Ways Your Characters Can Show Varying Emotions

ways your characters can show varying emotions

to show sadness (grief, sorrow):

- sharply sucking in a breath

- hiccuping from crying so hard

- uncontrollable sobbing

- slumped shoulders, head down

- weather can be used to show emotions — not just rain, but a shining sun and birds chirping contrasts well with a grieving character

- depending on the person, sadness can result in lashing out at others for no reason or shutting everyone out

to show anger (rage, frustration)

- red face, fists clenched

- narrow eyes

- sharp comebacks, gritting teeth

- the air around them is tense

- others may be silent, ignoring whoever they’re angry at

- inhales

- angry. tears.

- kicking, punching, slapping

to show shock (hurt, confusion)

- wide, confused eyes

- freezing in place

- collapsing to their knees

- silent and blank-faced

- ignoring everything else happening around them

to show happiness (joy, delight)

- bright eyes

- crinkles around their eyes from smiling so much

- laughter!

- optimism

- playful, laid back nature

- the weight being lifted off their shoulders

- relaxed sigh

if you’d like me to do more of these, please like and reblog, and follow for more!

Tips on writing good starters.

     In the roleplay scene, it can be hard to handle the task of writing a starter or a greeter for someone else.  Especially when your partners have different preferences, and you just aren’t sure if you can handle it.  When you have a lot of starters to do all at once —— it can be quite daunting.  So, with my years of roleplay experience — I gathered a few of my own tips that help myself when writing starters  ( although, now I need to get over the obstacle of laziness ).  I figured, hey — maybe someone else can get help from this.

     1.  Consider aspects of their muse.  It sounds lame, but you need to kind of look at someone’s muse  ( whether you know them well or not, canon or OC )  and figure out answers to questions such as  “what kind of first impression do they give off?”  and  “how would they react to a stranger walking up to them?”.  It’s best here to avoid topics that you feel may grow REPETITIVE.  To you and your muse, a topic such as  “who/what are you”  or   “why are you here”  may be new, but to your partner it may not be.  Try to avoid something as bland and repetitive, and try to find a new edge that makes a conversation or greeter all the more exciting that kind of grabs your partner’s attention more so than a thought like  “oh another starter like this??”.

     2.  Think of how the starter will carry onward in a thread.  Some people like shorter things, while others like to expand more.  You want to try to fit a starter with your partner in this sense length wise, but all in all we should all agree we’d want a starter that could get your muses somewhere.  Whether it’s knowing each other better, or developing a whole new plot on the fly — it all matters on the topic.  Whether it’s a one-liner, single-para, multi-para, etc., it’s your responsibility as the one writing the starter to get something going, not your partner you’re writing the starter for.  Avoid starters that makes them step up and get things going — or something too vague that no one knows what’s going on.  Be clear, be interesting, and find something that can expand longer than just 2 or 3 replies.  So you may write something like  “hey, im lost. can you tell me where i am?”  which could be quickly solved by your partner responding with directions or something — instead, aim for something more like  “you’re lost too?? lets try sticking together to find our way back!”  which will allow the muses to have potential bonding.  Bland example, but it’s an example nevertheless.

     3.  Grab your partner’s attention.  Try to write a starter that you feel will excite your partner  ( but make sure you’re excited for it, too ).  If you check out their blog // wishlist // etc., you may get a better idea of what they’re looking for in new roleplays.  It can help avoid the problems in the two tips above, as well as giving off a good first impression as a roleplay partner that you’re excited, too!  If you read their rules and see they enjoy plotting, you could always hit them up!  But always pay mind to rules concerning everything.

     That’s about all I have, since other posts cover other basics here!

TIPS TO WRITING CHARACTERS WITH ACTUAL FLAWS.

because i keep seeing them over and over again—— if you are aiming to write a well-rounded character, they need to have flaws. characters without flaws are called mary sues (( or gary stus…)) and they’re just not that fun to write with. in this post i’m gonna go over some of the actual characteristics of a mary sue— because contrary to popular opinion, mary sues aren’t just blatant self-insert god tier best girls (( or boys, or other. )) they’re more common than you might think. recognizing what makes a mary sue unappealing is a surefire way to make sure your character doesn’t come off that way.  this post is heavily based on this excellent resource from an older rph blog but i just felt a need to bring the conversation back into the tags.

