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#tips to writing a backstory

3hks · 3 months

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How to Write an IMPACTFUL Backstory

Honestly, writing and reading about backstories is probably one of my favorite parts of a character's story! It's a strong foundation for a character's goals, motives, thoughts, and actions! Its most powerful effect, on the other hand, is its ability to change one's view on a character. So, then, how do we write such an impactful past?

For beginners, the more tragic the backstory, the better. While this does hold some truth, let me re-iterate that it's for beginners. The idea behind it is that a pure, devastatingly pitiful backstory is unique and pulls at your reader's heartstrings. Unfortunately, instead, we're left with an origin story that feels superficial, overly-dramatic, unnecessary, and shallow. However in this post, I will give you some tips on how to avoid creating such 2D backgrounds and actually bring your character's past to life!

First, your character's backstory can be made with whatever components you choose, but the key is that you must balance them out correctly. Additionally, the majority of the time, you do want their story to stick out, so I suggest trying to come up with something original! It's much harder than it sounds, but honestly, every other protagonist has dead parents at this point. Be creative, add details, and don't be afraid to let your character go through things if you feel that it's fitting!

Second, don't extend their past for too long. The point of introducing the backstory is to elaborate on a (few) certain event(s) that affected your character the most and forever changed their lives. Keep it centered around one, or at most, a couple events.

Next, most writers tend to use sadness and/or to fuel the character, but it should not be overbearing and excessive. Alternatively, it should feel GENUINE. Not dramatic, but genuine. Different genres do form different types of backstories, yes, but the core concept behind it should be something natural. It should be something that your readers will be able to understand; something authentic. They should feel some sense of relatability, even if it's just a little. This could be like family issues, broken friendships, betrayals, leaving someone, mental struggles, loneliness, etc. Complexity can surround these concepts, but the basic, fundamental ideas should still be present.

Furthermore, be sure that their backstory makes sense. Even if you're introducing it through quick, brief flashbacks, ultimately, you want the reader to have all the pieces to solve the puzzle.

Last but not least, make your backstory feel personal to your character! Build it in a sense that if it were to go to any other character, it wouldn't have an effect that's as severe. Make it targeted to its owner. While this is something that can be difficult to execute, it really provides insight to your character, and is an easy way to add some intricacy to a simple backstory! A good place to start is thinking about the things personal to your character. For instance, this could be their past before the event, people they care about, their morals, etc. Then, add it in said event so that it pushes and/or challenges your character in a way that makes them re-evaluate that value.

There you go! Here are my personal tips on how to upgrade your character's backstory and have it really impact your reader! Be creative, keep it centered around a couple things, make it genuine, and make it targeted to the character!

Happy writing~

3hks <3

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saraswritingtipps · 6 months

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Exploring Character Backstory

1. Start with the essentials: Begin by outlining the basic information about your character's past, such as their family background, upbringing, education, and early experiences. Consider their cultural, social, and economic background, as these factors can shape their worldview and values.

2. Identify key events and milestones: Determine significant events or milestones in your character's life that have had a profound impact on them. These could include positive or negative experiences, such as the loss of a loved one, a major achievement, a traumatic incident, or a life-changing decision. These events help shape your character's personality, fears, and aspirations.

3. Examine formative relationships: Explore the relationships your character has had with their family, friends, mentors, or romantic partners. How have these relationships influenced them? What role models or influences have shaped their values, beliefs, and behavior? Relationships can provide insight into your character's vulnerabilities, strengths, and emotional attachments.

4. Dig into their beliefs and values: Understand what your character believes in and values. Examine their moral compass, political views, religious beliefs, or philosophical outlook. Consider how their beliefs might clash or align with the conflicts they encounter in the story. This will create depth and authenticity in their character development.

5. Uncover secrets and hidden aspects: Delve into your character's secrets, hidden desires, or aspects of their past that they prefer to keep hidden. Secrets can create internal conflicts, fuel character growth, and add intrigue to the story. They can also reveal vulnerabilities or flaws that make your character more relatable and complex.

6. Consider the impact of societal factors: Explore how societal factors such as gender, race, class, or historical context have influenced your character's experiences and identity. These factors can shape their struggles, opportunities, and perspectives. Understanding the societal context in which your character exists adds layers of depth to their backstory.

7. Connect the backstory to the main story: Once you have explored the character's backstory, identify how it relates to the main story. Determine how their past experiences, relationships, or traumas influence their present motivations, conflicts, and goals. This connection will ensure that the backstory serves a purpose in the narrative and contributes to the character's growth.

8. Use backstory selectively: While backstory is essential for understanding your character, avoid excessive exposition or information dumping. Introduce elements of the backstory gradually, through dialogue, memories, or subtle hints. This helps maintain reader interest and allows the character's past to unfold organically throughout the story.

Remember, not all aspects of the character's backstory need to be explicitly mentioned in the narrative. It's important to choose and reveal elements that have the most significant impact on the character's present circumstances and development.

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clarrissanewt · 2 years

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CHARACTER BACKSTORIES

what are character backstories?

character backstories is anything that happened to your character before the main story begun. it a crucial part of character development and creation and can help you have a strong sense of the character’s background (and probably one of the reasons why the character does something in the present!)

ways to add backstories:

flashbacks:

flashbacks can be a powerful way to make a promise to a reader. any cataclysmic event might trigger the protagonist into getting a flashback. flashbacks don't only provide an insight to the character's past but also intrigue readers.

Use verb tense shifts to move between the flashback and main narrative. Whenever your narrative or characters recall a memory from a time before the story began, you have two choices. If the memory is short, you can describe it briefly. If it’s longer, you may want to pull the reader back into a full scene describing a past event. It important to mark the beginning and end of a flashback to make your time jumps clear to the reader.

Keep them relevant. Flashbacks help fill in the characters’ motives and history, but if they are too long or tedious, the reader will get bored. If you use flashbacks, always be aware that time is still moving in the front story, and make sure that your reader can hear the clock in that front story ticking.

Sometimes the whole book is the flashback. it can start with a character narrating the story to someone else. Framing the events of the storyline this way, with a dual point-of-view into a character’s life over the passage of time, can bring more nuance to the storytelling. Before using this technique, ask yourself whether the character’s arc is dramatic enough to make for interesting retrospection.

Tell the present story first. Sometimes it may not be clear where a flashback belongs until you’ve completed your first draft and have a complete view of the storyline.

dialogues:

sometimes a simple conversation might let the character reveal few of the past events to the person they trust or look forward to. it can be a good way to hide the backstory all the while giving it to the readers.

reflection:

let the character 'reflect' on how far they have come. introspection or reflection is one of the ways in which your character can reveal their backstories in the present narrative.

+ bonus! - prologues

Prologues come before chapter one and could be expository/introductory prose, a poem, diary letter, news clipping, or anything in between.

Prologue Don'ts:

1. Using a prologue as a place for a massive dump… information dump.

Information dumps are one of the easiest ways to make readers’ eyes glaze over. Paragraphs of text that provide dense (albeit important) background information are tough to digest. Without strategically trickling this information throughout a scene or throughout the chapters/book, readers can be immediately turned off to a story.

2. A prologue that has nothing to do with the main story.

Prologues need to somehow propel or impact your main plot. Period. If your prologue is filled with action, offers bite-sized pieces of background information, and weaves a compelling scene but is not relevant to your main plot, you probably need to re-think your strategy.

