriously, so showing her actual MO really serves to humanize her. She goes from Little Miss Perfect to a girl to whom studying and consistent work don't come naturally, but she's doing her best to make it happen anyway.

Or, in other words:

She goes from an idealized figure to someone who proudly proclaims "I'm gonna work so hard today and achieve all these big goals in the future!" and then has to go somewhere nice just to motivate herself, oscillates wildly between hyperfocus and procrastination, and spends half the day doing Jack Shit when she should really know better.

Me working on a new WIP: Alright, you can do this. ONE main character who isn't accidentally or deliberately written as ADHD. Just one. You can do this.

Also me in literally the first chapter:

Me working on a new WIP: Alright, you can do this. ONE main character who isn't accidentally or deliberately written as ADHD. Just one. You can do this.

Also me in literally the first chapter:

Ideas for “realistic superpowers” that wouldn’t break the immersion in a real-world story setting.

Hello, I'm from Gaza City because of the war,my house was destroyed. We lost everything,my family and I did not have anything left. We left our homes in search of a safe place and we were displaced three times to different places to survive, but unfortunately there's no safe place in Gaza. My mother is very sick and she's a kidney failure patient in need of treatment outside. She suffers from LS. Help me and my family to survive. Please, your small donation can make a huge difference. A friend outside Gaza has come in to help me run the donation program so that my mother can be evacuated.

Hello dear, first off I'd like to say that I'm sorry for what you're going through. There are no words that can do your situation justice, but my heart goes out to all of you. I'm a student with no income of my own so I couldn't give very much, but I've left you a few dollars. I hope they make a difference.

Good luck to you and your family. I hope your mother can get the treatment she needs, and I hope you all make it out safe and sound. I hope there'll come a day when you can return to your homeland and not fear for your life, and I hope it comes soon. I'll be thinking of you.

Happy Valentine's Day! 💕💐🍫

Happy late Valentine's Day to you too!! Sending some virtual chocolates and flowers your way 💐💝🍫 Hope you had a lovely one!

(I for one was born on V-Day so ya girl turned 25 yesterday and my day was filled with birthday wishes and some very lovely people:) )

Honestly? My main piece of advice for writing well-rounded characters is to make them a little bit lame. No real living person is 100% cool and suave 100% of the time. Everyone's a little awkward sometimes, or gets too excited about something goofy, or has a silly fear, or laughs about stupid things. Being a bit of a loser is an incurable part of the human condition. Utilize that in your writing.

One thing I'm surprised I've never seen done is the magical family trope but with werewolves. Wolves basically live in nuclear family units so it doesn't seem too far-fetched. Give me were-parents struggling to raise their kids as both werewolves and well-adjusted humans. Were-teens trying very hard to be normal humans to fit in with their peers. Were-kids using their special powers to look cool in front of their friends and nearly getting themselves discovered. The werepups are chewing on everyone's shoes.

All of us these past ten days:

Character sketches. He's been haunting me for weeks. Please, sir! I have a family to feed!

Person: Oh, you're working on your story again?

Me: No, I'm just staring at it.

Went through my blog again for the funsies and discovered an old, old tag game from 2016. And boy, am I shaking my head at it. Not only is 17-year-old me hilariously and stubbornly convinced she's straight, she's also very self-deprecating and generally not in a good place.

So I thought: why not answer these questions again, over seven years later, just to see how things have changed?

So here goes. The update.

MOST RECENT:

Drink: Water! I have a glass next to me right now and I'm staying nice and hydrated :) Phone call: Mom, earlier this afternoon, to make sure I'm still healthy and haven't died from acute Moved Out And Living Unsupervised Disease. Shockingly, I'm alive and well. Text: Dad, joking about the Berlin lioness boar thing. I still refuse to believe it was a boar BTW. I don't know what it was, but those pictures do NOT look like a boar.

Song you listened to: Saosin – "You're Not Alone" Time you cried: You know, I genuinely don't remember. Might've been weeks ago. I barely cry anymore these days, except from laughter or the occasional tearing up over a heartwarming scene in a show.

Dated someone twice: No, and unless the circumstances were very special, I wouldn't. If the ship has sailed, it has sailed for a reason. Been cheated on: Single, thriving, in my lane, cannot be cheated on if I don't have a partner. Peace and love on Planet Earth. Lost someone special: Lost touch with many friends over the years. Staying in touch is still hard. But honestly, some of them turned out to not be that special after all in the first place and a lot have stayed too, so really, it's fine. Been depressed: Nah. Been drunk and thrown up: Still don't like alcohol, still don't drink ✌️ Your three favourite colours: Purple! And pink, and the third one…maybe red!