Keep reading

Some words to use when writing things:

winking

clenching

pulsing

fluttering

contracting

twitching

sucking

quivering

pulsating

throbbing

beating

thumping

thudding

pounding

humming

palpitate

vibrate

grinding

crushing

hammering

lashing

knocking

driving

thrusting

pushing

force

injecting

filling

dilate

stretching

lingering

expanding

bouncing

reaming

elongate

enlarge

unfolding

yielding

sternly

firmly

tightly 

harshly

thoroughly

consistently

precision

accuracy

carefully

demanding

strictly

restriction

meticulously

scrupulously

rigorously

rim

edge

lip

circle

band

encircling

enclosing

surrounding

piercing

curl

lock

twist

coil

spiral

whorl

dip

wet

soak

madly

wildly

noisily

rowdily

rambunctiously

decadent

degenerate

immoral

indulgent

accept

take

invite

nook

indentation

niche

depression

indent

depress

delay

tossing

writhing

flailing

squirming

rolling

wriggling

wiggling

thrashing

struggling

grappling

striving

straining

Character Bio Template

I’m finally putting together a damn character page and I’m putting this here for easy access and easy formatting BUT HEY, if you like it, you can use it for your characters too! : D Feel free to add to it, or take things away, I just combined several bio elements I’ve seen over the years. :>

Notes!!

Anything in (italics and parentheses) you can delete if you copy + paste this

You can replace the ◘ around the OC Name / OC’s Profession title with any symbol or emoji you feel represents your character

Helpful acronyms: N/A = Not Available, Not Applicable, No Answer TBD = To Be Determined TBA = To Be Announced

◘ OC Name / OC’s Profession ◘

(profession is mainly in reference to GW2 professions, but you can put any profession you want, or any title that fits your character/what they do, i.e. chef, wizard, doctor, etc)

Posts with (OC Name) (include a hyperlink to your OC’s tag on your blog if you so desire)

◦ Fact  ◦ Fact ◦ Fact ◦ Fact (examples of what I typically put here: -descriptive terms that define who the character is “loud” “fun-loving” “tiny powerhouse” “war-worn” etc,  -phrases “the dad friend” “edgy and unpredictable” “lost puppy” “weird uncle” “the important thing is that they tried” “scared but wants to help” -fun facts “will go out to dinner just for free breadsticks” “calls his son every day” “inexplicably survives on sporadic snacking” “will climb anything, especially if dared to”)

🔍 Overview 🔎

Full Name: N/A

Pronunciation: N/A

Nickname(s): N/A (if you want, specify who calls them what nickname, or who is allowed to call them that)

Preferred Name: N/A

Age: N/A (if you don’t have an exact age for a character, you can put an age stage and/or an age approximation such as “Young Adult around 21-24 years of age)

Sexuality: N/A

Pronouns: N/A

Height: N/A (if you don’t know a characters exact height you can use phrases like “taller than average”, “just below average height”, “short”, etc if they belong to a fantasy race you could specify “short for their race”)

Weight/Build: N/A (if you don’t know exact weight you can use phrases like “a little overweight”, “above average for their height”, “skinny”, etc, or you can just explain the OC’s build, “stocky”, “muscular”, “athletic”, “chubby”, etc)

Scars/Birthmarks/Distinguishing Markings: N/A

🗣️ Personality & Morals ⚖️

Are they…(bold which term applies to the character):

introvert / extrovert / ambivert risk-taker / cautious organized / disorganized close-minded / open-minded calm / anxious / restless disagreeable / agreeable / in-between patient / impatient outspoken / reserved leader / follower / flexible empathetic / un-empathetic optimistic / pessimistic / realistic traditional / modern / in-between hard-working / lazy

Moral alignment (chaotic good, lawful neutral, etc): N/A

Guilty Pleasure(s): N/A

👍 Strengths & Weaknesses 👎

Strengths/Skills (Mental/Physical): N/A

Weaknesses (Mental/Physical): N/A

Biggest Advantage: N/A

Biggest Vulnerability: N/A

Mental Ailments: N/A

Physical Ailments: N/A

Addictions/Bad Habits: N/A

Phobias: N/A

🏠 Lifestyle 🏠

Birthplace: N/A

Current Residence: N/A

Education: N/A

Religion: N/A

Philosophy/Outlook on Life: N/A

Job: N/A

Hobbies: N/A

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Relationships 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Status (Single/Dating…/Married to…): N/A

Family: N/A

Friends: N/A

Enemies: N/A

Other notable relationships (If any): N/A

(if your character doesn’t have specific people you can put under friends or enemies, you could describe the types of people your character gets along with/doesn’t get along with)

📚 Backstory 📚

Childhood: N/A

Adolescence: N/A

Young Adulthood: N/A

Adulthood: N/A

Present Day: N/A

(feel free to combine these backstory categories into one if you prefer it that way, or if you feel your character doesn’t have details in their backstory worth noting for any of these categories)