It doesn’t matter if your writing is solid if the scenes aren’t strategically moving toward that pretty plot arc—depicting an emotional journey for your character and exhibiting the stakes for your protagonist and the world at large.

3. Prologues that are too long.

The modern reader (often) prefers shorter chapters—prologues included. If your prologue is longer than most of your chapters (or if both your prologue and chapters are longer), it might be time to reevaluate the structure and pacing of your chapters.

4. Using the prologue to hook the reader as the sole purpose.

think of the prologues that throw the reader into the action—and I mean the middle of the action. Maybe it’s the center of a bloody battlefield or twisted in the sheets of a love affair. Whatever it is, the reader is unceremoniously plunked into the action in a world they’re unfamiliar with and whose characters they don’t yet know (and love).

While action scenes are a gripping way to begin a story, consider whether or not this action is important to the central plot and if this beginning isn’t too overwhelming/confusing for the reader to acclimate to.

5. Using the prologue strictly to provide atmosphere or to do some early-on world building.

World building is one of the things readers love most about fantasy and science fiction. These delicious details are… well… delicious! The setting is described with enough detail to have the readers visualizing the character’s surroundings but not too much to bog down the pace of the scene.

Types of Prologues

Background/History: This type of prologue provides background to the history of the world and events that previously transpired—such as a major battle or betrayal. These events typically took place before the beginning of your story and somehow significantly impact the events going forward.

Different Point of View (POV): This type of prologue could be advantageous when diving into another character’s perspective—particularly when that character’s insight is only needed once and provides a foundation for the story.

Protagonist (Past or Future): These prologues are great for showing a pivotal moment for the protagonist—either in the past or in the future (such as a defining moment years ago or after the main plot has taken place).

Strengths of a Prologue

Fear not, writers. Prologues aren’t all bad. In fact, they come in handy in a number of scenarios:

To provide a “quick-and-dirty” glimpse of important background information without the need of flashbacks, dialogue, or memories that interrupt the action later on in the book.

Hook the reader into the action right away while having the readers asking questions relevant to the central plot—and therefore eager to learn those answers in the opening chapters.

Offer information the reader couldn’t otherwise glean from the plot (such as a break from the point-of-view narration or from a different character’s perspective).

Introduce the antagonist—providing background motives that either humanizes the character or exhibits his/her evil intentions. This angle can be handy if the protagonist doesn’t meet the antagonist until later on in the book.

Introduce a philosophy or religious belief important to the plot/setting.

Foreshadow future events, thereby creating suspense for the reader and get them asking questions (and eagerly reading on).

Do I Need a Prologue?

Consider the following questions:

What information am I providing in the prologue? Why is it important to reveal it up front? Can it be revealed throughout the story in smaller trickles and still be as impactful (or more)?

Does this character’s POV come up again later in the story? If so, would this work as a first chapter instead?

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writingwithfolklore · 9 months

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At what point should a backstory be explained or expanded on? (Midpoint, four chapters in, etc?) thanks!

Hello!

Where does Backstory Go?

There's no really hard and fast rule for when to do anything. I tend to sprinkle the majority of backstory throughout the first act turn and the midpoint. I'll typically reveal the essential thing you need to know to get a good sense of the character/world within the first couple chapters, and then leave the extra details (and the spicier details) to sprinkle throughout until we reach the the middle. If there is a big surprising thing to learn, we tend to learn it right before the midpoint.

Backstory for smaller characters or elements can come out after that point, but I always found it a bit odd to still be learning big things about the MC after it all goes down--unless the learning is a result of that event. Still, that's not a hard rule.

You want to really carefully balance the keeping secrets to create suspense and mystery with the revealing so we can get a greater sense of the characters/world. I talk more about this in a different post (linked below), but essentially, you don't want to keep too much hidden for too long. However, this balance is totally up to you and what your intuition is telling you.

Good luck!

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biscuitsandspices · 1 year

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Okay, question for the character creators out there: Do you first write the backstory and then decide the character’s personality/traits based on their past, OR do you first decide how the character’s personality/traits fit into the story and then write the backstory of how the character became the person you created?

I’m sure there is a lot of overlap and intermingling of the two during character creation, but PRIMARILY which do you do more? Personally, I lean more towards the second, but I’m curious to see the process of the majority!

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beananium · 4 months

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amateur tip because everyone should know this but i see it even in triple A games so apparently not:

if you're writing a fat character, at the very least make their clothes fit them properly. it always irks me seeing fat characters have their buttons straining on their default outfit, ESPECIALLY on a character that can afford new clothes / has enough money to get them tailored to themselves.

i'm begging you if you're trying to depict your only fat character as a glutton who can't stop eating and keeps busting out of their clothes; don't. fat people deserve to be characters firstly, not a gross caricature. please... please? fuck.

#Bean Text #thinking about how done dirty fat characters are in anything ever #they're either prortrayed as gross / a slob #or (when the rare well-written fat character comes around) they slim down either in a reboot / adaptation or over the course of the story #like oh no! we can't have a fat character in the story! they're not appealing / marketable enough !!!!!!!#bites you. with violence in my mind and soul.#pro tip on writing fat characters: write a character. then when designing their physical form make them fat. you are done #don't make their only trait be 'likes to eat'#make them genuinely funny! make them badass! give them layers to their backstory and personality!#make them kind / good! or make them a genuine threatening villain! hell; make them a brooding morally grey anti hero!#make them have hobbies and interests that aren't just food related!#make them a character!!! fuck!

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heywriters · 2 years

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Anon: What do you think of non linear narrative? One of my characters has a long backstory I cannot sum up or cut because it shows a slow downward spiral to their darkest moment. My story starts with them putting the pieces back together and I want to keep the reader on edge until they find out what happened. But I don't know how to show the backstory, if not with non linear narrative, alternating past and present, or with a very long flashback...but that would probably be a prequel on its own...

Common and good advice is to start the story at the beginning of the action. Prologues, prequels, and infodump chapters aren't ideal for getting a reader invested in the right story. Long backstories can distract from, or become more interesting than, the main story.

Still, what is writing without creative rule-breaking? You have three primary options:

1. Alternate past, present, and future through flashbacks: This is a good way to avoid infodumping. It keeps up suspense while also allowing the readers a few mellow periods of calm storytelling. However, repetitive flashbacks/forwards can get annoying, distracting, confusing, or all three to readers. You may inevitably end up cutting some backstory to make this work. (ref: tv show, Bloodlines)

2. Present the story in segments: It sounds like you have two complete stories here, one with a downward arc, and one of recovery. You can make the backstory a prequel, but you'll lose that "edge of their seat" effect. My suggestion is to make the backstory "part two" of the same story instead of a separate story. Raise questions in part one, and then part two is a trip back in time that answers those questions. Done well, this can be very satisfying to read. (ref: novel, Yellow Raft on Blue Water)

3. Cut the back story to prioritize the main story: Keep only the details and references to the past that help the plot, with a reveal near/at the end. The reveal can be an explanation or a flashback. It can be a whole chapter if it needs to be. This format may spare the character arc some confusing melodrama. (ref: tv show, Broadchurch)

Only the writer will know which technique will best suit their story and their skillset. Since your two stories may have two separate tones and themes, choosing the right way to mesh those stories becomes more important. If you're not sure which technique will work for you, try drafting an outline for each technique.

