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"just write the story you want to read!" they said. well, guess what, now i have 14 unfinished drafts because apparently, i want to read 14 different stories at once.

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8 Tactics To Prove Your Characters Are REAL Friends! 🔐

Character interaction is very important and key in a story. When wanting to accomplish a certain goal bad or good, your protagonist will need to have at least some supporting characters to really help them.

Here are some tips to improve your writing and make your characters worth dying for! Friendships that feel, look and sound real!

The awkward stage needs to happen before the real stage: like instant love, instant friendship is equally as weird. How is it that you can glance at someone and feel the click? Unless your characters have been watching each other’s actions and are intrigued/interested in their responses they can’t feel that. Have your characters communicate with each other about themselves, start simple, their favourite colour or whatever and then let them share more about themselves and come into contact more. This is a skill that romance authors like to use, they put two characters in situations that bring them together every time and force them to interact. We’re not aiming for exact romance but rather a platonic relationship that leaves readers thinking “I love that character I hope to see more of them in the future.”

Characters that are already friends: Show us how they’re friends. Let them be the type who is always there to comfort them, tell them what they need and give advice. Also! Don’t have just one character doing all the work! A real relationship needs both people to be involved in each other and nurture one another. How can you have a character say they’re best friends but never have their back?? Please work on both characters and give them a reason why they care about each other. What has the other done for them? Don’t make them blindly loyal all the time!

Your characters are not decorations or a criteria to be met: I have read too many books and watched too many shows that leave this “best friend” as a background character. They are uninvolved in the plot or storyline, they have no idea what’s going on with the protagonist, and worse of all the protagonist goes on chapters and chapters with little to no interaction with their supposed “best friend”. You can’t keep doing this with characters in your world, even if your protagonist is a secret hero or an agent, isn’t the whole point of the story the intensity of never knowing and having mystery and secrets? The protagonist should feel bad for hiding so much information from their good friend and everyday the friend should feel like they are losing their friend ESPECIALLY if they really are best friends then that character is actively working towards finding out their secret. Add some mystery, some suspense, if there is no mystery or suspense in your story then your book is NOT IN THE RIGHT CATEGORY. Don’t bait readers into believing we are reading a suspense novel and whiplash us like this. Believe it or not, you can involve the friend in their personal life too, it can still be suspense in many other ways but I’m telling you now that if there wasn’t a reason to make your readers care about this “best friend”, to make us worry about their safety, reputation etc… then don’t give your protagonist a “best friend”, that is just a classmate/workmate.

Don’t have characters spoil every little detail of their lives immediately: Think about how strange would it be if someone who isn’t your closest friend did that to you the first time? It’s a bit unrealistic to get someone to immediately open up to you. And no “they’re the protagonist/they are just a really good talker” doesn’t work. Even if your character is a master manipulator it takes some time to have someone become manipulated it’s not instantaneous and easy or else you’d have everyone be a manipulator and that wouldn’t be so interesting and fun anymore would it? Put your characters into situations that reveal to us little by little who they are. Now as the reader we may know more about the protagonist but the protagonist doesn’t automatically know everything about everyone. What if this friend of theirs has a bad memory or past history? What makes this character think our protagonist is worthy enough to let them be vulnerable? How does the protagonist give their friend the attention they need and deserve and what makes them drawn to them? The mystery is what keeps a reader reading, do not tell us everything or else what’s the point? Let the readers SEE what’s going on in their lives so we know who this person is. It’s boring to focus on the protagonist all the time! Keep us questioning and put the answer in the next chapter, we don’t want plot holes. Then throw in another NEW question at the end of that chapter to keep us hungry for MORE. We want to feel worried not only for the protagonist but their friend as well and how this will affect their friendship. Remember: the story should be about changing. A book that starts and ends the same is pointless, what did we read it for?

The comparison: This is optional for a character that is very social or even just a little socially extroverted. Give your protagonist multiple friends, have them all with their flaws, each one of their own lives different. Then overtime let your protagonist begin to hang out with one or a small group of characters in particular more often. Let them filter out their friends and choose the one friend they believe is best for them. That lets readers feel closer to this one character and ALSO believe that they are the best and most trustworthy. The more we interact with them, the more we hear or see them in the story, the more emotionally attached we become. Humans are programmed in a way to choose what is best for us to succeed in life, you need to understand that this applies to your characters too. If you have already applied all the reasons listed then your protagonist will be able to express vulnerability with this character too and vice-versa. Each person should have slowly been proving to each other that they are suitable to become life long friends. That way when we see our friend in any situation the reader can immediately think “OH! I know that character!”