IN THE LAST YEAR, HAVE YOU:

Made a new friend: So many. So so many. Fallen out of love: Yep! Laughed until you cried: Just this week alone! Met someone who changed you: I think so! Found out who your true friends are: Yes. And to the people who turned out not to be—thanks for making it easier to watch you leave right now. Found out someone’s talking about you: In the "bringing up my existence" way? Yes. Badly? No—someone probably did, but not my problem.

EXTRAS

How many people from your fb list do you know irl: What Facebook? Do you have any pets: Not at the moment. Hard to keep any in a dorm room. I'd like to maybe get a small dog someday though! Do you want to change your name: Not anymore. When I was little I used to hate my name because everyone kept misspelling or mispronouncing it, but now I like it even if people still get it wrong all the time. Sometimes it still feels weird and othering, in an irrational sort of way, but I can't imagine myself being called anything else. What did you do for your last birthday: Had drinks with some people from my orientation group in one guy's dorm apartment. Casually came out as bi over a game of Never Have I Ever. Wound up at a party even though I had an 8:30 AM class the next morning. Zero regrets. What were you doing last night at midnight? Sitting on my bed and hitting play on the brand-new Meet Me @ the Altar song that dropped last night!!! Name something you can’t wait for: MM@TA EU tour in October! I've been obsessed with them for two years and finally they come here to play some shows and the first time I saw the announcement I legit busted a lip in my excitement. Unfortunately not a hyperbole.

Last time you saw your mum: Last time I visited home—early May I think? What is one thing you wish you could change about your life: Better executive functions so I struggle less with getting stuff done, especially uni stuff and household chores. Currently trying to do something about that, actually! If I'm really lucky I might get an ADHD diagnosis in the foreseeable future and maybe meds…? What are you listening to rn: Fall Out Boy – "We Didn't Start the Fire" Have you ever talked to a person named Tom: Often. It's quite a common name where I live! What’s getting on your nerves rn: One word: THESIS. Which I for some reason struggle to do anything about. Blood type: Still unknown! Nickname: Several shorter forms of my civilian name. On here, Ruby. Zodiac Sign: Aquarius Pronouns: she/her Favourite tv show: At the moment: ATLA (and Legend of Korra), Ted Lasso, Good Omens. Probably more I'm forgetting. High school: Graduated in 2016! College: In my Masters! I have an undergraduate degree in law now :D Long or short hair: Long, down to my hips. I used to have short hair as a kid, but I’ve always wanted long hair. Height: 159 cm or 5′2.5′’. Do you have a crush on someone: I try to tell myself that no, I'm just very fond of the person. Platonically. What do you like about yourself: I'm creative and adaptable! I'm good at winging it when the situation requires it, and I usually get things figured out one way or another. I'm a hype woman for my friends, and I like the way I can find joy and excitement in all corners of life. Also, not to toot my own horn but I'm really proud of my style right now! Right or left handed: Right-handed. First surgery: None. Piercing: None. First best friend: Probably Rebecca, in first grade. It’s a shame I moved away, I wonder what she’s doing now. First sport you joined: Ballet, when I was five or six. Kept doing it until early fifth grade, then changed to horseback riding. First vacation: Probably to my grandparents’ vacation home somewhere at the North Sea. Don’t remember a thing though, I was one or something.

RIGHT NOW:

Eating: Nothing. Drinking: Water, still! I’m about to: Hopefully write a bit more for the mystery project 👀 Listening to: Meet Me @ the Altar – "Give It Up"

WANT:

Kids: Yes, eventually. I'd like a stable partner first (although if push comes to shove I wouldn't mind raising my kids solo), and most importantly I'd like to be my own person for a couple of years and not be bound by duty to everyone else. Travel, explore the world and myself, get all that out of my system so I can truly go into motherhood with no regrets. Get married: Yes, if I find the right person to do it with. Career: Study law and work for the EU or an NGO.

WHICH IS BETTER:

Lips or eyes: Eyes. I don't pay much attention to lips outside of someone having a cute smile! Hugs or kisses: Kisses are nice, but I still prefer hugs! Taller or shorter: IDGAF. I still love my tall lanky noodle men, but I'm not picky. With women, even less so. Girl is taller than me? Awesome, great for being held. Shorter than me? CUTE. Older or younger: Around my age, rest doesn't matter. I'm at an age where anything between 20-30 is fair game, but any younger or older and it gets creepy. Romantic or spontaneous: A mixture of both. Nice stomach or nice arms: If the person is nice, their body will be nice too. It's an automatic process. I don't make the rules. Sensitive or loud: A combination of both! Troublemaker or hesitant: Secret third thing where they're chaotic but also too shy to really make a move.

