Character Dynamic Asks

Character Dynamic Asks

Between Protagonist and Antagonist

What was their first conflict? How did this shape their relationship

Are there moments of respect or admiration between them?

What are the biggest differences in their motivations and values?

Do they have a shared past or connections?

How does their conflict affect the world around them?

Between Protagonist and Mentor Figure

How did they meet?

What lessons has the mentor taught the protagonist?

Is there a time when the protagonist surpasses or contradicts the mentor?

What does the protagonist admire about the mentor?

Does the mentor have secrets or flaws that the protagonist discovers?

Between Protagonist and Love Interest

How did they meet and what was their first impression of each other?

What obstacles stand in the way of their relationship?

How do their personalities complement or contradict each other?

What are their biggest fears or insecurities in the relationship?

How does their relationship grow over the course of the story?

Between Protagonist and Closest Friend

How did they meet and why did they become friends?

What are their shared interests or activities?

Are there any secrets or conflicts between them?

How do they support each other in difficult times?

What does each admire about the other?

Between Antagonist and Closest Ally

How did they meet and why do they work together?

What are their shared goals or motivations?

Are there tensions or power struggles between them?

How do they react to failures or setbacks?

Is there a possibility that their alliance could break?

Between Supporting Characters

What are their backgrounds and connections with each other?

Is there a rivalry or close friendship between them?

How do they contribute to the main plot?

What secrets or conflicts exist between them?

How do their relationships change over the course of the story?

These questions can help you develop deeper and more layered relationships between your characters, giving your story more depth.

🌙 - If given the chance, what is one thing about their life your OC would change permanently? 

Thank you so much for the ask, @kaylinalexanderbooks!

I'll go with a few of my OCs from some of my WIPs for variety (:

(The Tag Game)

🌙 - If given the chance, what is one thing about their life your OC would change permanently? 

(Of Starlight and Beasts)

Corah - She would like to have a better mother, one who wouldn't purposefully ruin their family name, and most importantly one who wouldn't simply walk out on her and her father at the first opportunity.

Eidan - He would like to prevent the siege of Monbern from happening. The Siege of Monbern was marked by terrible bloodshed and the deaths of many innocents, but it was also the day Eidan himself lost a lot of his old life (his cousin, his reputation, etc).

Arammys - He would probably make it so his memories weren't stolen. A lot of his current hurts and insecurities come from the fact that he knows nothing of his past, of who he was before losing his memories, all except his name.

Masen - Secretly, he'd probably go back in time and try to prevent him and his twin from falling apart. Part of why he currently hates Kyran so much is that Masen also blames himself but doesn't want to admit it. Plus, he'd probably try to prevent the execution that made their brother an undead.

Kyran - Kyran believes he has betrayed his family because the choices he made - and the sides he took as a teen - ultimately did lead to him and his brothers falling apart and Elias getting executed, even if indirectly. He'd try to go to the past and fix things.

(Song of Thorns)

Roselyn - A part of Roselyn would like to go back in time and make it so that she, Jasen, and Portia never moved to the capital. However, then her life would've stayed the same as it was before, which she doesn't want either. So the only thing I think she'd change is that they would still go to the capital but she would find a way to keep Jasen from going missing.

Alaric - Even though Alaric is a prince, he did not have many friends, so I think if he could change one thing about his life he would love to have a childhood friend he could truly trust and rely on, a bond he never had.

Portia - She wouldn't change anything about her life, instead I think that if Portia could change anything about the world she would make it so every stray dog and cat had a good and loving home and that all wild animals were safe.

Renn - Renn would probably change his life so that people didn't think he was a monster and should be killed just because they didn't understand his magic or his vampiric traits. He'd also probably try to save his dad from being betrayed by the nobles.

Jasen - He'd try to escape the nobles faster or to try and find a way to not get caught, though that'd be pretty difficult. I think would also have liked to have been able to afford more things his sisters wanted when they were kids.

Oriana - I don't think Oriana would change anything about her life honestly! She loves her immortal adoptive mother, has amazing forest friends, and has her magic, Oriana is pretty satisfied with her life as is I think!

(Enchanted Illusions)

Augustus - I think he'd like his Wizard Trials to not have gone so wrong - if that hadn't happened he wouldn't have been humiliated by his peers, he wouldn't have lost his studies and reputation and most importantly, he wouldn't have made the deal he has made with the Deathbringer, which he regrets.

Harriet - She'd probably want people to respect her cousin more - despite their wealth, some of the other nobles consider them "outsiders" and often make snide comments. She'd also like to make the nobleman Liam stop pursuing her romantically when she said she wasn't interested, instead of trying to court her at all costs.

Sam - Sam would like to make sure all his debts are paid so that he can finally leave the industrial hell that is Strystead and try to find a better life back at Ansburke. He'd also like to be able to afford any food he and his siblings wanted.

Evangeline - She'd want to go back in time and prevent her father from marrying Lady Ophelia. Her stepmother was a scourge in their lives throughout her childhood and a very abusive woman. Evie would like to never have met her.