Good friends don’t need to have everything in common!: One of the worse and boring things that could possibly happen in your novel is characters that share similarities on everything! Where is the creativity in variations? What are we supposed to work with? This is bland and will kill your story. You can still have a lot of common interest and even just one single difference but it will be harder to work with. Having differences is good, trust me. But you might be wondering… won’t that make them fight a lot? Refer to Number 7 below!!

Have them argue: You can’t possibly convince a reader that your two or three etc… characters are all best friends and seemingly never had an argument. How will the reader know how they overcome their differences and handle a problem together? We need to see how well they do in solving issues between them and sharing their thoughts and feelings. That’s how you can flesh out a character really well. Plus this is a really good setup for a character arc of emotional, physical, and spiritual development. We need to see what makes them keep coming back and holding onto their friendship every time.

If your characters hated each other to start: This is very similar to the above Number, you may have a novel where you got characters who used to hate each other but now it’s awkward. Those enemies can still argue! Yes! Because as we’ve stated we can see them fix problems and work together. This will bring them closer and— trust me if you do it really well you can take the “best friends path” or the “turned lovers path”. The power will be all to you!

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MASTERLIST

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What Ruins Romance Between Characters

Also keep in mind I’m not a professional writer. This is just a list of things I think absolutely destroys chemistry

Lack of Communication & Proximity: It should be a no-brainer that the two characters in love would also want to be together as much as possible. However, for some authors, what they don't do is just that. Automatically, these characters become more like strangers than people that are dating/married/pining for each other. If you want to build romance start with them actually talking and putting them in situations that demand them to work as partners.

No Show of Physical or Verbal Affection: Another no-brainer. How're you going to want your reader to love them if they don't show it? Even enemies-to-lovers will always figure out a way to make a scene more tense and filled with desire as long as your characters are giving us hints that they want something more than just what they currently are.

One-Sided Pining: Do not have one character doing all the romantic gestures! Readers will think the receiver of the affection is undeserving of their partner. I can assure you, nobody wants to see only one person doing all the heavy-lifting in the relationship. It's boring, sad, and will likely make readers want that character to leave the relationship asap.

Wildly Different Perspectives/Nothing in Common: You're bound for writing a breakup if this is the situation of your characters throughout the entirety of the story. Unless they slowly come to understand one another and meet in the middle, this romance will fail.

Arguing More Than Loving: If your characters are constantly arguing with no intentions to stop it, they are no longer compatible for each other. You are writing a toxic couple that hate one another and forcing them together is unlikely to make the average reader want to continue any further. I've seen some writers do an excellent job of a couple arguing but always trying to be better for their significant other. If you want them to argue solely because this is enemies-to-lovers, some time soon they're going to want to stop being an asshole to the person they like.

Better Romance With Other Characters: If Character A is supposed to be with Character B, but Character C is becoming the ideal, then I'm afraid to tell you the romance will not work between A and B. To avoid this, make them communicate less, have less in common, spend less time together and give more attention to Character B. Take away the roles that make Character C more compatible and give it to B. This doesn't mean you should completely change C, it just means you need to do everything you can to put the focus back on B, and if that's too much then consider ending whatever B and A have.

Too Slow/Fast to Fall in Love: Characters that take 20 seasons and 3 movies to confess is insanely slow. We are starving for the romance that was promised in the story, eventually readers will stop reading because that is not being satisfied. Pacing is incredibly important and you need to take into account the behaviours Character A will have with Character B. Also, don't make them instantly fall in love, I feel everyone in the writers and readers community know this very well. That's not how people work, you actually have to try to know each other first.

Only Together for Sexual Gratification: I don't even have to do a lot of speaking for this. Unless the characters become part of each other's lives outside of the bedroom then the chemistry does not exist.

Lack of Trust/Keeping Secrets: There has to be someone that knows their partner more than anyone else. Keeping secrets will show the readers that Character A does not love their partner enough to trust them with important information. It's fine if they're keeping a few secrets maybe-- major ones-- to protect Character B, but constantly lying and being unwilling to share is the beginning of what we call "falling out of love." Even worse is if Character A went ahead and shared their deepest insecurities with Character C.