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springtimemultishipper · 1 year

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The Flowers' Warnings (Korekiyo Shinguji x Gender-Neutral Reader)

Summary | A mysterious and creepy man hangs around the floral shop that Y/N owns. Immediately infatuated, Y/N later forms a bond with him after he's discovered in the shop after they closed. Unfortunately, that might've proven to be a grave mistake…

❥Y/N Type | Gender-neutral Ultimate Florist Y/N

✦ Word Count | 6,596 words

➨ Trigger Warnings | Blood/Gore, Mentions of Multination, Mentions of Death, Implied Poisoning, Murder, Ghosts

*Author’s note: Hey! I’m back to writing after a month. Happy Halloween, everyone! To celebrate Halloween, I decided to write a one-shot with probably the creepiest character in Danganronpa, Korekiyo Shinguji. This is my first attempt at a horror-romance genre of writing, so sorry if it’s cringe. Please note that if this story comes across as me romanticizing something, that isn’t my intention. I’m just wanting to make that clear before we start! I am not intending to romanticize anything in this story. If any of the triggers above upset you or trigger you, then this story may not be your thing, so please don’t risk your mental health. Also, I would also like to point out that Korekiyo in this story has a different backstory that I written up a while back because nobody likes the incest that was in his original one! With that out of the way, grab some snacks and enjoy this Halloween special!*

Y/N didn't understand what this guy's deal was...

Ever since he had walked into the small floral shop a month ago, their eyes had been latched onto him like a rabbit just noticing a wolf standing behind the bushes. His tall, slim figure resembling the beauty of a Japanese maple. The long flowing ocean green hair fanning out and brushing against his branch-like arms and legs. Those mysterious golden eyes curiously observing all the plants and people that were scattered around the shop. Y/N remembered their cheeks immediately flushing when he made eye-contact with them, and they've been kind of smitten ever since.

Y/N would notice him hanging around the florist shop and would always keep an eye on him whenever they noticed him. Their eyes would literally feast on this man as he took note of all the different arrangements displayed against the mint walls. He was definitely one of the most attractive men that they had ever seen, and it immediately perked their interest. Sure, they were always curious about their customers, but, this time, their curiosity felt less...innocent. It made them want to rip off the zippered mask that covered the bottom-half of his face, at the least.

Though, they did notice that he never seemed to buy anything. He never approached them to ask any questions about the arrangements being displayed or what's popular at the moment. Hell, he never seemed to talk with any of the customers that were exploring the shop. All he did was just...stare at the people and plants inside. Y/N could've sworn that just last week, he was staring at them for a good thirty minutes before turning his attention away. Maybe most people may have felt creeped out, but, for some reason, Y/N never felt that way. It made their heart pound and their cheeks flush at the idea that this good-looking man was staring right at them of all people. They never had people staring at them before.

Honestly, they weren't too sure of what the man's intentions were for hanging around the shop. Was he just shy and too nervous to talk to anyone? Was he introverted and preferred to figure things out on his own without the help of others? Or was he like them and just enjoyed flowers and plant-life?

At the back of their mind, Y/N could imagine one final possibility. It was possible that he was intending on committing a crime any day now? That was a very low possibility, Y/N had rationalized. He hadn't shown any suspicious behaviors aside from just being creepy and staring, and he could even not be meaning to come off that way. It could be who he is. Besides, the mystery surrounding him kind of made Y/N's crush on him all the more exciting.

Still, Y/N kept an eye on this man, studying him for any suspicious behaviors. It wasn't like they thought he was dangerous or anything. It was just better to be safe than sorry. Besides, it was the perfect excuse to have him as their eye candy.

So, this cycle went on for the month that he hung out in the floral shop. Y/N nervously interacts with the customers that approach them in the shop, takes their arrangement orders, and organizes them. All while keeping an eye on this strange man. And, so far, nothing had happened. He just continues lurking around the shop and quietly staring at plants and people. As a result, Y/N grew used to this person and felt like there was nothing to worry so much about, so they continued on with their business.

"Okay, so you want an Autumn Night arrangement as a centerpiece for a dinner party, right?" they quietly asked as they wrote down the order.

"Yes, dear," the woman standing in front of them nodded. "I'm wanting something autumn-themed to match with the decorations."

Y/N glanced up from their notepad with a sweet smile. "Okay then. It'll cost 5907 yen, please. I'll try to have it ready by tomorrow, and you can come by to pick it up and pay for it then."

The woman smiled. "Alrighty then! Thank you so much! You're such a kind person, sweetheart."

Y/N blushed and starting waving their hands. "O-oh no! Thanks, but I'm just doing my job, ma'am."

"That may be true, but you're the Ultimate Florist. You undoubtedly have far more important orders to tend to than mine."

Y/N shook their head. "Th-that's not true! Flowers are meant to be loved by and shared with everyone! Nobody's arrangement is more important than someone else's. As the Ultimate Florist, my job is just to spread the emotions and beauty that the flowers capture through the arrangements."

After they finished speaking, they looked up at the woman and felt their cheeks turn red. They shyly looked down and mumbled, "At least, that's what I think..."

The woman just gave a fond laugh in response. "I see. Sorry for assuming, Y/N. I suppose flowers don't discriminate!"

Y/N looked up and let out a small giggle. Suddenly, they felt eyes blazing right though them. They glanced up to meet piercing golden eyes as the man in the mask stared right at them. Y/N felt their knees tremble as the man made no effort to avert his leering gaze. The mask prevented them to be able to read his expression, so they had no idea what he was even thinking. Subconsciously, Y/N fiddled with their hat, suddenly worried about how they looked as shivers traveled down their spine. Shakily peaking out from under the brim of their hat, they saw that he still hasn't stopped staring, studying them. They suddenly became aware of the nervousness intensifying the longer they stood there.

Y/N forced their gaze away from the man and turned to the lady. "Uh...I'll go work on your order now..."

With no other words, Y/N dashed towards the back of the counter and swung open the wooden door that separated the customers from the workers and blocked that metallic gaze. As the door shut behind them, the sudden need for air caused Y/N to gasp for breath. It feels so much safer in here.

However, now they were safe and away from his petrifying eyes, Y/N wanted to kick themselves. Why did they run away?! He must've thought that they were really weird now. What kind of shop owner runs away from a customer staring at them. UGH! They were so bad at this.

But still...excitement was bubbling inside their chest as they thought about the attractive man staring at them, giving them their full attention. They placed their hands over their heart as their cheeks flushed. He really was staring at them. Did that mean he was interested? Or did he just wanted to ask a question about the arrangements after so long? He was a customer after all, so the staring could be just him needing something from them. Still, if he was going to ask a question, it still meant he wanted to talk to them. Y/N's heart did a tap dance inside their chest. They felt like a giddy high school student romanticizing a simple "hi" that their crush gave. It just was so exciting to have this crush and fantasize about the possible interactions between them and this guy.

"Uh...Y/N? You do know that you're kneeling on the floor, right? And why are you so sweaty? Are you okay?"

Y/N was snapped out of their fantasies to see their assistant, Kanae, looking down at them, a worried expression etching their gentle features. Y/N felt their cheeks flush as they quickly stood up and brushed the dust off their apron. "Uh...yeah. I'm fine. Just...have a lot to do. That's all. Could you please look after the shop while I'm back here?"

"Um....okay...?" Kanae didn't look exactly convinced, but, regardless, she walked by Y/N and placed her hand on the door knob. As she opened the door, they caught a glance of her phone's screen and there was an article on it. Just from a quick glance of the article, there was a phrase that caught Y/N's attention. "October deaths?" they read.