SYNONYMS FOR WORDS COMMONLY USED IN STUDENTS' WRITINGS

highschoolmd:

writeworld:

by larae.net

Amazing- incredible, unbelievable, improbable, fabulous, wonderful, fantastic, astonishing, astounding, extraordinary

Anger- enrage, infuriate, arouse, nettle, exasperate, inflame, madden

Angry- mad, furious, enraged, excited, wrathful, indignant, exasperated, aroused, inflamed

Answer- reply, respond, retort, acknowledge

Ask- question, inquire of, seek information from, put a question to, demand, request, expect, inquire, query, interrogate, examine, quiz

Awful- dreadful, terrible, abominable, bad, poor, unpleasant

Bad- evil, immoral, wicked, corrupt, sinful, depraved, rotten, contaminated, spoiled, tainted, harmful, injurious, unfavorable, defective, inferior, imperfect, substandard, faulty, improper, inappropriate, unsuitable, disagreeable, unpleasant, cross, nasty, unfriendly, irascible, horrible, atrocious, outrageous, scandalous, infamous, wrong, noxious, sinister, putrid, snide, deplorable, dismal, gross, heinous, nefarious, base, obnoxious, detestable, despicable, contemptible, foul, rank, ghastly, execrable

Beautiful - pretty, lovely, handsome, attractive, gorgeous, dazzling, splendid, magnificent, comely, fair, ravishing, graceful, elegant, fine, exquisite, aesthetic, pleasing, shapely, delicate, stunning, glorious, heavenly, resplendent, radiant, glowing, blooming, sparkling

Begin - start, open, launch, initiate, commence, inaugurate, originate

Big - enormous, huge, immense, gigantic, vast, colossal, gargantuan, large, sizable, grand, great, tall, substantial, mammoth, astronomical, ample, broad, expansive, spacious, stout, tremendous, titanic, mountainous

Brave - courageous, fearless, dauntless, intrepid, plucky, daring, heroic, valorous, audacious, bold, gallant, valiant, doughty, mettlesome

Break - fracture, rupture, shatter, smash, wreck, crash, demolish, atomize

Bright - shining, shiny, gleaming, brilliant, sparkling, shimmering, radiant, vivid, colorful, lustrous, luminous, incandescent, intelligent, knowing, quick-witted, smart, intellectual

Calm - quiet, peaceful, still, tranquil, mild, serene, smooth, composed, collected, unruffled, level-headed, unexcited, detached, aloof

Come - approach, advance, near, arrive, reach

Cool - chilly, cold, frosty, wintry, icy, frigid

Crooked - bent, twisted, curved, hooked, zigzag

Cry - shout, yell, yowl, scream, roar, bellow, weep, wail, sob, bawl

Cut - gash, slash, prick, nick, sever, slice, carve, cleave, slit, chop, crop, lop, reduce

Dangerous - perilous, hazardous, risky, uncertain, unsafe

Dark - shadowy, unlit, murky, gloomy, dim, dusky, shaded, sunless, black, dismal, sad

Decide - determine, settle, choose, resolve

Definite - certain, sure, positive, determined, clear, distinct, obvious

Delicious - savory, delectable, appetizing, luscious, scrumptious, palatable, delightful, enjoyable, toothsome, exquisite

Describe - portray, characterize, picture, narrate, relate, recount, represent, report, record

Destroy - ruin, demolish, raze, waste, kill, slay, end, extinguish

Difference - disagreement, inequity, contrast, dissimilarity, incompatibility

Do - execute, enact, carry out, finish, conclude, effect, accomplish, achieve, attain

Dull - boring, tiring„ tiresome, uninteresting, slow, dumb, stupid, unimaginative, lifeless, dead, insensible, tedious, wearisome, listless, expressionless, plain, monotonous, humdrum, dreary

Eager - keen, fervent, enthusiastic, involved, interested, alive to

End - stop, finish, terminate, conclude, close, halt, cessation, discontinuance

Enjoy - appreciate, delight in, be pleased, indulge in, luxuriate in, bask in, relish, devour, savor, like

Explain - elaborate, clarify, define, interpret, justify, account for

Fair - just, impartial, unbiased, objective, unprejudiced, honest

Fall - drop, descend, plunge, topple, tumble

False - fake, fraudulent, counterfeit, spurious, untrue, unfounded, erroneous, deceptive, groundless, fallacious

Famous - well-known, renowned, celebrated, famed, eminent, illustrious, distinguished, noted, notorious

