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#development resources
cityandking · 6 months
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oc asks: not-so-nice edition
alone: How does your OC deal with loneliness? Have they ever been completely alone before? How do they act when there's no one around to see them?
betrayal: Has your OC ever been betrayed by someone they thought they could trust? Has your OC ever betrayed someone who trusted them?
bound: Has your OC ever been imprisoned or captured? What happened? How did they get out? Did the experience leave any scars?
break: What would cause your OC to break down completely? What do they look like when that happens? Has anyone ever seen them at their lowest?
desire: What's one thing your OC wants more than anything in the world? Are they open with that desire? Why or why not? What would they do to fulfill it?
failure: What's your OC's greatest failure? Have they been able to move past it? Does anyone else know about it?
fear: What is your OC's greatest fear? What do they do when confronted with it? Are they open with their fear, or do they hide it away?
future: What's the worst possible future for your OC? Are they taking steps to avoid that outcome? Are they even aware it's a possibility?
ghost: Who or what haunts your OC? What happened? How do they live with their ghosts?
guilt: What is your OC guilty about? How do they handle their guilt? Do they try to avoid guilt, or do they accept it?
hate: What does your OC hate? Why? How do they act towards the object of their hatred?
heartbreak: Have they ever had a relationship that ended badly? Experienced some other kind of heartbreak? What happened?
hide: What does your OC hide? Why do they hide it?
hunt: Who or what is your OC hunted by? A person, a feeling, a past mistake? Is your OC able to let their guard down, or are they constantly alert?
mask: Does your OC wear a mask, literally or figuratively? What goes on beneath it? Is there anyone in their life who gets to see who they are under the mask?
midnight: What keeps your OC up at night? Do they have nightmares? Fears? Anxieties? What do they do in the small hours of the morning when they should be sleeping?
mistake: What's the worst mistake your OC ever made? What led to them making it? Have they been able to fix it? How have they moved on?
monster: Is your OC monstrous in any way? Is there something that makes them monstrous? Are they aware of their own monstrosity? Do they accept it or reject it?
nightmare: What does your OC have nightmares about? How do they deal with their nightmares? Do they tell people, or keep it to themself?
pain: What's the worst pain your OC has ever felt? Do they have a high pain tolerance?
secret: What's one secret your OC never wants anyone to know about them?
skin: How comfortable is your OC in their skin? Do they grapple with anything that lives inside them—a beast, a curse, a failure, a monster? How do they face the smallest, weakest, most horrible version of themself? Are they able to acknowledge it at all?
torture: Has your OC ever been tortured? Would your OC ever torture someone else?
wound: How does your OC handle being wounded? Are their wounds mostly physical? Mental? Emotional? What's the worst wound your OC has ever experienced?
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deception-united · 1 month
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Get to Know Your Character
Here are some questions to consider for character development:
What parts of their childhood trigger them?
How do they treat themselves when they're feeling sad?
What parts of themselves do they tend to hide?
How do they punish themselves when they make mistakes?
Who are they loyal to? Why?
Who do they avoid? Why?
What emotions or situations do they try to avoid? Why?
What angers them?
What are their insecurities?
What are their emotional triggers?
How do they feel about love?
What are their fears?
What is their relationship with their family like?
What kind of people do they tend to gravitate towards?
What do they like/dislike about themselves?
Happy writing ❤
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Learn how to navigate the ever-changing Android development landscape with our comprehensive guide to the essential tools, resources, and frameworks.
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slayingfiction · 1 year
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Feelings Wheel
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This is the feelings wheel by Geoffrey Roberts, shown to me by my therapist. My initial thought was, "what amazing synonyms to use for diverse emotional vocabulary!"
More than that, this wheel is great for understanding your characters inner motivations and reactions to situations. For example, if a character constantly feels helpless, then their overarching characteristics will be that they are fearful.
Characters who are less emotionally aware may use words and act in the inner most circle. Those much more aware of their emotions may describe themselves or express and use words from the outer most circle.
Hopefully you guys find this as helpful as I did! Let me know down in the comments.
Happy Writing!
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engravedlives · 20 days
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misc my little pony graphics stamps pixels
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novlr · 2 months
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how to create good characterization naturally? The chemistry in between characters without seeming forced
Great character chemistry can turn a good story into one that readers can’t forget. It’s a spark that makes your characters’ relationships seem real and exciting. Let’s look at how to make your characters interact in a way that feels natural and keeps readers hooked from start to finish.
Behaviour
Have characters unconsciously mirror each other’s actions.
Include small acts of intimacy, like sharing inside jokes or personal anecdotes.