HAVE YOU EVER

Kissed a stranger: Does "someone I talked to all evening but didn't know before that and didn't meet again afterwards" count? Drank liquor: Tried a bit, same as everybody. Found it nasty. Didn't try again. Lost glasses/contacts: Don't have any to lose. (Given the way I've been treating my eyes: yet?) Had sex on the first date: I'm asexual and I refuse. Broke someone’s heart: Yes, and let's leave it at that. Turned someone down: I'm a woman existing in public. Having to turn down random men is a recurring part of my experience. Cried when someone died: Not really—I seem to shut down and go blank more than anything else. I used to feel guilty about it, but now I've learned that everyone processes grief and loss differently and it doesn't mean I care less. Fallen for a friend: Yes, repeatedly, it has yet to end well, and it will probably happen again.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN

Yourself: Mostly yes. There are some things I need help with before I can unlock my full potential, but one thing I've learned is that I always manage in the end. And once I get proper help, I have no doubt I'll be just fine. Miracles: I don't like to rely on them, but I do believe that unlikely good things can and do happen. Love at first sight: Not for myself, I need to get to know a person before I fall for them. I do believe in attraction at first sight though. Heaven: It's a nice thought, but whether or not it exists doesn't matter to me. Our task in life is the same regardless: try to be kind and treat others well and hopefully leave the world a slightly better place. Santa Claus: No, and never really have. My parents never claimed he was real; my Christmas presents always came from the family that visited on Christmas Eve. Kissing on a first date: Did it once, it was okay. I think it's one of those "take it or leave it" things—if the chemistry is right, sure, go for it, but it's definitely not for everyone in every situation.

Anyway I'm still here. Not very active on my main blog currently. Lowkey on a writing break but also working on something really cool and very important to me. It's gonna be a loooooott of work so nothing to show anytime soon. Not sure how much I can talk about it at all between heavy content warnings and spoilers. But yeah. Still here!

A summary of the responses, over 100,000 notes later:

"this is me" – good, you're proving my point

"this is [insert character from X fandom]" – 99% of the time I have no idea who you're talking about but have fun?

"this is [insert original character]" – way to go you funky little creator :)

"yeah…haha…'characters'…sure" – like the first point except more confusing because yes! I described that because people in real life do it! No one ever claimed it was purely fictional and I don't know where you took that?

"sorry for blorbo tagging but this is [insert character]" – honey. My sweet summer child. This is a 100k note post on Tumblr about fictional characters. What do you think everybody else is doing.

that one person that inferred I was a clingy entitled kid armchair-diagnosing people for keeping a polite distance – yeah I still have no idea what was up with that honestly

a concerning amount of people saying Sonic the Hedgehog????

You know, when I see fictional characters who repress all their emotions, they're usually aloof and very blunt about keeping people at a distance, sometimes to an edgy degree—but what I don't see nearly enough are the emotionally repressed characters who are just…mellow.

Think about it. In real life, the person that's bottling up all their emotions is not the one that's brooding in the corner and snaps at you for trying to befriend them. More often than not, it's that friendly person in your circle who makes easy conversation with you, laughs with you, and listens and gives advice whenever you're upset. But you never see them upset, in fact they seem to have endless patience for you and everything around them—and so you call them their friend, you trust them. And only after months of telling them all your secrets do you realize…

…they've never actually told you anything about themselves.

Sometimes people refer to the stories they work on as their babies. But let me tell you something: Stories, incomplete, unfinished stories, stories in progress, are not babies. They are not helpless little creatures that you give birth to and nurse into grown adults.

They are monsters.

They keep you up at night. They haunt your mind. They follow you wherever you go, hovering on the edge of your consciousness, sometimes taking over, threatening to consume you whole. They lead you into worlds and places you never saw before, places you would never venture into without them.

And unlike babies, they aren’t tame.

Unfinished stories aren’t something you can raise and educate gently. They are wild. They keep growing ever more limbs, ever more heads, and if you don’t chop some off they will grow into all-devouring abominations. You need to rein them in, or they will take off, winged, hundred-armed, dozen-headed, and drag you with them into a territory you never wanted to see.

But they can also be tamed. They aren’t your friends, but they aren’t your enemies either. With willpower and patience you can get them to listen to you, follow you, take the shape you need and desire. It takes strength. It takes dedication. But once you do it, once you bring the formless monsters into shape, you can turn them into something everyone can enjoy.

So here’s to those tamers. Here’s to the monster hunters who take the shapeless stories in their minds and wrestle them into something. You’re not just writers. You’re not just storytellers. You are adventurers, allowing the world to explore something they could never witness without you.

Keep taming those monsters. You’re doing great.

One underrated character dynamic is when Character A has the messiest, most complicated feelings towards Character B. Just…the most dramatic cocktail of love and hate and admiration and resentment and everything in between. And the whole time Character B is just like, "Oh, A? That's my friend :)"