thegreatpuzzle

[thegreatpuzzle]

how to keep people in character: a guide

I have gotten some requests for advice on how to write specific characters, but the underlying principles to keeping characterizations canon-compliant can apply to writing anyone in any series. Better yet, this advice may help you come up with character interpretations that feel both canonical yet original (and distinct from mine!).

You can reduce characterization to three basic principles:

1) Habits and speech patterns

Habits and speech patterns serve as “shortcuts” that immediately connect the character to the canon. The audience recognizes these cues and will associate them to the actual character.

Speech patterns are particularly important to keeping a character recognizable. As soon as the speech pattern of a person deviates from canon with no explanation, the suspension of disbelief will break for an audience. A common issue I see in shipping fics is that people will make a character give the love interest a pet name that just would never leave their mouth in canon-compliant situations.

Habits can be verbal tics (e.g. they say “babe” a lot), bodily motions (e.g. touching their hair or pushing up their glasses), behavioural trends (e.g. eating a lot), or even phrases that come up often. The latter I find is underused but very effective. Here’s the thing about people in real life: they will repeat phrases and stories, sometimes even verbatim, to different people! If you lift a line out of the show or book and re-contextualize it, it’ll immediately feel like the canon.

Habits come with two caveats:

Do not overuse the tics. It can be annoying and intrusive, especially when used more frequently than in canon! 

Do not rely too much on these habits for characterization. Your character may come off as a shallow imitation of canon without “substance” if so. 

The next two tips will help give your characterization substance and originality.

2) Drivers in decision-making and thought patterns

People in real life often have patterns in the decisions they make or the thoughts they have because of some kind of underlying motivation, whether or not they are cognizant of it. The same will apply to well-written characters in fiction. Try to think about any significant decisions the character makes in canon and why they might exist. (Hot tip: If these motivations are not explicitly stated in the canon material, this is where you can come up with some extremely juicy headcanons!)

Understanding the fundamental drivers behind the character’s actions will allow you to extrapolate and write what they’d do in the situations in your fanfic. These non-canon situations can include relationships! It’s a common issue for romantic relationships in fanfic to feel OOC because the characters act inconsistently with their canon decision-making and thought patterns solely for their love interest.

Examples of common drivers in fiction:

Abstract values such as freedom, revenge, survival, self-preservation. (If you’re writing anything political, try to figure out how they value conservatism vs liberalism, anarchy vs authoritarianism, etc).

Baggage and trauma relating to familial issues or past relationships, which can often result in maladaptive trends in behaviour or hard-lined moral codes and ideals.

Significant relationships that affect their needs, goals, etc. Pay attention to platonic, familial, or romantic bonds that are strongly featured in the canon.

All these examples are interrelated. Often our abstract values will arise from baggage, which then influence relationships, which in turn influence our values. Try to think about how each of these types of drivers may relate to one another for your characters.

Stories tend to have the most layered characterizations when the author has identified two drivers that are in conflict with one another, or one that leads to opposing behaviours. This can also be the starting point for character growth, whether it’s a hero’s journey or descent into a villain role.

3) Cultural context

Cultural context is a subcategory of drivers that I often find is overlooked. 

The culture in which someone was raised will often influence their decision-making habits, whether they conform to it or outright reject it. Recognizing the cultural context for a character can be very useful for figuring out cool little headcanons or extrapolating behaviour/opinions in the absence of canon material.

Some examples of how culture contributes to behaviour:

The kind of art and hobbies they enjoy, or at least are on their radar. 

Knowledge they would have about certain topics—even mundane things like musical instruments, certain skill sets, etc.

Their judgments on themselves and other characters, as well as the values they’d project onto their relationships.

The actions they would take when trying to conform to social norms of the time period—or even the set of actions that might occur to them!

It’s a pet peeve of mine when characters behave in a way that ignores their cultural context, simply because it won’t feel realistic! Since I’ve been relating this to shipping, I will make this point: what time period and country (or coded culture) is this character in? What are courtship norms like? And, if we’re going to go the nsfw route, what “interests” (haha) would exist?

Here are some quick examples of this analysis applied to two different characters: Hakuryuu Ren (Magi), Daryl Dixon (TWD). These are characters I’ve gotten requests for—let me know if anyone is interested in others!

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[thegreatpuzzle]

“Nothing is permanent in this wicked world, not even our troubles.” - Charles Chaplin

[thegreatpuzzle]

Don’t Go - [Reid x Reader]

masterlist

Summary: After being tortured by Tobias Hankel, Dr. Spencer Reid is struggling and everyone can see it. Reader can’t bear his pain and tries to comfort him…only to be heartbroken when he says their night meant nothing.  