Show characters prioritising each other’s needs or sacrificing their interests for the other.
Develop unique habits that characters only exhibit around each other.
Use consistent, unique actions or quirks that reveal a character’s feelings.
Create scenarios where characters defend each other’s viewpoints or actions to outsiders.
Allow characters to show vulnerability around each other.
Have characters unintentionally adopt each other’s mannerisms or phrases over time.
Have your characters make an effort to engage in activities they don’t typically enjoy, just to be with the other person.
Show characters naturally falling into synchronised rhythms, like walking in step.
Interactions
Lace your dialogue with subtext.
Have characters finish each other’s sentences or speak in unison without planning it.
Include playful banter and light teasing.
Allow for moments of comfortable silence that show a mutual understanding and connection.
Conflicts should be heated, but often end in mutual respect and a stronger bond.
Write intimate conversations where characters share secrets or dreams.
Develop scenes where characters work together seamlessly, anticipating each other’s moves.
Write moments where one character can tell what the other is thinking just by looking at them.
Have interactions where characters seek each other out for advice or comfort.
Create situations where characters celebrate each other’s achievements genuinely and enthusiastically.
Body language
Subtle touches like brushing hands or a gentle push that lingers just a moment too long.
Leaning towards each other while talking, showing attraction or interest.
Describe the way characters mirror each other.
A characters’ eyes lighting up or softening when they look at each other.
Positioning themselves between their partner and a threat.
Unintentional proximity, like standing or sitting closer than necessary.
Nervous gestures that characters show only around each other, like fidgeting or playing with their hair.
Warm, genuine smiles that are reserved for one another.
Instinctively reaching out to comfort each other in times of distress.
Relaxed posture in each other’s company.
Attitude
Show a respect for one another that they don’t show with others.
Are consistently patient with one another’s flaws.
Willingness to compromise or find middle ground.
Giving each other the benefit of the doubt in misunderstandings.
Unconditional support during difficult times.
Take pride in each other’s accomplishments, without jealousy.
Consistently have faith in each other’s abilities and decisions.
Openly express admiration for one another’s talents or character traits.
Maintain a positive outlook on the other’s intentions, even when they make mistakes.
Show an understanding between characters that goes beyond words.
Positive story outcomes
Stronger alliances or partnerships.
Romantic subplots that add depth and interest to the main story.
Believable character development as they influence each other positively.
Moments of triumph where their combined strengths overcome obstacles.
Deep, meaningful friendships.
Can easily resolve conflicts that seemed insurmountable.
Celebration is more impactful due to their shared success.
A fortified sense of trust that can be pivotal in critical story moments.
Enhanced reader investment in the characters and their relationships.
Openings for sequels or spin-offs based on popular characters dynamics.
Negatives story outcomes
Conflict arising from misunderstanding or jealousy.
Unresolved tension between characters on the outside.
Can lead to unnecessarily complex emotional entanglements
Creates obstacles due to the characters’ strong connection being exploited by antagonists.
Tragic outcomes when the chemistry between characters causes them to make irrational choices.
Intense confrontations that threaten the relationship.
Betrayals that are more impactful because of the depth of their relationship.
Unforeseen sacrifices that characters make for each other.
Heightened stakes when the wellbeing of one character is tied to the other.
Unexpected changes in the character when relationships are cut short.
Helpful vocabulary
Smitten
Love
Afffection
Desire
Charisma
Intimate
Playful
Magnetic
Affectionate
Devoted
Engrossed
Dynamic
Mesmerizing
Empathy
Kinship
Enthralled
Spark
Trust
Harmony
Synergy
Supportive
Heartfelt
Genuine
Symbiotic
Unbreakable
Deep-seated
Fascinating
Bonded
Authentic
Obsession
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buginacup · 8 months
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Unity's behavior is embarrassingly greedy. Clearly trying to brute force their way into skimming revenue from every mobile game on the market -> pushing their adware onto every piece of software. It's been really disheartening to see every game development software company demand exponentially more profit the past few years. Especially since it comes at the expense of scaring away blossoming developers...
If you haven't learned to make games, but plan to - use something open source like GODOT, or at least an old version of RPG maker with a one-time purchase of a license.
If the owner of the IDE you're using would be legally within their rights to do what Unity is doing now you should assume that they will do it eventually too.