Kanae turned her head around to look at Y/N and quietly closed the door again. "Oh yeah. It's just an old legend that's been in our town and I've been curious about. It talks about how a lot of people-mainly girls-had suddenly died every year on October 31st, one by one."

"October 31st?" Y/N repeated. "But, that's tomorrow."

"Exactly!" Kanae nodded. "A body would be found every year on the October 31st, seemingly dying a little bit before midnight of that exact same day. The weirdest part is that nobody has any idea of how these people died. Every autopsy report that has been done on each of the bodies had no results of what killed them."

"H-how is that even possible?!" Y/N questioned. "Even if something was done to sabotage the reports, there would've been, at least, some clue to how they've died!"

A small smirk crossed Kanae's face as she placed a finger to her chin. Y/N immediately grew nervous as soon as they saw the expression on their face. "Well, I have a theory...that a ghost is the one that's causing all these mysterious deaths..."

Y/N paled. "A g-g-ghost?! That can't be!"

"Why not?" Kanae had a wide, creepy, smile on her face as she tilted her head at Y/N. "The only way that multiple autopsy report would have no results is if something supernatural was the one causing the deaths. Doesn't it explain how people are suddenly dropping dead with no trace to what killed them? Besides that...did I mention that the bodies were discovered near the entrance gates of a graveyard that's not too far from here?" Kanae giggled creepily. "Sounds like the dead is adding to their numbers..."

Y/N felt chills travel down their spine as their knees buckled. Sweat dripped down their forehead as they stared at Kanae's terrifying smirk, unable to find their voice.

Suddenly, Kanae's mood quickly shifted back to her gentle and bubbly self as she rubbed Y/N's shoulders. "I'm playing, Y/N! I'm playing! You can relax."

Y/N took a deep breath and crossed their arms while glaring at Kanae. "D-don't joke around like that! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"I'm sorry," Kanae apologized, rubbing their hand. "I just couldn't resist the opportunity to scare you."

Y/N huffed and flicked Kanae's forehead, which only made her laugh. "You're just the worst, you know that? Now, go to the front and do your job. I have some arrangements to make back here."

Kanae nodded as she opened the door, laughing. "Alright, alright! I got what I deserved." With that, she skipped out of the door, her bubbly laughter being the last thing Y/N heard before the door closed.

They sighed as they walked towards a desk near the side of the room, attempting to calm themselves. 'Should've known that Kanae was pulling one of her usual weird jokes', they thought as they opened one of the desk's drawers and grabbed their knives. 'After all, ghosts weren't real. Those deaths must've just been real bad luck or happened from something else. No way it was a ghost.'

Still, Y/N could feel their hands trembling as they pushed their floral foam knife through the block of foam in front of them, cutting it into three pieces. They couldn't help but wonder about the possibilities of it really being a ghost that was causing all these deaths. Something had to have caused those people to suddenly die and for their autopsy reports to have been screwed up with. Could someone alive really be capable of doing all of that each year on the same exact day?

'Wait, why am I immediately assuming that all of these things are true?' Y/N wondered to themselves. 'Kanae said that it was only a legend, right? So...there's a chance that those deaths may have never happened and it's all meant to just be a spooky myth.'

With that thought comforting them slightly, Y/N focused all their attention on the arrangement, going to the greenhouse at the back of the shop to pick the flowers they needed first before working on the order. Planning the way that the arrangement would look on paper, using their floral knife to thin the stems of the flowers, and poking green wire into the calyxes of the plants, Y/N meticulously worked in their office all day. They had placed so much, if not all, of their focus on their arrangement to the point that, soon enough, they had forgotten all about the mysterious death legend. Time flew by as they worked and by the time they were almost done with the arrangement, the sun had set long ago and all the customers of the shop had already left.

"Nothing really interesting happened today," Kanae reported as she pinned up each order note on the bulletin board hanging over the desk. "Just had some weirdo in a mask making people uncomfortable, but he didn't really do anything suspicious. I just kept an eye on him."

Y/N knew better than to mention to Kanae about their attraction to the "weirdo in the mask", so they just nodded. "Well, as long as the other costumers are safe, we don't have to worry too much. If we see him again, then I'll try to talk to him..."

"Uh...you? Sweetie, you get nervous just having your order taken. You sure you can talk to that guy?"

Y/N blushed. "I-I don't get nervous! And yes, I'm absolutely a hundred percent sure!"

Kanae raised her hands in defeat as she smiled. "Alright then. I'll let you try to talk to him if we get any complaints about him again. Well, I'm off. Got some homework to do tonight. I've already organized the register and cleaned up everything, so you don't have to worry about that."

Y/N nodded. "Thank you. I'm almost done with this arrangement, so I'll be here a little bit longer. Have a good night, Kanae."

Kanae waved goodbye to them and left the office with a final "Night, Y/N." They could hear the gentle ringing of the small bells hung above the door as Kanae had left the floral shop. Y/N sighed and continued to add some final finishing touches to their arrangement before finally getting up and stepping back to admire their work.

Black dahlias in the center to draw the viewer's eyes to darkness, some orange begonias and daffodils surrounding it for that autumn feeling, lily of the valley peaking through for some added flair, and finally, some frosty dusty miller for the greenery. Y/N definitely thought that this captured the autumn night picture that they were looking for.

After making sure that the arrangement covered the wires and tape used to keep the floral foam in the some container, a yawn escaped Y/N's throat as exhaustion weighed down their muscles. They took a glance up at the clock that rested over on the left wall. 11 o'clock. They leaned back and stretched slightly, feeling the tension leave their muscles from being hunched over their work all day.

Satisfied with their arrangement, Y/N began to place all the tools they used back in their respective drawers and spots before grabbing a spray bottle and leaving the office, making their way to the front of the shop.

It was completely pitch-black in the small flower shop aside from some small rays of moonlight peeking through the windows. Leaves, blossoms, and plants that weren't standing straight loomed over to where the moonlight hit them, creating lurking shadows that creepily hung over Y/N in the night. The mint-colored walls seemed to be grey in the darkness and the only sounds that could be heard were the gentle taps of Y/N's shoes. It seemed like the usual cute charm of the florist shop in the day was sucked out and replaced with a nighttime creepiness.

Unaffected by the spooky atmosphere, Y/N simply just grabbed a flashlight from under the counter and made their way towards each plant with their spray bottle raised before pressing the nozzle. Gentle water droplets danced on the blooms and leaves and hydrated the plants. Y/N hummed softly to themselves and carefully stroked the flowers and leaves as they took care of their beloved plants.

After finishing watering an arrangement of roses near the windows, Y/N stepped back from the pot and glanced at a window for a split second. In the second that they looked at the window, they saw a tall, figure-like shadow standing just near the wall behind them. Their eyes widened and their heart pounded as the feeling of someone watching them suddenly flooding their body. They froze as the figure, clearly noticing that they saw them, took a step closer.

Panicking, Y/N spun around and hurled the flashlight right at the intruder's face before sprinting towards the door, mind racing with terrifying ideas of what the intruder was doing in the shop. But, just before they could reach it, they felt a hand grab their arm. Y/N glanced behind them to see a bandaged hand gripping onto their wrist, and they quickly turned around to try to swipe at the door in vain. They were about to scream when suddenly....

"Khehe…throwing a flashlight at my face?" the person grabbing onto them questioned, his calm and coarse voice whispering in their ear. "Quite an unusual way to attack intruder, I must say, though I don't suppose you have many weapons on you."