Cailean - He would go back to when he was ten and stop himself from being frozen in fear when the Hemlock Society drowned his older brother - he would've liked to be able to have saved him instead of having just watched in fear from afar.

Writing Share Tag!

Thanks for the tag @willtheweaver (here), @diabolical-blue (here), @tabswrites (here), and @rickie-the-storyteller (here)!

Rules: Share some writing!

I'll share a snippet from Song of Thorns for this one! Backstory scene yay!!!!!

[...] The young man walked down the vine-covered steps of the manor, his posture as immaculate as his attire, long jet-black hair styled into a polished braid.

At the bottom of the staircase, an intricate obsidian carriage stood at the wait. A small hand tugged at the hem of his robe, then five-year-old Renn standing right behind him, "Papa?"

He smiled fondly, turning around to face his son, "Yes, darling?"

Renn pouted, still holding onto the hem anxiously "I... I don't think we should go. I have a bad feeling."

Kyrie sighed, gently releasing his son's vice grip from his delicate robes and kneeling before Renn, speaking calmly "Nothing's wrong, little bat. It's just a diplomatic visit - human lands are no more dangerous than hours, my dear."

The child frowned again, hugging his stuffed wolf plushie tightly. "But Momma said Grandpa hates you! Last time we visited her, she said she feared he was planning something bad." Renn's voice was high-pitched, nervous "I think he is evil."

Kyrie's expression softened, understanding his son's concerns - which, given their strained relations with the human side of the boy's lineage, were more than valid. The young man sighed, humming in agreement.

"Well, your grandfather is a prejudiced, cruel man, but he is not stupid. He wouldn't dare do anything to an Ambassador of the Fey Courts." At least I hope so, he paused, refraining from voicing the thought, before confidently resuming "I have diplomatic immunity, whether he likes it or not, and you're my son, no harm will come to you." He gave the boy a reassuring smile, placing his hands on Renn's shoulders "Do you trust me?"

Renn nodded steadily, "Yes."

"Then you know we'll be okay. I'll ask your mother to give you those delightful sweets you like when we get there, how about that?" Kyrie offered, hoping to change the subject.

The boy perked up at the idea, beaming a bright smile. "Yes, I'd love that!" As Renn answered, Kyrie noted the tiny fangs peeking from his son's smile - they'd grown in rather later than he'd expected for a vampiric child, but were still adorable, nonetheless.

"Come on, let's not waste moonlight." Kyrie picked Renn up in his arms and smiled back at him. He patiently walked down the remainder of the staircase, until he was standing by the carriage.

With the door open, he placed Renn on the antique silken seat, wrapping him in a blanket. He sat down beside him, but before closing the door, he leaned outwards, addressing the coachman "To Vellforst, my good sir. Do be swift, I intend for us to be back home next week at the latest."

The coachman nodded politely, and Kyrie closed the door. Soon, the carriage began to move, rolling down the moonlit forest road. Renn leaned on the window, curious despite the familiar sight. In a few hours, their surroundings would be replaced by the sunny glades and villages of the human lands - it wasn't a new journey for them. However, Kyrie couldn't help but ponder, with a healthy amount of concern for their safety, if there was more to his son's fears than just childish worry - and consider that maybe, just maybe, this trip was a bad idea after all. [...]"

Tagging: @kaylinalexanderbooks, @smol-feralgremlin, @oh-no-another-idea, @littleladymab, @little-peril-stories

@the-ellia-west, @winterandwords, @cowboybrunch, @eccaiia, @sarahlizziewrites

@leave-her-a-tome, @writernopal, @anyablackwood, @unstablewifiaccess, @forthesanityofstorytellers

@lassiesandiego, @thepeculiarbird, @clairelsonao3, @memento-morri-writes, @starlit-hopes-and-dreams and OPEN TAG

Once you get this, you have to say five things you like about yourself, publicly. Then you have to send this to ten of your favorite followers (non-negotiable, positivity is cool~)

Thank you so much for the ask! @kaylinalexanderbooks

My current hairstyle! I know I said this in another one of these, but I'm really happy that my hair naturally grew into the style I had been intending to have for a while, it's very short but very cute!

My art! I love making art, especially drawing and digital paintings!

The way ideas flow to my mind when I am specifically inspired to write something. That is one of my favorite feelings in the world and I love when I get to be productive and have fun at the same time! It's like time flies by when you're enjoying what you write.

The way I try to be cooperative and try to make people feel better! It took a while to develop the skills I needed to not be an awkward loner anymore and finally start interacting with people and making friends, and I really enjoy it rn.

Not necessarily about me specifically, but it is something I really enjoy doing: playing with my pets! They're just the squishiest little balls of cuteness (both my cats and my dogs), and I just adore them!

Hello :)

🌠 - What is your OC’s greatest desire and how far are they willing to go to obtain it? 

for whoever you want :D

Thank you so much for the ask @i-can-even-burn-salad!

