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differentnighttale · 15 days ago

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Characters Gaining & Losing Mass

Characters change over the course of their journey, but it isn't really all that dramatic a process outside of extremes. So I thought I'd go over the processes outside of fiction and discuss a bit how you might then apply this to your writing, enjoy! Outside of fiction, there's only one way to lose mass without surgery. Calorie deficit. If you don't eat enough to cover the calories burnt during a day you will lose mass. First fat, then muscle. Depending on how big the calorie deficit is, the quicker or slower the processes is. Consuming a 1000 calories less than used in a day will, over the course of a week, will result in roughly 1-2kg lost. Gaining mass is a slightly different beast. You can gain muscle mass while in a calorie deficit. It's just easier to gain mass while working out with a calorie surplus, but, our characters might not have that luxury. Another thing to bear in mind is that muscular people use more calories simply by existing. The larger musculature needs mor calories to sustain by virtue of size alone. The trope of muscle bound himbos being gluttons is quite real. Right, that's some rough rule of thumb notes for how the processes of gaining and losing mass works; let's look at some narrative things and what affect they could have on a character. - Knight turned outlaw hiding in the woods living off small game. Such a character would likely become quite lean after a few months if they aren't a proficient hunter. If they live in the woods for long enough they will steadily become gaunt and wiry. Still strong just built different. - Fat priest going on pilgrimage across a continent. This character would probably suffer joint pain in their knees and have terrible shin splints but if they preserved then they would lose a lot of their bulk. Walking burns calories just as existing does, walking a long distance every day for several months live inevitably create a large calorie deficit. - Fat King going on the same pilgrimage. Such a character might have the wealth to bring the same daily foods they enjoyed at home on their journey or have an entourage capable of supply vast quantities of food. They might also be carried around on a palanquin minimizing the daily calories lost on the journey. Such a character might gain weight while everyone else around them losses it. - A Welsh longbowman at war in France. Assuming they survive long enough, this person will gain mass. They'll probably be living in a small calorie deficit, but the effort of their exertions is enough to cause the necessary micro tears in their musculature to form and repair. This really applies to any fighting character. Fighting is a pretty intense workout. So long as a fighting character isn't massively underfed they will gain mass up to a certain point, muscle gain isn't exponential sadly.

You can use changes in your characters body mass to showcase the hardship or ease of their journey through your story. It's a powerful tool that shouldn't be discounted from your writing tool box. A lot of books I've read really only feature changes in mass if there's a survival element to the narrative, or a training arc of some variety, or the narrative is specifically weight centric. E.g. Dealing with extreme bodies like those found in people with anorexia, muscle dysmorphia or super obesity. Food for thought, happy writing.

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differentnighttale · 1 month ago

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New WIP for Pride (I have many tbh)

I'm working on a new book this Pride month (I know the month is ending but better late than never) so here's the first chapter cause I'm feeling generous.

Hayley

"I don't know what my preference or type is?"Anna mentioned aloud ,expelling a loud dramatic sigh from her glossy pink lips as she sagged onto the white chair of the canteen.

Loud chatter diffused into the air as students muttered, yelled and murmured the large spacious room loud with people.The clatter of utensils and students who recently bought their lunch abd setting to sit.

I muttered an apology for coming late and dropping Sony Ericsson with a loud clatter embedded with shiny pink studs and sat near Anna and the rest of the gang.

"So,"I began ,clicking my togue glossed lips rubbed it.I grabbed my compact powder from my pocket abd flipped it open ,it was lavender my favourite colour which matched my tracksuit---velour with a cropped jacket and wide legged pants which felt so warn and snuggly against my skin."What did I miss ?"

The lipgloss squished between my fingers as I dabbed my lips.

Susan ,one of my best friends narrowed her almond eyes which gleamed like obsidian.Her jet black hair was pulled back into a low ponytail just like mine.She was often mistaken for Asian but she was white with a round face and silky black hair.You would never catch her in any dress cause she told us she looked awkward in it but she wasn't wrong though she was quite broad so she preferred to wear hoodies with low raise jeans and combat boots even though she mocked us many times over that she didn't like the early 2000s style.Yet she wore it proudly occasionally wearing beads around her waist and joining in the recent comeback.

I tossed my brown hair back and spread my fingers ,freshly painted with gloss so I won't get dress coded.