Pairing: Spencer Reid / Fem!Reader

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 10.6k

Genre: Angst. Angst. Angst. But fluff at the end cause I’m not a monster. 

Content Warning: Talk of drug use, language, penetrative sex, oral sex (female receiving), and just angst. All the angst. Get tissue. 

A/n: This is set over the arc of episodes  2x16 - 2x18. A special thank you to @imjusthereformggcontent and @catsadams for reading through the beginning of this in its first form. You’re both angels.  I hope this is everything y’all wanted it to be, my doves. Thank you for sticking with me. 

Request prompt: Can you write a fic where Spencer is high on dilaudid and tells you that your night together was nothing and that you’re nothing to him. Then the next day he can’t rember telling you and and he can’t figure out why you are avoiding him.

– Don’t Go – 

The first indication I got that today wasn’t going to be normal came when Special Agent Grant Anderson shuffled into my office just after 9:30 am. He didn’t knock before he entered and then shut the door quickly behind him.

I glanced up from the paperwork in front of me, my eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. “Something on your mind, Special Agent?” I teased.

Ever since Anderson made a mistake that led to SSA Elle Greenaway being shot a few months ago, a lot of people on this floor had been giving him the cold shoulder, despite the fact that Greenaway had forgiven him before she left the BAU.

When I first joined the bureau and was assigned to this unit, Anderson had been my first friend. He was there for me when I felt nervous and like I was a complete imposter. He’s the reason I was still a member of this team; I’d never turn my back on him.

“Something’s up with Reid.”

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[thegreatpuzzle]

This is beautiful 😭

Don’t Go - [Reid x Reader]

masterlist

Summary: After being tortured by Tobias Hankel, Dr. Spencer Reid is struggling and everyone can see it. Reader can’t bear his pain and tries to comfort him…only to be heartbroken when he says their night meant nothing.  

Pairing: Spencer Reid / Fem!Reader

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 10.6k

Genre: Angst. Angst. Angst. But fluff at the end cause I’m not a monster. 

Content Warning: Talk of drug use, language, penetrative sex, oral sex (female receiving), and just angst. All the angst. Get tissue. 

A/n: This is set over the arc of episodes  2x16 - 2x18. A special thank you to @imjusthereformggcontent and @catsadams for reading through the beginning of this in its first form. You’re both angels.  I hope this is everything y’all wanted it to be, my doves. Thank you for sticking with me. 

Request prompt: Can you write a fic where Spencer is high on dilaudid and tells you that your night together was nothing and that you’re nothing to him. Then the next day he can’t rember telling you and and he can’t figure out why you are avoiding him.

– Don’t Go – 

The first indication I got that today wasn’t going to be normal came when Special Agent Grant Anderson shuffled into my office just after 9:30 am. He didn’t knock before he entered and then shut the door quickly behind him.

I glanced up from the paperwork in front of me, my eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. “Something on your mind, Special Agent?” I teased.

Ever since Anderson made a mistake that led to SSA Elle Greenaway being shot a few months ago, a lot of people on this floor had been giving him the cold shoulder, despite the fact that Greenaway had forgiven him before she left the BAU.

When I first joined the bureau and was assigned to this unit, Anderson had been my first friend. He was there for me when I felt nervous and like I was a complete imposter. He’s the reason I was still a member of this team; I’d never turn my back on him.

“Something’s up with Reid.”

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[thegreatpuzzle]

When It comes to Supernatural there is something fascinating in the everyday moments

Welcome Home

Pairing: Sam Winchester x Reader (ft. Dean)

Content/Warnings: fluff

Words: 762

A/N: As a Sam girl myself, I do love writing for him :3 It took me a little while to figure out where exactly I want it to go, but I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. This was a request for music prompt number 5 (I Will Wait, Mumford and Sons). I hope you enjoy, guys!

Well I came home Like a stone And I fell heavy into your arms

“Yeah, we’re on our way back,” Sam said, his voice slightly muffled over the phone. “What have you been up to?”

“Research, mainly. The Letters’ library is great, I’m not gonna lie,” You said.

“Heh, yeah. Look, my phone is running low, so I got to go. I love you.”

“Love you too. Tell Dean I said hi.”

“Will do. Dean, Y/N says hi.” You heard Dean yell hi, and grinned as you shook your head. “See you soon, Y/N.”

“Drive safe,” You said, ending the call. You set your phone down, leaning back in your chair and stretching. Your stomach growled, and you realized it was near dinner. Deciding to postpone your research to a later time, you stood and headed to the kitchen. The brothers would appreciate food upon their return.