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honeytonedhottie · 1 month
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shadow work prompts⋆.ೃ࿔*:・🎀
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resources for ur healing journal and healing journey in general bcuz u deserve to heal ✨ (constantly being updated and improved)
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SHADOW WORK PROMPTS ;
what did childhood me need the most
what am i avoiding -> what am i addicted to
what secrets am i hiding and why
am i being honest with myself/others
what are my biggest misconceptions about myself
what are the first signs that u notice and know that ur mental health is dipping
what beliefs and behaviors did u adapt from ur family that u now question
what easily triggers (feeling) and what might be a reason for this sensitivity
have u ever had a reoccurring dream
do u have desires or ambitions that u feel embarrassed to admit
what critical thoughts do u have about urself
what part of myself do i feel disconnected to and why
how do i let others invade my boundaries
how much do i rely on external validation
do i tend to resist or embrace change
what are some toxic habits that i've adopted
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imastoryteller · 3 months
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Uncover your character's hidden layers by exploring their contradictions
Just like real people, fictional characters are complex beings with conflicting desires, fears, and motivations. Explore the dualities within your character—reveal the brave face that conceals vulnerability, the kind soul with a dark secret. Embrace the tension between their strengths and weaknesses. Readers connect with characters who feel genuine and multi-dimensional. So, let your characters surprise both you and your audience. Whether it's a hero with a flaw or a villain with a redeeming quality, the richness of contradiction adds depth, making your characters unforgettable and relatable.
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em-dash-press · 10 months
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The 5 Most Essential Turning Points in a Character’s Arc
You spend so much time creating a character because you want them to feel real. You want to connect with them and use them to create an experience for your readers. Their character arc is how that happens.
Don’t miss out on these essential turning points that make an arc feel not only whole, but complete.
1. The Inciting Incident
Your inciting incident gets your plot moving. It isn’t going to be the first sentence of your story (also called your hook), although it could be if you crafted your first sentence for that purpose.
An inciting incident is a plot event that guides your character in a new direction. It’s the successful prison break, the meeting of instant rivals, or the moment your protagonist wins the lottery in your first chapter.
Without the inciting incident, your protagonist’s life would carry on as usual. They wouldn’t start the arc that makes them an interesting person for the reader to stick with throughout your story.
2. Introducing the Protagonist’s Main Flaw
Every protagonist needs a primary flaw. Ideally, they’ll have more than one. People aren’t perfect and they rarely get close enough to only have one negative characteristic. Protagonists need that same level of humanity for readers to connect with them.
There are many potential flaws you could consider, but the primarily flaw must be the foundation for your character’s arc. It might even be the catalyst for the story’s peak.
Imagine a hero archetype. They’re great and well-intended, but they have a problem with boasting. Their arc features scenes where they learn to overcome their need to brag about themselves, but they get drunk and boast in a bar right before the story’s peak. The antagonist’s best friend hears this because they’re at the same bar, so they report the hero’s comment to the main villain. It thwarts the hero’s efforts and makes the climax more dramatic.
Other potential flaws to consider:
Arrogance
Pride
Fear
Anxiety
Carelessness
Dishonesty
Immaturity
3. Their First Failure
Everyone will fail at a goal eventually. Your protagonist should too. Their first failure could be big or small, but it helps define them. They either choose to continue pursuing that goal, they change their goal, or their worldview shatters.
Readers like watching a protagonist reshape their identity when they lose sight of what they wnat. They also like watching characters double down and pursue something harder. Failure is a necessary catalyst for making this happen during a character’s arc.
4. Their Rock Bottom
Most stories have a protagonist that hits their rock bottom. It could be when their antagonist defeats them or lose what matters most. There are numerous ways to write a rock-bottom moment. Yours will depend on what your character wants and what your story’s theme is.
If you forget to include a rock-bottom moment, the reader might feel like the protagonist never faced any real stakes. They had nothing to lose so their arc feels less realistic.
Rock bottoms don’t always mean earth-shattering consequences either. It might be the moment when your protagonist feels hopeless while taking an exam or recognizes that they just don’t know what to do. Either way, they’ll come to grips with losing something (hope, direction, or otherwise) and the reader will connect with that.
5. What the Protagonist Accepts
Protagonists have to accept the end of their arc. They return home from their hero’s journey to live in a life they accept as better than before. They find peace with their new fate due to their new community they found or skills they aquired.
Your protagonist may also accept a call to action. They return home from their journey only to find out that their antagonist inspired a new villain and the protagonist has to find the strength to overcome a new adversary. This typically leads into a second installment or sequel.
Accepting the end of their arc helps close the story for the reader. A protagonist who decides their arc wasn’t worth it makes the reader disgruntled with the story overall. There has to be a resolution, which means accepting whatever the protagonist’s life ended up as—or the next goal/challenge they’ll chase.