"Oh,"I gasped ,she nodded furrowed her thick black brows and leaning back pressing her pink lips into a line.She was small chested but far more fuller than me and I secretly envied her for that.Then I turned my gaze to Anna who still looked defeated looking at the crowd her eyes half lidded."Then tell us ,what do you notice in whoever you are attracted to."I asked her.

She nodded ,strenched her self like a cat now waking up and sighing loudly and dramatically.I swear I heard a pop.Her arms were sparkly and she rested her arms on the chair.

"Well ,in guys.Duh,I notice their eyes and their muscles but like I can't tell what I like specifically like everyone has a trait or expression they like, right?"She repiled ,her baby blue eyes wide and frantic as her eyes raised.

Anna was adorable and I made sure she knew that.I nicknamed her Doll ,cause she had such an innocent and cute expression.We were about the same height but I was on the skinner side but her arms were quite toned compared to me on the leaner side and right now she was quite tanned with bright curly blonde hair which tumbled down her shoulders in waves.

She wore a silky pink tube top with a pair of low raise flared jeans and heeled slippers and earlier she wore a hoodie to cover her chest earlier to avoid being dresse coded but regardless we were bound to get caught anyway and the detection hall was a panther at this point.

It was warm and familiar to us since we always didn't follow the rules.

I sighed and relaxed my self.I rubbed my temples and placed my hand on hers.It was warm and tense and I looked at her.Her face was strained from pounting.

"Girl ,you're sixteen like we aren't even adults yet and we aren't graduating till like next year.Its okay not to know, we are growing up and just relax and you'll know.You like who you like, right ?"

Her tensed expression melted and she nodded ,her pout dissolved to a smile and her eyes smoothed and her hands rested on her lap.

A smile formed on my lips.

God,she was so adorable and I hated how much I swelled on her lips so averted my gaze away ,the heat climbed up my neck so I rubbed it quick.

I rembered--no,I can't.

I had to forget it.I just had too.It was just had too.I needed to protect our friendship and not let it get to me.

I shook my head from those feelings and took in a deep breathe and I rubbed my temples.

Susan raised a brow and pursed her lips from my peripheral vison but I ignored it.She then clicked her togue and grinned spreading her hands on the table.

"Yup ,what Hayley said."She then leaned forward."Hays,I had no idea you had that in you.Okay,motivational speaker."She clicked her togue again and went back."Everyone indeed has a type.My type is girls who can kill me and beat me up and guys that I can dominate."

Anna's eyes rise up shocked with her brows as red dots formed on her pale cheeks.Warmth come up again I flushed away.

Laughter slipped off my lips as we listened to Susan and Anna nodded in agreement."Rhea Ripley and Tom Holland right?"I responded as she pursed her lips and sat back.

"Aha,"she responded."Twinks and women who can beat me up."

"Butch women."I added on and now it was her turn to laugh and jab at me with a wide grin."Yup,butch women indeed."She winked.

I swipped my hands away to dismissive her looking away and I knew she was making fun of me.

Ever since the last day of seventh grade Anna and I suddenly found ourselves greatly drawn to all things 2000s to movies and to fashion and ever since we got our own money for part time jobs ,we started shopping online and researching.

You could say we were old souls.We enjoyed movies like Mean Girls to Legally Blonde to Clueless and since then we've been in too deep adapting the clothing styles then finally the music of Britney Spears to Beyoncé.And then we met Susan.

She later joined the fun and calling us dorks and losers to slowly assimilating with us.She wasn't scared to talk shit or punch someone for insulting and hurting us.And she always stood up for people and cared about.

And we are all friends and she too slowly joined the trend of us.

We all exchanged a look ,giddy and smiling.

"Jason Momoa."We all groaned in agreement.

"Rhea Ripley."Susan and I sighed in harmony and agreement as Anna just smiled at us."She can step on me everyday."

"Goddamn yes."I squealed,slapping my hands on the desk and I grinned."Yup, twinks and butches so you."

She just grinned,all teeth.All smirk with her hand under her chin.

Among the chatter and swift movement, a tall black guy with a mop of breads walk by he was dressed in a white shirt tight against his skin and his muscles clenched under the demon jacket as Anna's eyes followed him.

"So would you date any guy ?"Susan asked ,adjusting her gaze to the guy.