"P-please don't hurt me..." A quiet shaky voice escaped Y/N's lips as they tried pull themselves free of the stranger's grip, but it was constricting, refusing to let them escape. "Please! I'll do anything you want. J-just...let me go."

"Oh, do not worry," the man reassured. "I wasn't planning on causing harm to you."

"Y-you weren't...?" Y/N felt the hand letting go of its grip on their wrist, releasing them from its constriction. They turned around to see a similar-looking bandaged hand holding out their flashlight to them.

"I believe this is yours?" Y/N quickly took the flashlight out of the stranger's hand and shone it on his face. Immediately, they recognized the masked face of the mysterious golden-eyed stranger they've been eyeing for the past month.

“I-It’s you…” Y/N gasped, cheeks flushing at the reminder of how close they were to him. “You’re the guy that only comes here to observe the plants and people here.”

The man let out a soft, scratching laugh. "Yes, that is correct. I do apologize if I have unnerved you or anyone else during my observations. You see, I am not from around here, and I was intending on looking around and becoming familiar with the customs. I have heard that this florist shop was quite popular and my curiosity led me to coming here to see for myself."

"Uh...if you don't mind me asking, what got you curious about my shop?"

"Well, for starters, I have heard that the Ultimate Florist themselves was the owner. Naturally, that would immediately draw any fellow Ultimate student to investigate. Besides that, my field of study can involve observing the relationships between people and plants. So, I was also given the opportunity to research this."

The way he spoke reminded Y/N of a sophisticated university professor. He seemed dignified as he spoke with a slightly complicated vocabulary than most people would've and his dialect stroke Y/N as being kind of old. Regardless, they were intrigued even more than they already were.

"I guess that makes sense. Well, I am Y/N L/N, the Ultimate Florist. You said that you're an Ultimate, too?"

"That is correct," the man nodded. "My name is Korekiyo Shinguji. I am called the Ultimate Anthropologist."

"Anthropologist?" Y/N repeated. "So, you basically study people, or societies, or cultures. At least, that's what I remember anthropology being. Sorry, I'm not exactly an expert."

"That's quite alright," Korekiyo's golden eyes seemed to glow with a calm passion. "I'm always happy to teach. Anthropology is, like you said, the study of human societies and cultures. However, it is far deeper than simply just that. It is a study that examines the thought behind culture, faith, and customs. I study custom legends, folk tales, songs, and human behavior. I often rigorously analyze these customs to shed light on their origins and what made these customs so popular today."

"Wow!" Y/N gasped, placing a hand over their mouth. "That sounds like a lot of work, Shinguji. So, you were trying to study the relationships of people and plants?"

Korekiyo nodded. "Plants and flowers do tend to influence and affect many human behaviors. In fact, ethnobotany is the study of the interrelationships between cultures and plant-life. It's a connection between two different fields of study-botany and anthropology. Now, I'm no ethnobotanist myself, and I must admit that it's a field of study that's not exactly a part of my expertise. However, I figured that it would be worth observing this florist shop to possibly get more experience with the field. It's not something that I would normally consider researching, but learning more about it would prove to beneficial to me and my studies."

"Really, how?" Y/N asked, tilting their head like a curious puppy.

"Well, one must be willing to expand their knowledge past their experienced fields if they wish to be more well-informed. However, that's not my only goal for studying this field..." While the mask covered his face, Y/N could see the small smile forming in his eyes. "I simply wish to study the extend of humanity's beauty."

"Humanity's beauty?" Y/N probably should've felt creeped out by this, but the way that this guy talked so passionately about anthropology drew them in and got them curious to learn more. Like a moth drawn to a flame.

Korekiyo nodded, gliding over to one of the flower displays near the wall. "I have a pet theory that all aspects of humanity, even the ugly parts, can be considered beautiful. In every situation, every reaction, every culture, even through every hardship. I wish to study and witness all these aspects of humanity in person and relish in its beauty. I figured that a florist's shop would contain much of that beauty within the emotions and nature that is kept here."

He plucked a stem from a butterfly weed plant from the arrangement and turned to face Y/N, who followed right behind him. Korekiyo presented the butterfly weed stem to them. "There was also the chance to speak with the Ultimate Florist, and I couldn't simply pass down that opportunity, could I? I was actually wishing to speak with you sooner, but I didn't wish to pester you when you looked so preoccupied. Again, I do apologize for the conditions. I didn't mean to startle you, but I can say that I do not regret the chance to finally converse with you."

Y/N felt their face heat up as they stared at the bunches of small orange flowers in his hands and then up at his shimmering golden eyes. He...wanted to talk to them? Logically, they should've been creeped out, or terrified out of their wits, or hesitant, or even unsure of what to say. But...they felt like they didn't feel any of those things. Instead, their heart pounded in their chest as they took the bundle of orange flowers, bashfully looking away from his eyes. A warm and fuzzy feeling of flattery spread through their bones. Only one thought danced in their head: 'He wanted to talk to ME of all people...'

Y/N shyly walked past him and carefully placed the butterfly weed back in its arrangement. "Um...please don't pick flowers out of their arrangements...but thank you. I'm honored that you wanted to talk to me. Just, try to approach me next time instead of staring at me from across the room."

Korekiyo nodded. "Of course. Forgive me if I unnerved you."

"I-It's fine, really!" Y/N reassured before swiftly changing the subject. "So, you said that flowers were related to different cultures?"

The excited and passionate fire in Korekiyo's eyes returned as he began another lesson. "Yes. I'm sure you most likely are aware of this, but many societies around the world have assigned associations upon different flowers and plants. Depending on the symbolism of each one, these flowers are used for different occasions and to convey different messages."

He walked away from them and gracefully moved towards an arrangement near the door that had a couple of marigolds decorating it. “For instance, marigolds, or tagetes as they’re scientifically called. I assume you’re already aware, but marigolds are often associated with the sun, and thus, they were seen as symbols of power, strength, or warmth. Quite fitting, don’t you agree? However, they have a darker meaning to them. They are often called the ‘flower of death.’ In fact, in Mexico, they are an important symbol for their festivities during-”

“THE DAY OF THE DEAD!” Y/N blurted out. “Marigolds are believed to attract and guide souls to the altars that were placed to honor deceased family members in Mexico. During the Day of the Dead, their bright colors often encourage families to celebrate life instead of feeling bitter about death, especially since the holiday is about honoring the dead and being with loved ones that have already passed in spirit!”

After letting out their outburst, Y/N quickly realized that Korekiyo was staring right at them. They felt their cheeks heat up uncomfortably and quickly looked away. “At least…that’s what I know. I haven’t done a lot of research into it aside from the floral aspect…heck I can’t even pronounce the name in Spanish…”

"Dias de los Muertos." Y/N glanced up to see Korekiyo walking up to them with an amused eyebrow raised. “I believe that is what it’s called in Spanish. But, yes, you are correct in every other regard. I don’t think you should be so hard on yourself for your outburst.”

Y/N nervously played with a lock of their hair. “R-really, it’s nothing…I just had some orders from some Mexicans for the holiday that required marigolds.”

“It doesn’t make you less intelligent. In fact, I would consider you to be far more informed about plants than I am. It’s rather refreshing to have someone know what I am speaking about actually.” His whisper-like laugh escaped from his lips as Y/N’s rosy cheeks spread their color across their entire face. “Now, if I may continue…”

He walked over to a bouquet of roses that were near the register. “If I’m not mistaken, roses are the most common flower purchased here, correct?”