Priority is Not The Significant Other/No Sacrifices: All relationships have done something that must be done in order to make the relationship work. If Character A will not give up something that they know upsets their partner/crush then they are not ready to be with someone. In order to love someone you must devote time and have interest in them. If your character chose some external desire over Character B, then this will not work. Their greatest desire should be Character B.

Unrealistic Standards & Expectations: We can't have characters choosing each other for surface-level wants to be satisfied. Readers will end up seeing characters changing their entire personality for their partner and their entire body to fit an image they were not made for. If your readers know Character B very well and it's that Character B would never turn away a friend for example, and suddenly they cut ties with all their friends because Character A doesn't like them, then I'm sorry but this is toxic. You can't change someone's characteristics in the middle of the story to help Character A.

No Conflict: What relationship is truly perfect? There will be arguments and setbacks that need to be explored. This is a fun way at having a deeper level of understanding on why your characters are having a conflict of interest. It's quite stale when everything is happy-go-lucky with no issues, you don't need to make them breakup or anything just a simple disagreement can show a ton for readers on the complexities of Character A and B as people who operate differently together.

Underdeveloped Character with No Goals: Some shows I've watched put time and effort in flushing out one character and completely forget about their life-long partner. Uhm, hello? What's going on?? If you write Character A with their entire lore and family tree or whatnot and then-- oh side note, they also really love Character B-- excuse me, who's Character B? Give us some sign that Character B is capable of thoughts and has dreams of their own. Do not make it revolve around Character A either.

Couple Do Not Interact with Anyone Aside From Each Other/No World Building: Similar to the point above, if these characters only know and see each other, you will lose readers. We are sick and tired of stories where the overarching story has been reduced to two people. If the story is about them, then introduce us to their lives outside of their partner. Can they operate as a functioning creature with thoughts without their partner? Do they have friends and family? Do they go to work and school? Are there fears they have? There's tons of material to choose from, pick anything.

Too Much Interference: Although it's fun to watch two characters do anything to get closer to each other it can become annoying when there's simply way too many characters and situations that separate them. We want all that hard work to be rewarded to Character A when they finally get what they want, Character B. Even a little bit of talking alone, being alone, finally away from the chaotic world is more than enough. Let your characters be alone.

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~~~ MASTERLIST

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"I love you but I can't say those words":

I would drown even the stars for you.

When I look at you, I just think about how much things have changed since we first met.. my how time flies..

don't you think looking at me like that will give me the wrong impression?

oh, by the way, don't be late for dinner.

I don't think I would have rather done this with anyone else..

did you ever think we'd grow so close?

how many times have I had to nurse you back to health now?

maybe you should sit this one out, I've got it for now

why haven't you told me this before?

Please don't do anything reckless

Will you sit with me?

When was the last time you ate??

Anything that you have to say to me, you can say infront of [B]

I know you're not feeling the greatest, that's why I brought you [insert thing]

you just love to give me hell, don't you?

You're important to me.

I don't wanna lose you / I can't bare to lose you

do you need some help with that? allow me

Hidden Confessions:

I don't think you understand just how much you really mean to me.

I know how you are, and that's why I've decided that you won't do this alone.

You can't get rid of me that easily (after an argument)

don't think so low of my loyalty to you for I would burn the heavens if it mean saving the stars in your eyes.

you've always been the one person who I could never stay mad at

I cherish the memories we make together

I will never let anything or anyone hurt you

you won't take them away from me

don't you dare lay a finger on them!

if you so much as make a move on them I will kill you where you stand, you hear me?

so precious, our time together

I love whatever this is between us.

do you ever think about where we'll be in 10 years?

careful now, you just might make me blush talking like that

Sappy Sentences:

I don't think the heavens or the hells below could fathom the level of love we share.

If there were a way to bottle your love, I'd get drunk on it every day

Sometimes all I really want is to lay like this, with you in my arms forever.

For us eternity doesn't mean for the rest of time. Eternity is just for the rest of our lives together.

I don't remember giving you my heart, but I know it's safe in your hands.

Watching you get hurt is like a blade through the heart, I can't take it.

Even if I had six hearts, they'd all beat for you.

I can't blame those who stare at you, I get lost in your beauty myself.

I'd worship you as my supreme deity, bathe me in your grace

I'd do anything in the world for you. Just you name it.

Come lay with me, I want to heart your heartbeat.

Everytime I'm with you, I can't help but feel at peace with the world.