"Yeah,"Anna nodded.

She clicked her black painted fingers and slapped the desk with a grin."Exactly so you don't have a preference honey and that's okay."

I nodded a satfised smile formed on my lips for helping Anna and Susan grinned proudly and Anna just smiled looking really cute and adorable as usual.

Then a familiar girl bounded into the canteen.My gaze snapped to her as her combat boots familiar to my ears as she I spotted her from a distance.

Sam.

When I brightened at the sight of her ,I was on my feet in second flash waving and my voice ,loud abd high pitched."Hey,Sam."I greeted her."Whats up !"

Susan made a sound of annoyance and rolled her eye and made a fake gagging sound.

Now it my turn to roll my eyes at her immaturity and if it was already obvious, Susan wasn't quite a fan of her.

"Oh you definitely have a crush."Susan muttered ,eye raised.

"Oh fuck off."I muttered, waving my hands away as both girls gasped, loud and drastically."

Okay ,mean girl."Anna hissed, smiling and Susan muttered ,"Watch your tone ,young lady."Then they dissolved into laughter.

"She's not my crush,"I hissed ,bending down low looking at them square in eye as they continued to giggle like hyenas.I repeating like for the hundred time.

"Sure she's not.Then why whenever you see her ,you just have call her or wave at her like chicken meeting it's mom."She muttered, rolling her eyes with her voice heavy with annoyance.

I scoffed and rolled my eyes clenching and unclenching my fists."Um,excuse me and thats such a werid metaphor."Anna just gaped.

"You know what I mean,sis."She deadpanned.She sighed abd soread her hands on the desk,her leather bracelets charms clinking together."Like whenever you see her,you glow and brighten---and you praise her.C'mon you do."

"No ,I dont."I retorted,voice tensed.

She only rolled her eyes harder, exposing the black eyeshadow on on her eyes.

"Yes ,you do.I am tired of you pretending.You like emotionally constipated or emotionally unavailable people like girl ,it's ducking obvious.Do you remember Kevin in grade 12th ,you were like twelve and you liked him then remember Marcus in grade 11 that was last year ,he was a dick.You have issues girl."

I scoffed and looked away ,crossing my arms tightly."No,"I repiled,my voice getting more higher as I spoke,"Sam is a good person, sure her relationships with women suck and she can't keep them but she's cool ,she's smart, sporty ,rocks her outfits,she punches homophobes and calls out bullshit ,she's super intelligent and is almost a valedictorian student and that takes alot of work.She defends the defenseless like you but she's bolder and--and-oh."

"Now,you see what I'm talking about and man,I'm offended."

Anna just gasped, eyes wide and hands on her lips like an actress her plump lips wide and aghast all dramatic like.

I nodded in shame.

"Well ,I don't like her.She cannot keep a relationship and that's toxic in my books and I just don't like her vibe that's it ,but it's okay if you like her."She continued,rambling."The one who kisses girls at the most unexpected places like gas stations and parks and then gets dumped way later,talk about unavailable."

Samantha hands were stuffed in her pockets of her grey sweats ,her hair was bowed and her parted bangs hid her eyes,dark brown with swirls lf amber abd hazel.

Her face was lean and sharp and she snapped her gaze to me and smiled back energetically ,matching my freak.

From her point ,she blew a loose strand of her jet black hair, silky and straight which was cut into a wolf cut.Her signature look.

"Nothing much."She repiled ,lightly flexing her shoulders,her muscles lean with broad shoulders like Susan.Right now ,she was dressed in a loose royal blue tee decorated with Greek symbols of a college I suspected she wanted to attend to.Since she was my age seventeen.

She was mixed with both white and Asian and white and very pale and as she grinned I could see the light brown freckles sprinkled around her pointed nose and cheeks.

She sauntered next to me and sat on the table ,spreading her fingers on the table ,hard and callused from boxing and MMA that she did at the gym sometimes.

"Oh look, is Samantha the girl who can't keep her girlfriends for more than two months."Susan gasped ,her eyes widened as Sam just smiled at me ,her smile radiant.

"Seriously Susan."She rolled her eyes then turned to Anna and I.My heart jackhammered in my chest at the sight of her.She was masc goals and exactly what I liked.

But then she turned to me ,grinning," what's up ?"She asked.

My voice was still high and annoying ,Anna was giggling and Susan was snorting from beside me.

