A Good Bridge Point Between Not Breaking The Suspense Of Belief And Dramatics Is To Have A "boiling Point".

A good bridge point between not breaking the suspense of belief and dramatics is to have a "boiling point". You put a character into a type of circumstance and they start changing subtly/internally. Then, at an emotional high, all of this boiling and emotional turbulance culminates in a big dramatic display of what was happening internally. So, while the change may appear "sudden" it was actually the result of a rise in tension!

Writing Advice: Writing Out Of Character

No, this time I am not going to trash bad examples of characters being "out of character". Instead I am going to explain to you what seperates a good character who is behaving differently and a bad character who is behaving illogically.

Question 1: Why Is The Character Behaving Like This?

When we writers put our characters through the ringer we often see our characters change in drastic and "unexpected" ways. This is an example of "good character arc" and not "out of character" because if you supply justification for why your character is changing things up and doing different things then it's character development!

Virtuous Character A, in a desperate bid to stay alive and after being repeatedly pushed to the brink by these harrowing cirumstances, kills Character B? That is good character development!

Intelligent and prudish Character C suddenly starts acting like they're staring in a smut fic towards Character D as their "body betrays them" due to horomones they should've learne to control in their teens? That is out of character!

Has this writer(me) been writing informative yet argumentative works but has tried to start offering a softer and less confrontational side in order to appeal to more people? That is character development!

Question 2: Have You Given Your Character Enough Time To Evolve?

Unlike what love stories try to convince you, it takes a pretty long while for people to change their behaviors and mindset!

Has your normally stoic character who has been practicing understanding their emotions finally expressing some emotion? That's character development!

Have I been slowly adding more informative perspective and softer actions throughout my rants? Then it's much more believeable that I would express a softer side towards this issue!

My Favorite Writing Thing :)

I love seeing stigmatized communities and character archetypes, grabbing them with such a feral energy that they may just but never do break, and whispering in their ear like i'm professing stories of the end with a flustered laugh in my eyes

"be my character. i won't change your life. i'll help you grow. i won't force you to be something you aren't so just be with me, please. let me be your god and i'll be your most devoted worshipper"

Hello, I hope you're doing well! My name is Mahmoud Abu Swierh, and I'm a 17-year-old from Gaza. The ongoing war has devastated my city, destroyed my school, and made daily life incredibly challenging. Despite these hardships, I'm determined to continue my education and build a better future. I've been given a chance to study abroad, but I need help to cover the costs of leaving Gaza, as well as living expenses and other essentials abroad once the crossing opens. If you can, please consider donating or sharing, your kindness can truly make a difference. Thank you. https://gofund.me/bd3ccf0b

I don't know if this is a reputable source so do your own research in your own free time. Please, check for scams from this person and others, obviously! If you have verified that this isn't a scam and this is genuinely a real person then donating is fine. But don't feel the pressure to donate, ok? 🥹

I'm saving this so when I have to write a character who likes classical music, i'll have some information

If it sounds like the composer is trying to blast you with the orchestra until you're as deaf as he is, it's Beethoven.

If it sounds like the composer might be a vampire, it's Bach.

If it sounds like the composer is trying to set the violins on fire, it's Vivaldi.

Untold Symptom: Anger Attack

Hi, as a person who has what someone might call anger issues, I am going to explain to you how they're for me. If you relate to my issues then do something about it. If you don't, talk about it, I guess?

I'll basically be doing something. For example, watching a youtube video but then I suddenly feel a switch flip in my brain. Literally it feels like the filter has just been changed or when you go to the optometrist and they change the perscription.

Suddenly, this wave of irrational anger overcomes me. I'll be screaming into the pillows and biting myself. Clawing into my fingers and praying to God that someone will drill into my ears so the blood will drown out this accursed person. Maybe it was the volume, maybe someone misinterpreted something I love, maybe I was struck by the thought this person was kind of annoying.

I will be sitting somewhere, in a situation where I must talk. But then suddenly everything gets amplified. I can hear their breathing. Their little click of the tongue as it hits their roof. I have to physically grab onto the chair and convince myself not to murder. I will walk out of that situation, find the nearest wall, and punch it repeatedly and as hard as I can.

I would love to see a character like me. Or just another person. Nobody in my family sympathizes with the fact that sometimes I have the uncontrollable urge to punch the fridge as hard as I can. Or that I need to get out of a social situation, not because I am awkward but because I need to get to a wall.

It was really hard during the Covid Pandemic where every single time I would have to turn off all the volume, black out my picture, and cry for an hour out of rage because I was that overstimulated.

What Makes A Disabled Character "Good"?

A disabled character shouldn't be judged as a failure when they need caretakers and other reliances for the important stuff in life no matter their age

A disabled character shouldn't be mocked as weak or spoiled when they refuse to break their boundaries or be happy

A disabled character shouldn't be shamed when their medical problems impede on their sex capabilities or hygiene or anything else like that

A disabled character shouldn't be celebrated only when they do break the impossible odds since most characters never break the odds

A disabled character shouldn't be dehumanized when they act cheerful

A disabled character shouldn't be treated like a child when they aren't a child

A disabled character shouldn't be forced into leading an "idealic" life that wasn't built for individuals like them

A disabled character needs to be accepted by the author when they fail to thrive, to die, to succeed.

A disabled character needs to be created by an author who understands that life is complicated and that the things they think as "necessary" to leading a fulfilling life may not be in the cards for certain characters

A disabled character needs to be understood by the author as a disabled character who can't do everything an able-bodied character can do.

And when a disabled character is not fully independent, self-sufficient, and thriving, an author should know that even in these circumstances, fulfillment and joy can be found. Disabled people do it all the time.

Many people aren't breaking odds, being fearless activists, and thriving. They struggle. They break sometimes. They succeed sometimes. But in this life, they can find the ability to be content.