Fast - quick, rapid, speedy, fleet, hasty, snappy, mercurial, swiftly, rapidly, quickly, snappily, speedily, lickety-split, posthaste, hastily, expeditiously, like a flash

Fat - stout, corpulent, fleshy, beefy, paunchy, plump, full, rotund, tubby, pudgy, chubby, chunky, burly, bulky, elephantine

Fear - fright, dread, terror, alarm, dismay, anxiety, scare, awe, horror, panic, apprehension

Fly - soar, hover, flit, wing, flee, waft, glide, coast, skim, sail, cruise

Funny - humorous, amusing, droll, comic, comical, laughable, silly

Get - acquire, obtain, secure, procure, gain, fetch, find, score, accumulate, win, earn, rep, catch, net, bag, derive, collect, gather, glean, pick up, accept, come by, regain, salvage

Go - recede, depart, fade, disappear, move, travel, proceed

Good - excellent, fine, superior, wonderful, marvelous, qualified, suited, suitable, apt, proper, capable, generous, kindly, friendly, gracious, obliging, pleasant, agreeable, pleasurable, satisfactory, well-behaved, obedient, honorable, reliable, trustworthy, safe, favorable, profitable, advantageous, righteous, expedient, helpful, valid, genuine, ample, salubrious, estimable, beneficial, splendid, great, noble, worthy, first-rate, top-notch, grand, sterling, superb, respectable, edifying

Great - noteworthy, worthy, distinguished, remarkable, grand, considerable, powerful, much, mighty

Gross - improper, rude, coarse, indecent, crude, vulgar, outrageous, extreme, grievous, shameful, uncouth, obscene, low

Happy - pleased, contented, satisfied, delighted, elated, joyful, cheerful, ecstatic, jubilant, gay, tickled, gratified, glad, blissful, overjoyed

Hate - despise, loathe, detest, abhor, disfavor, dislike, disapprove, abominate

Have - hold, possess, own, contain, acquire, gain, maintain, believe, bear, beget, occupy, absorb, fill, enjoy

Help - aid, assist, support, encourage, back, wait on, attend, serve, relieve, succor, benefit, befriend, abet

Hide - conceal, cover, mask, cloak, camouflage, screen, shroud, veil

Hurry - rush, run, speed, race, hasten, urge, accelerate, bustle

Hurt - damage, harm, injure, wound, distress, afflict, pain

Idea - thought, concept, conception, notion, understanding, opinion, plan, view, belief

Important - necessary, vital, critical, indispensable, valuable, essential, significant, primary, principal, considerable, famous, distinguished, notable, well-known

Interesting - fascinating, engaging, sharp, keen, bright, intelligent, animated, spirited, attractive, inviting, intriguing, provocative, though-provoking, challenging, inspiring, involving, moving, titillating, tantalizing, exciting, entertaining, piquant, lively, racy, spicy, engrossing, absorbing, consuming, gripping, arresting, enthralling, spellbinding, curious, captivating, enchanting, bewitching, appealing

Keep - hold, retain, withhold, preserve, maintain, sustain, support

Kill - slay, execute, assassinate, murder, destroy, cancel, abolish

Lazy - indolent, slothful, idle, inactive, sluggish

Little - tiny, small, diminutive, shrimp, runt, miniature, puny, exiguous, dinky, cramped, limited, itsy-bitsy, microscopic, slight, petite, minute

Look - gaze, see, glance, watch, survey, study, seek, search for, peek, peep, glimpse, stare, contemplate, examine, gape, ogle, scrutinize, inspect, leer, behold, observe, view, witness, perceive, spy, sight, discover, notice, recognize, peer, eye, gawk, peruse, explore

Love - like, admire, esteem, fancy, care for, cherish, adore, treasure, worship, appreciate, savor

Make - create, originate, invent, beget, form, construct, design, fabricate, manufacture, produce, build, develop, do, effect, execute, compose, perform, accomplish, earn, gain, obtain, acquire, get

Mark - label, tag, price, ticket, impress, effect, trace, imprint, stamp, brand, sign, note, heed, notice, designate

Mischievous - prankish, playful, naughty, roguish, waggish, impish, sportive

Move - plod, go, creep, crawl, inch, poke, drag, toddle, shuffle, trot, dawdle, walk, traipse, mosey, jog, plug, trudge, slump, lumber, trail, lag, run, sprint, trip, bound, hotfoot, high-tail, streak, stride, tear, breeze, whisk, rush, dash, dart, bolt, fling, scamper, scurry, skedaddle, scoot, scuttle, scramble, race, chase, hasten, hurry, hump, gallop, lope, accelerate, stir, budge, travel, wander, roam, journey, trek, ride, spin, slip, glide, slide, slither, coast, flow, sail, saunter, hobble, amble, stagger, paddle, slouch, prance, straggle, meander, perambulate, waddle, wobble, pace, swagger, promenade, lunge