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Wingspan Master List

[001] Voice of an Angel 

[002] Angel of the Lord

[003] The Midmark Seal

[004] Angel of Death

[005] Heaven on Earth

[thegreatpuzzle]

Rescue Mission

(gif not mine)

Pairing: Castiel x Reader (ft. Dean and Sam)

Content/Warnings: angst; fluff; violence/torture

Words: 1175

A/N: So I’ve been delaying this for a while, but I finally got around to write it. This wasn’t requested, but rather written for @imaginesforthose-wholovefandoms’s GIF challenge! It was fun to write and I like how it turned out! I hope you all enjoy!

You were starting to think that some of the Winchester brothers’ bad habits were rubbing off on you. For example, just the other day you had worn two layers of flannels. Dean had looked very proud. Another thing you seemed to have picked up from the Winchesters was their tendency to be kidnapped by demons. To be quite honest, you weren’t even sure what the hell they wanted - just that you were being held by them.

But since it was demons, and they tended to be, in some aspects, predictable, you were sure you were about to find out. “You’re the perfect bait,” One growled, tilting back the chair you were shackled to backwards. “The Winchesters can never resist a good rescue mission.”

So that’s what this is about. Of course you were bait for the Winchesters. Sure, you were a good hunter and Castiel’s close friend, but no demon cared about that. Once, just once, you wished you could be kidnapped for being a good hunter and not because you were close to the Winchesters.

Ah, well. That’s what you got for running with the big dogs. Right now you had bigger problems than being an underappreciated hunter.

“What should we do with her?” Another demon sauntered forward from the darkness, eyes blinking an inky black as he surveyed you with a smirk.

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😍😍

Misunderstanding

Pairing: Castiel x Reader (ft. Dean, Sam, and Gabriel)

Content/Warnings: Fluff; angst

Words: 1550

A/N: This wasn’t requested, but it’s been on my mind so I figured I would write it. (plus no one requested a Cas soulmate AU) Enjoy, guys!

“Alright, there look to be around twelve vamps in this nest,” Dean said. “Cas, you and Y/N take the back, Sam and I will take the side.”

You nodded, waving the angel over to walk with you. The sun was high in the sky as the two of you crept silently around the building. You were picking your way carefully through the leaves, watching for anything that could cause you to fall. Castiel tripped in a hole, limbs flailing, and you grabbed him before he could crash headlong into the wall and heaved him back. “You alright?” You whispered.

“I, um, yes. Fine,” He stammered, quickly taking the lead. The angel was adamantly refusing to meet your gaze. “This way.”

Shaking your head, the persistent wonder if Castiel even liked you filtered through once more. “There’s the door,” You whispered. “I’ll open, you go in first.”

“Alright,” He said, and you slowly turned the doorknob, pulling it quickly open. Castiel went in first, the two of you beheading unsuspecting vampires with little resistance. It wasn’t long before your ran into Sam and Dean, who had killed half. “I believe all the vampires are now dead.”

“Alright, good work team,” Dean said. “Let’s get rid of these vamps and get out of here.”

Castiel disappeared, wings fluttering, and reappeared a few moments later. “It is done. Shall we go?”

“Sure,” Dean said with a shrug, leading the way out.

You nodded for Cas that he could leave first, and you leaned down to tie your shoe. A painful smack of person-against-wood drew your attention to Cas, who was rubbing his face and glaring at the doorframe. “Cas, are you sure you’re okay?”

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[thegreatpuzzle]

So cute 😻

for b.

Summary: The three times Bucky was insecure, and the one time you proved you loved him with your entire heart. [continuation of sneaky] [chubby!neighbour!au]

Warnings: body shaming, self doubt, swearing

A/N: the amount of love i got on sneaky is astronomical! thank you all for reading my work, and for those of you who asked, here’s a lil part 2 for you. - amanda 💛

if you haven’t read sneaky, click here to read it. reading it isn’t necessary, but many highly recommend reading it. 

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[thegreatpuzzle]

where do we go? // bucky barnes

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x reader

Summary: “When we all fall asleep, where do we go?” Soulmate!AU where you could talk to your soulmate in your sleep.

Notes: Billie Eilish’s songs have so much variables that is so inspirational and just gives me ideas through unique lyrics that is relatable and worth sharing on how it affects me in ways people would disagree with me, I can’t help it, she’s so great I can’t. Enjoy and read responsibly.