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Caves are weirder and more varied than you think

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glad that im not popular enough to have an evil shadow version of my blog that exists just to make contradictions on my posts

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Love how tumblr has its own folk stories. Yeah the God of Arepo we’ve all heard the story and we all still cry about it. Yeah that one about the woman locked up for centuries finally getting free. That one about the witch who would marry anyone who could get her house key from her cat and it’s revealed she IS the cat after the narrator befriends the cat.

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REVERSE TROPE WRITING PROMPTS

Too many beds

Accidentally kidnapping a mafia boss

Really nice guy who hates only you

Academic rivals except it’s two teachers who compete to have the best class

Divorce of convenience

Too much communication

True hate’s kiss (only kissing your enemy can break a curse)

Dating your enemy’s sibling

Lovers to enemies

Hate at first sight

Love triangle where the two love interests get together instead

Fake amnesia

Soulmates who are fated to kill each other

Strangers to enemies

Instead of fake dating, everyone is convinced that you aren’t actually dating

Too hot to cuddle

Love interest CEO is a himbo/bimbo who runs their company into the ground

Nursing home au

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I forgot how lonely it is to write original fiction.

Where are the kudos? The subscriptions? The comments? The people cheerleading me chapter to chapter? Where are the kind words and compliments and reassurances that what I'm writing isn't complete crap? Where are the unhinged emojis? The asks on Tumblr? Where are my mutuals in my dms apologizing for not reading the latest chapter right away (side note, you know you don't have to apologize at all, right??). Where is the fanart? Where are the recs?

Where is my motivation to keep going?

It's something I've been thinking about a lot, actually, lately. How the experience of writing fanfic is so unique. How you already have an audience, willing and waiting and captive. And that's really it, isn't it? You have an audience. It's almost performative, writing fanfic. It's being on a stage, a one-person show (or two, if you do it with a friend); it's getting live reactions to your performance, it's feeding off the energy of the crowd and informing it back in a feedback loop; it's improvised, sometimes, in almost-real-time. It's building something that you couldn't have built by yourself. A thing that takes on a life of its own.

It's an experience you can't get writing original fiction, and, honestly, not having it is making it hard to write something original at all.

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How to write charming characters

With both positive and negative aspects to their personalities, charming characters can be difficult to write convincingly.

Whether you're writing a romantic love interest or a compelling con man, here are some examples for giving your charming characters depth.

How do they behave?

Attentive listeners: they pay close attention to people around them

Take pride in their appearance

Are happy to share personal space

Speak with a strong voice and an energetic tone

Are often hospitable and give off an air of welcome

Always give the impression that they are happy to see you

Demonstrate empathy

How do they interact?

Have a firm handshake and make strong eye contact

Are often encouraging

Compliment freely

Use humour to create a fun atmosphere

Communicate physically (through touch and gesture)

Make a point of using a person's name

Initiate conversations

Describe their body language

Have a relaxed stance with a straight and confident posture

Inclusive and attentive

Mirroring: they will mirror the body language of the person they are interacting with

Will lean forward to show attention

Lightly touch to create connection

A slight head tilt to show interest

Rarely cross their arms or legs

Maintain eye contact

Describe their attitude

Carefree

Good sense of humour

Friendly and playful

Self-aware

Opinionated and confident

Exhude an impression of honesty

Good intuition

Highly social

Polite and respectful

Eager to please

Potentially manipulative

The positive aspects of charm

Charming characters put people at ease, praise them freely, and boost their confidence. They make friends easily, talk their way to favourable resolutions, and are often the centre of attention.

They have impeccable grooming, conveying trustworthiness and concern for others, leading to a sense that they have your best interests at heart.

The negative aspects of charm

A charming character can manipulate others for personal gain. They can be overbearing, exerting their will on less confident individuals.

Their charm often draws focus, making others feel inferior, making them perfect for a protagonist to exhibit personal growth, or for a villain that a reader will fall in love with.

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A Quick Guide to Colour Symbolism

Colour symbolism has been a long-standing part of the writers' craft. Colours can hold different meanings across various cultures, but here are some common examples of some colours and their associated imagery.