Y/N nodded eagerly. “Yes! They’re considered the most romantic flowers after all. Symbolizing love, beauty, passion, and, of course, romance! We have a lot of people buying them as gifts for their partners.”

Korekiyo nodded. “Correct. There are many stories in multiple cultures and discuss the origins of the rose. One example is in Greek mythology, where the rose is a symbol of the goddess of love, Aphrodite. She had fallen in love with a mortal man named Adonis, but, one day, he was murdered by a wild boar while out hunting. As he held to death in the goddess’s arms, her tears and his blood mixed onto the soil, producing the red blossom that would be later known as the rose.”

Y/N nodded. “Yeah, I actually heard that story before. It’s probably one of the most popular myths about the rose. I’m not really someone who’s interested in mythology, but my assistant showed me that myth and it did interest me.”

“Then I believe it may please you to know that there are other myths about the origins of flowers around the world. If you wish, I can tell you some of them.”

Y/N immediately nodded. “Yes, please! This stuff is really interesting. I definitely don’t know all the myths out there, so I’ll love to learn.”

“Khehe…I’m glad to hear. Most feel like my teachings can be far too long and lose interest about halfway through. So, it is enjoyable to have someone be curious and interested in what I have to say.”

Y/N giggled softly. “I find it hard to believe that people grow bored of your lectures. This is actually one of the most interesting conversations I had.”

Korekiyo closed his eyes for a moment. “I’m glad I can capture your interest. Now then, there are other myths about the origin of roses. Such as in Arabic mythology-”

Y/N listened to Korekiyo talk about the myth, captured by every word he said. He really was one of the most interesting people they had ever met. Sure, he was a little creepy and they were nervous about talking with them before, but, now, all their nervousness seemed to have faded away. Instead, a shock of energy traveled through their bones as they stared and listened. Korekiyo looked…really beautiful as he talked. His nimble, bandaged fingers moving gracefully as he gestured to the roses and made motions with his hands. His long, ocean-green hair gracefully falling over his shoulders and brushing against his hips. His golden eyes glowing with passionate intelligence. It all was so entrancing and Y/N felt themselves getting more and more pulled in with every word that was spoken in his gentle whisper.

There are most likely other myths that address the origins of these flowers, but those are the ones that I can currently think of. I could glance back at my notes and search for others if you’re still interested. Or perhaps, I could continue on another topic that you’re interested in learning about.”

“I’m happy with either!” Y/N smiled. “I’m just…having fun just talking with you. Or…with you teaching me about these myths and cultures. Either way, I want to keep talking and spending time with you. Is it weird to say that about someone I just met?”

Korekiyo didn’t say anything for a moment before shaking his head. Y/N felt a hungry delight in their chest once they saw his rose-tinted cheeks through his mask. “Not at all…I’m enjoying this night as well. Like, I’ve mentioned, it’s quite rare to have someone be this invested in anthropology and what I have to say. However, I do think the night must come to a close. It’s getting quite late and I imagine that you have to go home now.”

Y/N’s eyes widened as they looked at the time. 11:45 pm. Did time really go by so fast? Their shoulders slumped as they went to unlock the door with their key in hand. ‘Well…at least I could see him in the shop again tomorrow…’ they thought as they turned the lock.

However, the moment that Y/N glanced up to see Korekiyo walking towards the door, the idea of having to wait in their cold and lonely apartment until they get to see him again suddenly felt like torture. It grew worse the moment that Korekiyo walked by them and a strand of his teal hair brushed against Y/N’s cheek. Desire began to cause their entire body to ache, and it felt like a switch turned on in their head that already decided something.

Now that they had met Korekiyo Shinguji, they didn’t want to spend tonight alone without him.

“H-hey, Shinguji!” Y/N called, quickly locking the door and running after him. “I-it can be very dangerous in these parts at night…so, wouldn’t it be a good idea if we walked home together? You know…for safety reasons.”

Korekiyo raised an eyebrow upon noticing Y/N’ averting their gaze away from him and their red face, but he nodded regardless. “Of course. That would be wise…”

Y/N couldn't stop the massive grin that appeared on their face as they walked away from the flower shop into the night. They suddenly were hyper aware of Korekiyo’s fingers brushing against their own, noticing how close he was…once again, their desire took over and they boldly intertwined their fingers with his, confidence brewing up inside. If Korekiyo noticed the spontaneous decision, he didn’t comment on it.

They continued walking under the moon’s gentle silver light. The cold wind brushed against Y/N’s face and clothes as they continued walking, but they hardly noticed. Instead, they could only pay attention to the blazing fire that was burning in their chest as they walked closer and closer to their apartment. However, at the back of their mind, there was a little voice nagging at the back of their mind, saying, ‘This is weird…first, this guy suddenly appears in the shop at night and now you’re walking home with him? This may be dangerous…’ However, Y/N ignored the voice.

After a bit more walking, they approached a small graveyard that rested halfway of the path to Y/N’s apartment. With every step that they took, Y/N’s desire grew and grew until it was an uncontrolled inferno. They couldn’t take it anymore. They felt like they had to make the first move right at that moment. The remaining bit of logic that was left in Y/N’s brain screamed at them that something was wrong. It yelled as it tried to remind them of the dangers of the graveyard. What was it again…? Y/N didn’t know, but, at the moment, they didn’t care as they pushed the voice away.

Suddenly, they stopped walking, preventing Korekiyo from continuing to walk forward. “Y/N? Are you alright?”

Korekiyo’s voice drowned the subconscious screams echoing in their head. They smiled sweetly and grabbed both of Korekiyo’s hands, their doe-like eyes filled with lust as they stared up at him. “Never better! I just…feel like we should stop for a bit….”

A small hidden smile crept upon Korekiyo’s face as soon as he heard their answer. He removed one of his hands from the florist’s affectionate grasp, and lifted it up to caress their cheek before resting gently underneath their chin. They felt their cheeks turn pink the moment that his slender fingers brushed their chin gently. Was…he going to do what they thought he was going to?

‘STOP!’’ Their subconscious yelled. ‘GET OUT OF THERE! RUN! THIS IS DANGEROUS! YOU’VE JUST MET HIM. THIS-’

Y/N tuned out the annoying voice buzzing around in their brain. It needed to shut up. Didn’t it understand that it wasn’t every day a handsome, intelligent, and fascinating person wanted to kiss them of all people? They couldn’t let this opportunity pass by. Besides, this wasn’t threatening. This wasn’t fear. It was the thrill and excitement that bubbled inside them from this budding romance. This was…love.

“Close your eyes,” Korekiyo requested politely, calm as he patiently waited for the florist’s response. With no hesitation, Y/N did so and leaned in closer to him. He sighed in disappointment. He had really hoped that they weren’t going to end up having the same fate as all the others. Oh well…he supposed…it couldn’t be helped. Korekiyo removed his hand from their chin for a moment to lower his mask and leaned in, his eyes fluttering shut.