Moody - temperamental, changeable, short-tempered, glum, morose, sullen, mopish, irritable, testy, peevish, fretful, spiteful, sulky, touchy

Neat - clean, orderly, tidy, trim, dapper, natty, smart, elegant, well-organized, super, desirable, spruce, shipshape, well-kept, shapely

New - fresh, unique, original, unusual, novel, modern, current, recent

Old - feeble, frail, ancient, weak, aged, used, worn, dilapidated, ragged, faded, broken-down, former, old-fashioned, outmoded, passe, veteran, mature, venerable, primitive, traditional, archaic, conventional, customary, stale, musty, obsolete, extinct

Part - portion, share, piece, allotment, section, fraction, fragment

Place - space, area, spot, plot, region, location, situation, position, residence, dwelling, set, site, station, status, state

Plan - plot, scheme, design, draw, map, diagram, procedure, arrangement, intention, device, contrivance, method, way, blueprint

Popular - well-liked, approved, accepted, favorite, celebrated, common, current

Predicament - quandary, dilemma, pickle, problem, plight, spot, scrape, jam

Put - place, set, attach, establish, assign, keep, save, set aside, effect, achieve, do, build

Quiet - silent, still, soundless, mute, tranquil, peaceful, calm, restful

Right - correct, accurate, factual, true, good, just, honest, upright, lawful, moral, proper, suitable, apt, legal, fair

Run - race, speed, hurry, hasten, sprint, dash, rush, escape, elope, flee

Say/Tell - inform, notify, advise, relate, recount, narrate, explain, reveal, disclose, divulge, declare, command, order, bid, enlighten, instruct, insist, teach, train, direct, issue, remark, converse, speak, affirm, suppose, utter, negate, express, verbalize, voice, articulate, pronounce, deliver, convey, impart, assert, state, allege, mutter, mumble, whisper, sigh, exclaim, yell, sing, yelp, snarl, hiss, grunt, snort, roar, bellow, thunder, boom, scream, shriek, screech, squawk, whine, philosophize, stammer, stutter, lisp, drawl, jabber, protest, announce, swear, vow, content, assure, deny, dispute

Scared - afraid, frightened, alarmed, terrified, panicked, fearful, unnerved, insecure, timid, shy, skittish, jumpy, disquieted, worried, vexed, troubled, disturbed, horrified, terrorized, shocked, petrified, haunted, timorous, shrinking, tremulous, stupefied, paralyzed, stunned, apprehensive

Show - display, exhibit, present, note, point to, indicate, explain, reveal, prove, demonstrate, expose

Slow - unhurried, gradual, leisurely, late, behind, tedious, slack

Stop - cease, halt, stay, pause, discontinue, conclude, end, finish, quit

Story - tale, myth, legend, fable, yarn, account, narrative, chronicle, epic, sage, anecdote, record, memoir

Strange - odd, peculiar, unusual, unfamiliar, uncommon, queer, weird, outlandish, curious, unique, exclusive, irregular

Take - hold, catch, seize, grasp, win, capture, acquire, pick, choose, select, prefer, remove, steal, lift, rob, engage, bewitch, purchase, buy, retract, recall, assume, occupy, consume

Tell - disclose, reveal, show, expose, uncover, relate, narrate, inform, advise, explain, divulge, declare, command, order, bid, recount, repeat

Think - judge, deem, assume, believe, consider, contemplate, reflect, mediate

Trouble - distress, anguish, anxiety, worry, wretchedness, pain, danger, peril, disaster, grief, misfortune, difficulty, concern, pains, inconvenience, exertion, effort

True - accurate, right, proper, precise, exact, valid, genuine, real, actual, trusty, steady, loyal, dependable, sincere, staunch

Ugly - hideous, frightful, frightening, shocking, horrible, unpleasant, monstrous, terrifying, gross, grisly, ghastly, horrid, unsightly, plain, homely, evil, repulsive, repugnant, gruesome

Unhappy - miserable, uncomfortable, wretched, heart-broken, unfortunate, poor, downhearted, sorrowful, depressed, dejected, melancholy, glum, gloomy, dismal, discouraged, sad

Use - employ, utilize, exhaust, spend, expend, consume, exercise

Wrong - incorrect, inaccurate, mistaken, erroneous, improper, unsuitable

This is great