🍎 Red: Love, lust, anger, danger, violence, passion

💎 Blue: Tranquillity, calm, peace, sadness, isolation

🥬 Green: Jealousy, rebirth, growth, greed, renewal

♠️ Black: Death, sadness, loss, grief, evil, depression

🎀 Pink: Sweetness, love, kindness, innocence

🍊 Orange: Joy, creativity, energy, excitement

🌼 Yellow: Joy, cowardice, innocence, optimism

🏳️ White: Innocence, faith, peace, purity, mourning

🐴 Brown: Stability, comfort, predictability, boredom

💟 Purple: Royalty, bravery, virtue, luxury, spirituality

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"i wanna be closer to you" (ldr) prompts that i absolutely adore:

>°< the 6th, 8th, 9th, 11th and the 22nd??? CRYING

@urfriendlywriter | req by @seungspolaroid

hugs that feels like clench in your heart because you don't know when u might see them again

"don't let go yet" "i won't, sweetheart"

running into their arms after a long time ♡ and fitting right in :(

hoping it's them whenever the bell rings

just looking into each other's eyes while cuddling

always touching each other because they miss the feel of your skin against theirs :(((

holding hands until their fingertips reach out of grasp

yearning kisses when they press their palm against your cheek, slightly lifting you up. never getting enough and parting lips always wanting more (IM IN TEARS IM SO LONELY)

feeling heart wrench when you see their face while they leave

when they're excited to show you something they're proud of through face time.

when they break into tears as soon as they see you. and the hug after :(((

them having your picture as their wallpaper

"i--i have a day off tomorrow, do you want go somewhere?" "i just want to be in your arms, no matter where."

"go ahead, byee??" they cutely pout and mumble, "I'd rather not go and spend my time with you tho.."

remembering every detail about you.

eyes always on yours whenever you are together as if they're memorizing everything about you ㅜㅜ

"atleast we share the same moon. it's so pretty that it reminds me of you"

feeling empty without the other

"i missed you-doesn't feel good enough to express how much longing i feel for you."

many things will be left unsaid, because of the time difference, not being able to talk with them all the time

"is everything okay?" "yeah- *shuffles behind the camera* yeah i guess." "does it take. what? 3 hours on a flight? I'm coming tomorrow. i don't like this."

"sweetie, I'd run to you in a heartbeat if you'd ever need me."

"i do live 14 hours away from you, but my heart is always where you are."

a broken "come to please" with tears in the eyes, and the helpless other being able to do nothing about it

"you've grown a bit.." "it's only been a week, hun???"

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How to Start a Story Idea

Tackling a whole 50,000+ word novel can be a lot. Here are some ways to break down the process to make it a little more digestible.

Choose, research, and enjoy your story's setting. Whether this is a fantasy realm, a lost planet, or a small suburban town, know and research where your story takes place. Think about the time period, cultural details, geography, the laws/rules, etc. This is a world where the reader will be spending hours, so make sure it's immersive.

Place your protagonist in the world and give them a story. You could have the most detailed fantasy world, but that means nothing without a story or character to explore it. Create a compelling main character and give them a story that progresses them throughout the world you created. 

Find your story's theme. A well-rounded story will revolve around a theme or central idea. Some themes include survival, love, good vs. evil, death, war, forgiveness, etc. What do you want to teach your readers or leave them with once the novel is finished? Do you want them to know that forgiveness is important? That war creates wounds only love can heal? That beauty is in the eye of the beholder? Weave these themes and lessons into your plot and story.

Create a cast. Build your protagonist friends and foes that support or challenge them on their journey. Give some of these characters their own arcs/side plots to thicken your story. There are a bunch of character types that you could add to your story such as the love interest, a mentor, an antagonist, minor characters, etc.

Divide your novel into acts. Once you know the big picture of the story you want to tell, break it up into acts. There are three main acts of a traditional story: Acts I, II, and III. Look up and consider following the Three-Act Structure to give your story a fluid motion of beginning, middle, and end.

Know your ending. The ending is the final part that your readers digest, meaning that it will likely stick with them. You don't have to fully understand how your novel will end, but having somewhat of a plan is important. This way... when you write, you're writing towards something.

Instagram: coffeebeanwriting

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How to write romantic love

Writing romantic love is simultaneously one of the most joyful things you can do as a writer, and one of the most difficult. There’s a lot of emotion to cover - from the highs of a new relationship, to the struggles of a relationship on the rocks.