The gentle warmth of his lips enveloping theirs caused them to gasp slightly. Cold shivers ran down their entire body and assisted in cooling their fire, freezing them in place. Korekiyo, taking the lead, wrapped an arm around their shoulders and pulled them closer. For a moment, they had no idea how to respond. What…was this? They never had anyone kiss them like this before, and yet…it felt amazing. Their heart pounded as they felt the butterflies dance in the stomach. The kiss had every muscle tingling at this newfound spark that ignited. They quickly reacted as they stood on their toes to reach his height and returned the kiss, adding more to the thrill of kissing a complete stranger. They knew that they barely knew who this guy was, but…kissing him felt so right. At least, for a moment…

The florist’s hands reached up to hold his face in their hands, but…his cheeks felt wet alongside the warmth. Like there was something dripping down from his cheeks. And…there was something odd about the way his cheeks felt…their fingers felt like they were tracing the outline of a jack-o-lanturn’s mouth. Squishing sounds filled their ears as their fingers investigated, and they immediately pulled away in shock. “What in the-”

They never got a chance to finish their sentence. Sudden pain stabbed at them, causing them to clutch their chest as they suddenly began to gag and cough violently. Scarlet splashed onto the gray concrete sidewalk as it dripped from the florist’s lips. They dropped to their knees, unable to stop the boiling sensation in their throat and the pounding in their head as they attempted to gasp for breath. All they could see were Korekiyo’s black boots as they stood over them.

“W-what….are you…” Their vision slowly grew blurry as the boots only became a black fuzzy blur. They forced themselves to themselves to look up at the figure standing over them. What is happening? They must be delusional or something because even with their blurry vision, they could see that…Korekiyo was transparent?

“I was hoping to spare you…” Korekiyo sighed, remorse painting his voice. “You were probably one of the most charming people that I have met, my dear, and your beauty was some of the finest that humanity had to offer. Just like the most beautiful lily. However…my curse isn’t something that can be beaten that easily. What a shame. Well, I suppose that humanity didn’t deserve your beauty anyways. This is a much better fate for someone as lovely as yourself.”

The florist glared at Korekiyo with a look as venomous as the poison flowing through their body. “Y-you…wicked…son of a-”

They couldn’t even finish their sentence as they collapsed on their side, feeling like they were having their energy sucked out of them. They…wanted to sleep. Sleep and make all this pain go away. Yeah…sleeping sounded amazing right now. Just…sleep…

….and never wake up.

Before they gave into the temptation to fall into a deep deep sleep, Y/N forced themselves to glance up at the face that they had spent their final moments with. The mask had completely fallen to the ground and was lying next to their weak body, revealing Korekiyo’s face. As their vision cleared to look upon Korekiyo’s face one last time, they saw something that would haunt them for their entire afterlife…

Beneath the mask was a massive gash running across his face, carving his mouth to a wide ear-to-ear grin. His skin was ripped apart from around the gash, revealing the tissue that the weapon tore apart. Scarlet blood dripped down from the scar, falling down his chin and staining his lips with a bright red that clashed with his definitely transparent body. The florist could’ve sworn they saw his natural mouth giving them a terrifying smile as he looked upon their pitiful state.

The ghost of Korekiyo Shinguji knelt down to the florist and used one hand to gently caress their cheek. “Humanity is truly beautiful, isn’t it? Even the death of a soul as pure as yours is beautiful. I’m pleased to see that you’ve died as graceful as you lived, my love.”

His smile widened as he looked upon them, causing the massive scar to grow even wider and become even more grotesque. Before everything went black, a final question was asked to the florist. One that they would never be able to answer.

“What about me…am I beautiful as well?”

#korekiyo shinguji #danganronpa #korekiyo danganronpa #drv3 korekiyo #korekiyo shinguuji x reader #not to be romanticized #I do not know how to write “horror” so sorry if this is cringe #this version of kiyo is based on a backstory rewrite that I wrote for him #Hope you have a happy Halloween #gender neutral y/n #gender neutral fanfic #Ultimate florist y/n #please call me out if you feel I’m romanticizing something or if you just have tips for me to improve!

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3hks · 1 month

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Substitutes For "Dead Parents"

Okay you guys! I mentioned this in a past post, but when it comes to family, some of ya'll are just... not creative. And don't get me wrong, having deceased parents is deep, dark, and hard, but at this point, a lot of readers simply overlook that because it's just that common. Not to mention, a lot of you guys aren't doing nearly enough with that information! So, for this post, I'll give some new examples relating to "family struggles!"

>> Neglect: Neglectful parents often don't give their child enough attention, time, or care. They don't always hate their kid; quite the opposite, really, they can still love their offspring and are simply unaware that they are being neglectful. This happens for a multitude of reasons: all their attention is focused on a different child, they're busy, or they're just uninterested in their kid's activities.

>> Abuse: Abuse is rather straightforward; it can be physical, mental, or even both. Even if it's only physical abuse, it can heavily damage the child's mental health and make them question their self-worth.

>> Fighting: I think that a lot of us have endured our parents fighting, and I'm fully confident that none of us enjoyed it. It's incredibly difficult for a kid to listen to their parents fight without knowing how to stop it, being stuck in the middle, and even worse, being the center of the argument. As it escalates, the child may even feel neglected, because their parents are only focused on each other.

>> Absence: Like neglect, these parents don't devote nearly enough attention and time to their child. However, this is because they are hardly present in the household to begin with. Normally, it's their career that keeps them away, leaving their kid to raise themselves.

>> Controlling: Oftentimes, controlling parents are found in, believe it or not, more successful households. Kids who have parents that own a successful business or are powerful in general are sometimes raised to follow those footsteps regardless if they want to or not. If they don't want to, as a result, they are kept on a tight leash. Controlling parents can also be found in stricter households.

>> Toxicity: Toxicity, a form of emotional abuse, can come in many forms, gaslighting, demeaning words, constant criticism, comparison, etc. Frequently, the child is unaware that their parents are being toxic until a third party points it out to them. This is because they've only known their parents acting in toxic manners; thus, it becomes their norm. However, it's also entirely possible for the parent to be oblivious to the fact that they're being toxic.

>> Distant: Being distant doesn't always have to be because of some crazy reason; they might've been a very happy and close family once, but as time passes on, they just simply start drifting in their separate ways. It's not the same as neglect or an absence; the child is usually able to adjust to it easier, and it might've even been their choice to be distanced from their parents.

>> Child Responsibility: This is a scenario where the kid acts more like a parental figure--they have to take care of both themselves and their family. In some situations, they also have to work in order to supply their family with enough money to be able to pay for life necessities. This normally happens when a/the parent(s) are out of commission and struggle to provide for their family. If the household is poor, the child might be working alongside their parents in an attempt to make their lives easier.

Did I miss anything? Let me know what you guys think about these substitutes!

Happy writing~

3hks :D

#writing #writeblr #writerscommunity #writing tips #creative writing #writing inspo #writing backstories #backstories prompt #substitutes for dead parents #writing family struggles #family struggles prompts #writing advice #prompts for family issues #writing family issues #family issues prompts #prompts for family struggles

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saraswritingtipps · 11 months

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A quick guide to creating character backstories:

1. Understand the Purpose: A character backstory provides depth and context to your character. It helps you understand their motivations, desires, fears, and past experiences. Consider how the backstory will connect with the present story and contribute to the character's development.

2. Start with the Basics: Begin by outlining the essential information about your character. This includes their name, age, physical appearance, and basic personality traits. Having these details will give you a foundation to build upon.

3. Family and Origins: Explore your character's family background. Where were they born? Who were their parents? What was their family dynamic like? Understanding their upbringing can reveal significant influences on their behavior and beliefs.

4. Significant Life Events: Identify key events that have shaped your character's life. These events can be positive or negative, such as the loss of a loved one, a life-changing achievement, or a traumatic experience. These events should be pivotal moments that have impacted the character's development.