Word Count: 2k something something words

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masterlist

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[thegreatpuzzle]

Reddie Fanfic Masterlist

the amazing works that have changed my life (also using this to organize myself)

tear it with your teeth by belby | 32.1k

“We could leave this place, Eddie,” Richie says. “God, imagine that? Not having to live in this trash dump anymore. We could go wherever we wanted. A different place every night.”

notes: reddie from ages 15-18. this one hurts (but it’s incredibly beautiful)

It’s Not My Fault! by shanisafan | 92.7k

“I want to be there for you when things get hard just as I know you will be there for me. Ben wrote his poem by me talking about how much I think I’m not good enough for you.”

“Richie -“ Eddie squeezed the other boy’s hands.

“I’m serious Eddie. I’m not. I’m selfish to take someone off the market who is as great as you. So I want to thank you for everything. Here’s to you and whatever happens next.”

notes: read this for the characterization wow! perfect amount of fluff and angst

Lovesong Series by WaxAgent | 164.9k

They’re all connected, sure, but nothing comes close to the iron bonds between Richie Tozier and Eddie Kaspbrak; they have their ups and their downs, but they always have each other. A look at their lives from leaving Derry to being dragged back by a promise than both of them had long forgotten.

notes: this work has not been updated since 2018 but it is incredibly amazing, mind blowing and i just wanna cry and talk about it with someone, please suffer with me

the years go by like days by georgiestauffenberg |121.9k

It’s Eddie he wants to get a hold of, though, and he does, tucking him under his arm, and ruffling his hair, making him laugh. He’s startled when Eddie looks at him with such happy, shining eyes. And, for a split-second, he’s tempted to kiss him right then, right there in front of everyone.

He wants to. Badly. He doesn’t.

He leans in, instead, and he smacks a loud, wet kiss to Eddie’s cheek, punctuating it with a “mwah!” He does it again and again. “I’m so proud of my little Eds Spagheds!”

“Get off me!” Eddie says, laughing and shoving him away, swatting at his hands.

AU. in the 27 years in-between, Richie and Eddie forget a lot, but they don’t forget each other.

notes: THE reddie fic

in the heat of the summer (you’re so different from the rest) by kaboomslang |109.5k

There’s a heatwave in L.A., the first time Richie sees Eddie naked.

or

One very hot year in the life of two idiots in love, working shit out.

notes: the author’s Meticulous with a capital M. one of my favorite characterizations of richie! and the love confessions are lovely!!

not exactly where i need to be (and yet it seems so close) by varnes | 49.3k

Richie runs all the way to Eddie’s. He has a bike but he can’t remember, just now, where he put it. Everything feels real, feels — the gravel hurt his shoeless feet, his lungs burn when he gets tired, there’s a cut on his chin that aches a little. It feels real but things always felt real, with It.

You can’t trust how you feel or what you see. That’s the core of the terror of It. That everything is real and nothing is real and all of it can kill you.

Richie clambers up the drainage pipe and shoves open Eddie’s window. He’s afraid to look. He’s afraid of what It has prepared for him.

But it’s nothing. It’s just Eddie, small, young, cast still on his arm. He’s curled up on his side and is using the cast as the world’s worst pillow.

“Holy shitballs what the fucking shit,” breathes Richie, lunging forward to fling himself on top of Eddie’s sleeping form. “Don’t scream, don’t scream, hey — Eddie! Eddie, shut the fuck up, you’re going to wake your mom, it’s me! It’s me.”

—

OR: Richard Tozier goes to sleep on a plane in 2016, and wakes up in 1989.

notes: time travel AU, i’d sell my soul to the devil if it meant getting to read this for the first time again ahhhhh

as the ghost begins to bleed by ShowMeAHero | 208.3k

Richie refuses to let Eddie stay dead. When he says he’ll do anything to get Eddie back, he means anything.

notes: THE canon fix-it au

maybe i’m breaking up with myself by Anonymous | 59.3k

Underneath Derry, Richie Tozier is caught in the Deadlights. At that moment, across the country in the thick summer heat of Los Angeles, Henley Tozier passes out cold.

Three minutes pass, and Eddie Kaspbrak is impaled through the chest. At that exact same time, Atticus Kaspbrak clutches at his stomach, where a knife-sharp inexplicable pain is blooming.

notes: eddie has a son and richie has a daughter. a fix-it & everyone lives au, with the CUTEST children the losers could have. love love love 

Skeleton Key to My Heart by Amuly | 31.2k

After they kill that fucking clown, Richie is left with a broken arm, a list of bad baseball comedy jokes, and one beautiful, dedicated nurse by the name of Eddie Kaspbrak. But then Richie’s manager Steve rushes to his side, and Richie’s seeing double as the two most important men in Richie’s life square off to see who can Handle Richie Tozier’s Shit the best. Which isn��t a bad problem to have, in Richie’s book–he just wishes they could figure out how to get along.

notes: i love the reddie dynamic in this. i enjoyed reading this so much!!!!