"I'm so sorry,"she began ,emotions seeped into her face ,eyes wide."I couldn't find the androsexual flag."She apologized to me ,her voice sincere.

My face flushed to my neck as I waved her away,"it's okay ,girl.Its okay."From my peripheral vison ,Susan just rolled her eyes as Anna just drummed her thin ,clean fingers on the desk her manicured fingers glinting in the light.

"Really.I feel a bit bad."

"Nah ,is okay I'll let just use the bi flag that's great anyway."

She nodded and grinned, bobbing her head like a rocker at a punk event."Hell yeah ,the bi rep is still good on this one.We gotta rep ourselves "

Susan rolled her eyes."The bis are already here,Hays and I."She raised her hand to wave her off.

She nodded understanding.

A week ago ,I came out to my friends as bisexual with a preference to masculine people and Sam was so open and supportive of me and vowed to get me a proper flag to rep myself and I was melting not thinking straight at the time and said yes impulsively bit luckily she didn't find it and I was so happy.

Since then Susan, whose openly bi herself as been taunting and joking around with me and I finally felt like I clicked,Anna was super happy abd kissed both of my cheeks as a token causing me to blush so red.

"So how's your girlfriend--the one you made out at the gas station right ?"Susan asked her tone mocking and eyes glinting as sharp as stones."That blonde hippie girl."

"Lucia,we are still together ,FYI."She retorted ,back against the chair ,her shoulders calm and collected.Then her phone dinged ,then she removed it from her pocket and she watched her phone with a sigh."Nevermind, just ended.Guess the honeymoon phase ended."She sighed heavily as she pursed her lips and rubbed her temples hard.

Susan's eyes widened and she shamelessly bursted into laughter ,shaking, gripping her stomach and watching her laughing like a mad woman abd all I did was watch her."You can't keep relationships, they always dump you.Its obviously your fault."

Sam just states quiet ,eyes low and lamenting.

Susan wasn't wrong but it made me and anna uncomfortable, we both exchanged glances and nodded.Susans words weren't wrong but downright making fun of her wasn't nice but it looked like she accepted fate like that and i wondered maybe there are other reasons.

Rumours said that she was a player that she often hook up with girls and guys sometimes but everyone else I know that she's gay not bisexual.So there she was stitting there as laughter diffused into the air.

Anna looked at me with a raised brow then looked at her,"You're bi ,I thought you were gay."

She nodded ,moving a loose strand."It doesn't matter if I wear a wolf cut ,I mostly date women not guys but then again boys are annoying as fuck."She groaned.

I nodded abd screamed preach and Susan reluctantly agreed stopping.

But I learnt not to judge unless I got both sides or maybe my crush also influenced my thoughts.

And Sam also knew that months ago ,I shared a kiss with one of my best friends drunkenly at a party which helped me realized that I am bi not straight because I liked it and wanted more.

I was never straight because I still want a boyfriend but I don't mind a girlfriend and my friend group made me realize that I was attuned to certain people.

Queer people.

Susan stopped then her phone dinged ,no all our phones dinged and she paused and looked at her phone ,eyes flew wide and her lips trembled as she thew her hands over her lips.

"Guys were getting a new student!"She spulttered.

I raised a confused brow as I exchanged glances with Anna and Sam who quirked a brow and Anna just scrunched her lip tight.

It was the middle of September, it way close to join school but new students aren't surprising.

"And that's news?"I muttered ,rolling my eyes."New students aren't strange.What are you on ?"

She just ignored me as her eyes trailed her cell hard and furrowed tight.

"Well,the new guy is some heir and famous and shit."

"A heir.Damn we still do this shit in 2025?"

"Let's hope he's not a dick or an asshole."Sam repiled,looking at all of us.

We all nodded even Susan.

"I hope he's nice."Anna muttered ,her eyes,widening and glittering.

I streched my arms to her and squeezed it tight.I loved her innocent but sometimes it's just sad.I squeezed it,she grinned and smiled at me with her big doe eyes.

"Rich people."Susan rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Why does the whole workd need to know."Sam added ,playing with her bracelets.

"Dunno."Susan and I muttered.

"Agreed."We all groaned in sync.

"He better be hot."Susan muttered and Sam nodded ,like a punk rocker at a concert,"hell yes."