Like all of us, your characters will display love differently. Are they open and affectionate? Shy and nervous? Loud and blunt? To help you along the way, here’s some examples of descriptions you can use to show (not tell) your readers that your characters are in love. Movement

Inching towards each other to touch

Shyly tucking stray hair behind the ear

Unconsciously parting or licking lips

Embracing with full bodies touching

Nervously shuffling feet

Running and reaching with open arms

Fiddling with hair or clothing

Crossing or uncrossing legs

Leaning forward to show attentiveness

A bounce in the step

Glancing flirtily over the shoulder

Facial expressions

Flirtatious winking

Smiling to themselves at nothing

Glancing up through lowered lashes

Unblinking eye contact

Grinning or beaming uncontrollably

A look of yearning

Lips slightly parted with desire

Dilated pupils

Glowing cheeks or flushed skin

Faraway, daydreaming look

Slight, secretive smile

Sounds

Deep sighs

Unconscious swallowing

Nervous coughing or throat clearing

Light chuckle with a silly grin

Grunts of appreciation or praise

An inner, audibly racing pulse

Thumping heart

Quick, short breaths

Low, whispered voices

Listening to love songs

Joyfully humming

Feelings and sensations

Nervous tingling

Butterflies in the stomach

Hot and flushed face

Hyper-sensitive skin

Acute awareness of personal proximity

Weak knees or legs turning to jelly

Shaky hands

Loss of speech or getting tongue-tied

Daydreaming and absentmindedness

Seeing the beauty in the world

Pulse racing

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Quick Tips on Writing Better Characters

Here are a handful of quick tips to writing stronger characters and understanding them better as a writer.

Give your characters a title. This can help with worldbuilding and placing your protagonist into the environment. What do others call your characters? The emperor, the bastard son, the Grinch, the chosen one, the class clown, the evil witch, the popular girl, etc.

Use your settings to enhance your character. You can use the locations of your novel to mirror or contrast your character. Do they blend in or stand out? What they focus on can say a lot about them (ex. a fearsome character mishearing things on a dark street, a princess in a ballroom only focused on the exit.)

Know your protagonist's motives and goals before you start writing. What is something they need that fuels their actions throughout the novel? Money, freedom, an artifact, food? To protect their sister at all costs and survive the Hunger Games? 

Now that you know their motive, make it more complex. A character's motive can be made more complex by putting them in high-stake situations that force them to make decisions. For example, Katniss wants to protect her sister, a very common motivation. However, present-day conflict makes her to do it in the most extreme way by volunteering in the Hunger Games. The plot forces her to make an extreme choice fueled by her motivation.

Your protagonist should be active. It's okay to have your story's events sometimes happen to your character (this is referred to as the character being passive, ex. a tornado sweeping them away) but your protagonist should be active a majority of the time. This means they should always be making decisions, thinking, reflecting and progressing through obstacles.

Instagram: coffeebeanwriting

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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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Are Animals Becoming Extinct in Fantasy Novels?

Recently, I read this post titled “Animals have been taken off in novels since 1835. Is fiction undergoing its own extinction event?” which talks about a study that found that since 1835, the use of wild animals in fiction has dropped drastically.

Many are blaming this “slow extinction” on modern societies disconnect to nature. After all, not everyone spends their days outside, so they might not notice mice, birds, or even the insects at their feet. If they do not think about animals in their daily life, why would they think about them while writing?

That is the theory, at least.

It is worthwhile pointing out what several other writers and readers are; there are plenty of animals in children’s fiction. That is true, but what about young adult to adult fantasy? Since that is what I personally write, that is what I wanted to talk about.

Just going off what books I think of first, it seems like often in fantasy novels, the only prey animals (like deer, squirrels, or rabbits) that we see are after nearly always during or after they are hunted. Then there is the complete lack of mosquitos, leaches, biting ants, and other annoying creatures.

Sometimes, there is a mention of the sound of birds singing, but rarely ever are there any details of the birds or what they are doing. Where are the ducks and swans on the lakes? Where are the birds building nests?

Now you may be going “What is the point? Why should I care?” and I get that, but by eliminating these creatures, your novels could be losing a sense of realism.

For example, in Stephen Kings The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon — which I argue is a light fantasy story, not a horror story — has a girl is lost in the woods and stalked by a creature. Interestingly, even most survival books fail to mention animals apart from for food, but Stephen King did not do that. He had deer, water bugs skittering across ponds, and even wasps that attack the main character. This added a sense of reality to the novel. It was not just a forest with some trees and plants, it was a forest filled with life, and that can be dangerous for anyone, let alone a young girl.

So, go ahead, raise the mood with your characters. If they are miserable, make them more so by having the mosquitos bite at them day and night or have them step in a anthill. If they are happy, they could watch a mother bird feeding its young or a swan rubbing necks with its partner.

Adding more hints of nature could not only amplify the mood, but it could also make your forests seem more real.