WIP 

currently reading these

Baby, I’m Counting On You by PuddingTown | 109.7k

When Richie Tozier breezes back into his hometown of Derry, Maine, he’s expecting to see familiar faces. Of course, he’s not expecting to see an old flame chasing around a baby. With a million questions, nowhere to go, and a help wanted ad for a nannying job, he finds himself at the doorstep of Eddie Kaspbrak.

notes: i’ve loved domestic reddie but it’s also angsty. this is (re)self-discovery by richie tozier

ribs by mikeshanlon | 93.9k

Almost every time the lights turn off and they cram in the shitty twin bed, Richie seems to become a different person. Maybe not different, per say, but the stupid jokes and teasing die down, the guard of nonchalance dropping. Eddie feels lucky to see this side of Richie, soft and caring– vulnerable. It’s not like he hates the other side of Richie, he secretly enjoys their constant banter and his dumb jokes. No, it’s that this side is rare, and it’s something beautiful. Here, safe in the soft flannel sheets, it feels like they are the only two souls for miles, and they can be themselves, and that is terrifying and reassuring all at once.

“I’m gonna miss this. When we go off to college,” Richie admits, the weight behind his words telling Eddie he felt the same about their shared nights.

“Yeah,” Eddie agrees softly, “Me too.”

notes: the losers’ senior year. this has made me laugh pretty hard and cry just as much. makes me nostalgic but in the best way. go give it the love it deserves

Running up that hill by speakslow | 59.6k

When Eddie Kaspbrak’s mother gets remarried, she sends him off to Catholic boarding school. Will it be exactly what he pictures: same old prison, new location? Or will it be something else entirely?

my oh my god they were roommates story, loosely inspired by Dead Poets Society (but it’s set in the fall of 1992)

notes: the last update was this past week so i read the entire thing again and oh my god let me hug everyone. all the losers are pretty prominent in this and i love that. lowkey enemies to friends to lovers?

[thegreatpuzzle]

I love this point of view

THAT EPISODE! So Cas fans how we feeling? 2 MOTW episodes in a row have not only called the codependent brother bullshit STUPID and AWFUL but have made it glaringly obvious that CASTIEL is the catalyst that makes THIS WORLD DIFFERENT. I said this last week but this ep drums it home.

Every single time the AU bros killed each other, in OUR WORLD it was CAS who was directly responsible for preventing their deaths. The THEN sequence ended with the DeanCas break up which made it pretty clear that the intention is to keep Cas's role in mind. Perhaps this ep shows that Dean was RIGHT about Cas always making things go wrong, only he missed the point. He doesn't make things go wrong for Sam n Dean, but for CHUCK.

Gosh I have so much to say. This ENTIRE SEASON is about thwarting (I love this word btw thank you Good Omens for bringing it back) the bronly death ending. I'm in love. I've never been more satisfied as a meta writer than I am right now. WHAT EVEN IS SUBTEXT ANYMORE?!?

(I copied my tweet thread over here because I need to scream about this on two platforms because GUYS GUYS GUYS THIS IS THE MOST VALIDATING THING!)

Look this episode and last week both gave us a generic MOTW story without Castiel and BOTH episodes pointed out in a crazy meta way how DULL and overdone those episode formats are. Even the subtext is so blatant the writers mock their own way of sending messages in MOTWs. This episode, with the brother werewolves who tragically died murder suicide style, were a classic example of what SPN has been doing for YEARS with the mirrors and parallels that for so long we meta writers were mocked for even trying to point out.

I didn't think they could make it more obvious than they did in 14x04 but this episodes showed us how blatantly obvious Chuck's story parallels are with trying to teach the brothers a lesson. They've brought this stuff directly into text and basically screamed at the audience LOOK! THIS IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING! DO YOU UNDERSTAND YET?!?".

Then to top it all off they heavily criticise their own format in text and load it all onto Chuck. If this isn't the writers telling us they are breaking away from the usual structure I don't know what is.

Then there is Castiel, so glaringly present in the negative space once again thanks to THEN sequence that forces the audience to remember him. His absence being so cleverly weaved into Sam's dreams in particular. Demon!Dean murdering Sam only for the show to once again scream BUT CAS SAVED HIM in the negative space.

Castiel is Chuck's blindspot as Chuck is so obsessed with a brother murder suicide ending he can't see the angelic spanner in the works. I adore how well this is being planned out and can't wait to see what happens next.

[thegreatpuzzle]

So real

B. Moderno

[thegreatpuzzle]

Cute

I think you hurt his feelings.

[thegreatpuzzle]

Supernatural | Various & Sundry Villains | 13x12