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Hopefully these points make character arcs feel more manageable for you. Defining each point might feel like naming your instincts, but it makes character creation and plotting easier.
Want more creative writing tips and tricks? I have plenty of other fun stuff on my website, including posts like Traits Every Protagonist Needs and Tips for Writing Subplots.
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deception-united · 24 days
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Let's talk about character voices.
Giving a character a unique voice in your writing involves several elements, including word choice, sentence structure, dialogue quirks, and mannerisms. By incorporating these elements into your writing, you can create characters with distinct voices that resonate with readers and bring your story to life.
Here are some tips to help you create distinctive voices for your characters:
Distinct Vocabulary: Choose words that reflect the character's background, personality, and education level. Consider their profession, interests, and experiences when selecting vocabulary. For example, a well-educated professor would likely use more sophisticated language.
Dialogue Quirks: Give each character specific speech patterns or quirks that set them apart. This could include repeated phrases, stuttering, using or avoiding contractions, or speaking in a particular dialect or accent. Be careful not to overdo it, though, as too much can become distracting.
Sentence Structure: Pay attention to the rhythm and structure of their sentences. Some characters might speak in short, abrupt sentences, while others might use long, flowing ones. This can convey their confidence, hesitation, or urgency.
Internal Monologue: Show the character's unique thought process through their internal monologue. This can help readers understand their motivations, fears, and desires, further distinguishing them from other characters. (This may not necessarily apply to your story if you're writing in a third person omniscient perspective, or if you intend to exclusively follow the internal monologue of the main character.)
Physical Gestures and Actions: Incorporate the character's physical gestures and actions into their dialogue to add depth to their voice. For example, a nervous character might fidget, slouch, or avoid eye contact while speaking, while a confident character might stand tall and make direct eye contact.
Background and History: Consider the character's background and history when crafting their voice. Their upbringing, cultural influences, and past experiences can all shape the way they speak and interact with others.
Consistency: It's important to maintain consistency in the character's voice throughout the story. Pay attention to their speech patterns, vocabulary, and mannerisms to ensure they remain true to their established personality.
Listen to Real Conversations: Pay attention to how people speak in real life, including their tone, vocabulary, and speech patterns. Drawing inspiration from real conversations can help you create authentic and believable dialogue for your characters.
Read Aloud: Reading your dialogue aloud can help you identify areas where the character's voice may not sound authentic. If it doesn't sound like something they would say, revise.
Avoid Stereotypes: While it's okay to draw inspiration from archetypes, be careful not to rely too heavily on stereotypes. Instead, strive to create complex, multidimensional characters with unique voices.
Hope this helps!
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mistblossomdesigns · 1 year
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The next time you're building a character profile, ask yourself these questions to dig a little deeper into your character's inner workings.
What do they wish they could change about themselves?
What is a negative trait of theirs they have to overcome?
What is their most hidden secret?
What keeps them from achieving their goals?
What's their most prized possession and why?
Happy writing!
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slayingfiction · 1 year
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Character Flaws
When creating characters, it's all too easy to envision the most perfect people, especially when it comes to creating love interests. Even our loveable morally grey characters are mostly perfect, if only they would stop killing...
So, here are a list of some flaws (based on personality, not appearance) to help round out your characters. While it's nice to be good at everything, it's abnormal. No one is perfect, and your characters will be much more relatable if you knock them down a bit.
Please note, none of these are (specifically) mental disorders, as I don't consider those a character flaw.