5. Education and Skills: Consider your character's education and skills. Did they receive formal education? Are they self-taught? What areas are they proficient in? This can help define their expertise and abilities, as well as their knowledge base.

6. Relationships: Explore the character's relationships with others. Who are their friends, allies, or enemies? Are they in a romantic relationship? How do they interact with different individuals? Understanding their connections can reveal dynamics and conflicts within the story.

7. Goals and Motivations: Determine what drives your character. What are their goals, dreams, or aspirations? What motivates them to take action? Understanding their desires and ambitions can add depth to their decision-making and provide direction to their Journey.

8. Flaws and Weaknesses: No character is perfect. Identify your character's flaws, weaknesses, or vulnerabilities. These traits make them more relatable and human. Flaws can also create internal and external conflicts, driving the character's growth.

9. Cultural and Historical Context: Consider the cultural and historical context in which your character exists. How do these factors influence their beliefs, values, and worldview? Incorporating cultural and historical elements can make your character more authentic and immersive.

10. Present Story Alignment: Finally, ensure that your character's backstory aligns with the present story. Connect their past experiences to their current situation and the overall plot. Look for opportunities to reveal elements of their backstory as the story unfolds, creating a cohesive narrative.

Remember, this guide provides a general framework, but the specifics of each character's backstory will depend on your creative choices and the requirements of your story. Have fun exploring your characters and bringing them to life!

#character backstory #writing tips #writing #character development #writer on tumblr #writblr #writerscommunity #character background #creating ocs

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the-sea-anemone · 1 year

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The thing about writing backstory is that it doubles as worldbuilding, particularly in genres like fantasy, sci-fi, and historical fiction. Say your protagonist lives in a world where after a person dies, they transform into a rampaging monster. Every society has a set of rituals or protocols around death to minimize monster-related deaths and property damage, but no system is infallible: your protagonist’s brother dies suddenly during the night and kills their parents — who in turn transform into monsters — before all three are shot by hunters. In this world, your protagonist might perceive this experience similarly to someone who lost their family in a car crash: it’s tragic and deeply traumatic, but also a fundamentally recognizable part of their world; they could tell this story to basically anyone with full confidence that they’re familiar with the concept of car crashes and people dying in them.

Now say your protagonist lives in a world where, to their knowledge, magic and monsters don’t exist, yet when their brother dies suddenly, they see him transform into a giant, rampaging monster and kills their parents, who subsequently also turn into monsters. In this instance, your protagonist has not only lost their entire family but had their entire worldview upended; they’re likely doubting their own memory, and most people wouldn’t take their story at face value. In essence, while these two characters have the same backstory in a literal sense, the way they and others would likely perceive these experiences is significantly shaped by the broader context of their world.

#writing #writers #writing advice #writing tips #backstory #worldbuilding #i could probably word this better #but i'm tired and i'm not going to #cw: car crash #cw: parental death #cw: sibling death #maybe should have written an example #that didn't require so many cws

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ahb-writes · 8 months

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Writing Problem: The Character Logic Is Muddy

Problem: The Character Logic Is Muddy

Solution: Investing in realistic characterization will give a novel the curious details and sense of familiarity readers will readily absorb. Good character logic means providing original characters with the agency to speak, act, and react with authority. (It also doesn't hurt to have a character or two who are really good at faking it.) But it's not enough to simply imply a character's sense of self through dialogue and action. Writers should aim for a level deeper.

Don't write characters, write character arcs. Don't write character flaws, write character flaws that make characters curious, enticing, or attractive. Craft inimitable dialogue, encourage characters to engage their environment, and remember to hold characters responsible for their actions.

Writing Resources:

3 Redemptive Character Types (September C. Fawkes)

6 Ways to Write Truly Terrifying Villains (The Novel Smithy)

What Is Pathos in Literature? A Complete Guide (Jericho Writers)

Character Motivation Thesaurus (One Stop for Writers)

"I don't think you need all the backstory in the world..." (advice from Brennan Lee Mulligan, TTRPG gamemaster; ahbwrites)

How to Improve Your Secondary Characters: 6 Fresh Ideas (Em Dash Press)

Some Quick Character Tips (Coffee Bean Writing)

The Importance of The Unlikable Heroine (Claire Legrand; ahbwrites)

Don't Design a Character, Design a Character Arc (avalera; ahbwrites)

How to Write Character Arcs (Helping Writers Become Authors)

❯ ❯ Adapted from the writing masterpost series: 19 Things That Are Wrong With Your Novel (and How to Fix Them)

#writeblr #writing tips #writing advice #novel writing #fiction writing #writing problems #writeprob #character logic #logic is muddy #writing villains #villain redemption arc #secondary characters #design a better character #how to write character arcs #character arcs #backstory #unlikable heroine #pathos in literature

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badassunicorn2016 · 3 months

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Well, I started this blog 7 years ago with great intentions, and had a great almost 7 months posting and then I started grad school and anything other than grad school sorta fell by the wayside.

In the years between then and now, I’ve thought about picking up where I left off, but haven’t really found the motivation at the right time of the year.

So I’m sort letting the daily writing prompt/daily writing tip thing go after 7 years (it’s time 😂). While I stopped posting, I did continue writing (sporadically) and now that I am done with grad school I am actually taking a creative writing class for the first time ever and I am so excited!!!

It’s only just started, but one thing that my prof said that I’ve been ruminating over and want to share with you all is that a lot of people use backstory solely to justify a character’s actions. And if used like that, then it’s really easy to fall into common tropes and make your character feel very two dimensional. Instead, backstory should give your character depth. It can (and likely will) explain some of the character’s attributes/decisions/etc, but it should also add to the character in some way.

Idk I hope I’m explaining that right and in a way that makes sense.

For me, the example that comes to mind is from the show Miraculous Ladybug (I’m not caught up yet with what’s been released on Disney+ so PLEASE NO SPOILERS), where we have two characters, one of whom is a villain and one of whom is a superhero. Character one is a rich fashion designer with a wife who mysteriously disappeared and since then has rarely left his house and still grieves her. Character two grew up isolated, lost his mother as a child and his father is very distant, he was essentially raised by his father’s personal assistant. He was homeschooled, almost completely cut off from the outside world unless it was convenient for his father to parade him around.

Character one seems like he’s set up to be a Batman-like superhero, while character two is set up to be the villain with a chip on his shoulder.

But in reality, character one is the villain terrorizing Paris by preying on people’s negative emotions, while character two is an absolute cinnamon roll of a human who wholeheartedly accepts his role as second in command of a superhero duo, then a superhero team, led by a female superhero. He’s not even an antihero, he just absolutely loves Ladybug and is absolutely willing to accept that she is in charge from the get go. It does also explain some of his attributes/actions (why he loves being a superhero so much bc he finally gets the freedom he never got before; his worst nightmare is being locked up) but it *explains and adds*.

Like. They could’ve used his tragic Disney Princess background to justify making him an asshole. But they gave him the backstory while also making him the sweetest, kindest, ladybug simp possible.

There’s so many things this show gets right (this is just one of them) and even tho it’s a kids show I recommend everyone watch it (at least the earlier seasons… jury’s still out on what Disney has decided to do with it since they acquired it lol)

Anyway. Am hoping to share any other tidbits that I learn along the way, but based on that 7 year gap I am not making any promises 😂

#creative writing #creative writing tips #write everything #writeeverydamnday #writing project #characterization #backstory #creating better characters

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