The Good (aka little flaw):
Absent-minded, aimless, argumentative, audacious, awkward, blunt, bold, boring, capricious, childish, clumsy, competitive, complainer, cowardly, critical directionally-challenged, dubious, finicky, fixated, flake, flirty, foolish, gossipy, gruff, gullible, hedonistic, humourless, hypocritical, idealist, idiotic, ignorant, illiterate, immature, impatient, impetuous, impulsive, incompetent, inconsiderate, indecisive, indifferent, indomitable, irrational, lazy, lustful, materialistic, meddlesome, meek, mischievious, nagging, naive, nervous, nosey, obnoxious, overambitious, overconfident, overemotional, overprotective, overzealous, passive-aggressive, paranoid, peevish, perfectionist, pessimist, pest, predicatable, pretencious, prideful, rebellious, renege, rigorous, sarcastic, skeptic, seducer, selfish, self-righteous, shallow, slacker, solemn, spacey, spoild, squeamish, stubborn, supersticious, sycophant, tactless, tease, tempermental, tenacious, theatrical, thoughtless, timid, unpredictable, unsupportive, vain, workaholic
The Bad (aka big flaw):
Addiction, adulterous, aloof, anxious, apathetic, arrogant, belittling, belligerent, bigmouth, bitter, bully, callous, deceptive, dependant, deranged, dishonest, disloyal, disrespectful, egotistical, envious, erratic, exploitive, fanatical, fickle, fierce (at the extreme), gluttonous, greedy, harasser, hubris, impious, infamy, intolerant, judgemental, lewd, liar, meglomaniac, morally grey, narcissistic, negligent, obsequious, obsessive, offensive, prejudiced, quixotic, reckless, rigid, self-martyr, self-righteous, short-tempered, spiteful, squanderer, stingy, unethical, unforgiving, untrustworthy
The Ugly (aka cross the street when you see this person):
Abusive, bigot, controlling, cruel, explosive, immoral, inhumane, intolerant, machiavellian, manipulative, murderous, neglectful, oppressive, racist, remorseless, possessive, self-destructive, threatening, treacherous, vengeful, vindictive, violent
The seven chief features of ego: self-deprecation, self-destruction, martyrdom, stubbornness, greed, arrogance and impatience.
Some of these may not even be considered flaws, and some may jump from one category to the next. It's all about how you present these flaws in your characters.
Have any more to add? Did you find this useful? Let me know down in the comments :)
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m0ckest · 5 months
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fiction.tools
Just discovered this site that links to all sorts of resources for writers/story tellers/etc!
Includes links to:
Idea generators
Map creators/generators
Story/world/character organizers
Mind-mapping tools
Word processors
Screenwriting software
Revision/formatting tools
Book cover makers
Free stock images
Submission & self-publishing tools
(Not everything they link to is 100% free but there's a handy search filter as well as labels on the posts to identify features.)
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cityandking · 10 months
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oc asks: relationships edition
INNER LIFE
Self: How is your OC's relationship with themself? Does your OC like who they are? Is there anything about themself that they would change?
Know: How well does your OC know themself—their wants, their goals, their motivations? Do they engage in any sort of self-reflection? Is there anything about themself they willfully ignore?
Care: How does your OC engage in self-care, if at all? If they don't, why not?
For Good: Is there anyone in your OC's life who had an undeniable positive impact on who they are as a person? How did knowing this person improve your OC's life?
For Bad: Is there anyone who had an undeniable negative impact on your OC’s life? How did your OC deal with that change? Have they been able to move on?
Intimacy: Is your OC the type of person to engage in long-term relationships, or are they more casual in their intimacy and affection? How do they feel about intimacy and relationships in general?
OUTER LIFE
Family: What's your OC's family like? Is it a family of blood, choice, or something else? How does your OC feel about their blood relations? If they have a family of choice, how did they come together?
Mentor: Does your OC have a mentor? Have they ever reached out to anyone for guidance or teaching, or been taken under someone's wing? How does your OC get along with their mentor?
Friendship: What's your OC like as a friend? How are they at making new friends? What are the most important friendships in your OC's life?
Partner: Does your OC currently have a partner? Multiple partners? How did they meet, and what is that relationship like?
Companions: Is your OC part of an adventuring group? A band of travelers? A guild, a team, a crew? What's the group dynamic, and how does your OC feel about their companions?
Social Circle: What's your OC's social circle? Are they obligated to spend time with others in their circle, or are they happy to be there? Has their social standing and social circle ever changed, and if so, how did your OC feel about it?
HELLOS & GOODBYES
Fate: Does your OC believe in destined meetings? True love, soulmates, hearing the bells? Have they ever experienced this?
Meet Strange: What's the most memorable way your OC has ever met a new person? Was it a good experience? Bad experience? Just plain weird? How's their relationship with that person now?
Past: Does your OC have any past partners? How did the relationship(s) end? Are any of their exes still in their life, and if so, do they get along?
Exit: Has your OC ever had someone important leave their life in a way that was unremarkable, unintentional, or clumsy? How do they feel about it? Is there any chance they'll meet again?
First: Has your OC ever been the one to leave first? Why did they go, and who did they leave behind? Do they regret it?
Loss: Is there anyone important to your OC who has passed away? How did they handle the loss?
Future: Is there anyone your OC is looking forward to meeting or to seeing again? Who? What might that meeting or reunion look like?
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novlr · 4 months
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Interview your characters
If you really want to get to know your characters, interview them.
Write out a series of questions (or used a pre-made set, like the Proust Questionnaire) and answer them in your character’s voice. They’ll soon start to develop unique personalities.
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