I'll go with the cast of Supernova Initiative because I think I should talk a bit more about these characters I love!

🌠 - What is your OC’s greatest desire and how far are they willing to go to obtain it? 

Jack Tithus - Success, empowerment, and money. He is an intergalactic thief and has a very strong grudge against the Junction, their galaxy's government system, for exploiting the moon he was born in and generally not caring for those who really needed help, people like Jack and his adoptive sister Cassiopeia. Jack is willing to break the law and steal things from the government in order to gain more money and reputation, having escaped his home moon with a pirate crew. However, he will never steal from actual citizens or people who need the money, and will never kill anyone innocent, preferring to steal from powerful people. He wants to prove that he is not helpless, that he can decide his own fate. He also wants to be a good leader and do what is best for his crew.

Cassiopeia Tithus - Being able to protect, being the best/being capable, and having safety. Cassiopeia is Jack Tithus's younger adoptive sister, and had pretty much the same childhood as him, except Jack sheltered her from most of it. She is also a rebel but prefers work behind the scenes and make a difference for people in need, while also proving her worth to herself and making her brother proud. She wants to be praised and she wants her inventions/robots to work. She also wants to be safe, and for her friends to be safe - she wants to be an unbreakable shield that will always keep harm away from those she loves, and from herself. She is willing to go way past her limits, even beyond what is personally safe, to make sure it is so.

Aleks Keldora - Independence, proving he is not a "loser", being able to be anyone, being free. Aleks is a master of disguises, perfecting the art of pretending to be a person he is not and slipping by security protocols unnoticed as if he was supposed to be there in the first place. He is incredibly resourceful and fast thinking, to the point of being impulsive. This stems from a deep-seated insecurity he feels that he is a "total loser", "a nobody" or a "faker", so he sets out to never let anyone find out who he really is, believing they'd just be disappointed (he has a pretty bad case of Impostor's Syndrome) and so he makes sure that he can really be anybody at any time. He doesn't want this social mask of his to fail and is willing to put on quite a show to make sure it stays the way he planned.

Vesper Foxx - Revenge and Justice. Traumatized at the loss of the most important person in her life at the hands of a sadistic group of space raiders who conquered her planet, Vesper is willing to go to any lengths and break any rules to get her revenge against the attack whose bombs killed her mother and the mercenaries who tortured (and later killed) her older brother. Vesper is so blinded by revenge she becomes a killer and the most feared hitwoman, wiping out anyone who gets in her way. She doesn't care about right or wrong, but she has a strict moral compass and would never harm innocents no matter how angry she gets. However, her thirst for revenge has damaged her relationship with her little sister and their cousin, whom she left behind since they did not want to pursue any kind of revenge.

Pax Stellaryn - Belonging, being worthy of praise, to not be abandoned. The adoptive son of a famous war hero and a respected admiral, Pax always felt that he was lacking something, that he wasn't good enough or that he would never compare to his adoptive parents or his adoptive brother. Traumatized by having been abandoned by his biological parents, Pax wants to "prove that he is worth keeping around" - because he mistakenly believes all love is conditional when in truth his adoptive family loves him very much (though his adoptive father may be very strict or harsh at times). He will break any rules and even put himself in danger if it means he will be seen for who he really is and be worthy of his family's pride.

For the character dynamic asks, between supporting characters - What secrets or conflicts exist between them?

Thanks for the ask, @mk-writes-stuff! I'll go with the cast of Song of Thorns (because I'm working on a chapter for it today/tomorrow!)

So, mild spoilers for those WIPs below the cut!

Between supporting characters - What secrets or conflicts exist between them?

Between Tarrant & The Twins - While there are next to no conflicts between them (except when Tarrant loses his patience at Dimya and Cyriel's recklessness lmao) there is a secret between them. Two actually (a secret Tarrant keeps from the twins and a secret the twins are keeping from him).

(Tarrant's Secret) - Tarrant hides from his cousins the fact that he is showing signs of being infected by the blood curse plague - for three reasons: 1. he is terrified of the Corvus, the royal alchemists tasked as plague doctors, as he knows the truth that the "salvation" the royal family promises plague victims is actually being used as magical experiments, 2. he does not want his younger cousins to worry about him, 3. he fears his boss (who holds his soul contract) is going to kill him or otherwise discard him (or hurt the twins) if the man finds out he is sick. As you can imagine, this has less-than-ideal consequences for him as the story progresses.

(The Twins' Secret) - As Lantern Keeper for a group of underworld mercenaries, Cyriel is plotting to find a way to overthrow/betray their leader and save Tarrant from his contract, which is a very tricky plan that backfires immensely when the mercenary leader finds out and makes Cyriel be framed for treason, caught by the local city guard and (unsuccessfully) sentenced to death. She doesn't tell Tarrant about her plan because she knows he will freak out - until he inevitably finds out either way. On the other hand, Dimya, her twin, is pretending to still be loyal to their leader (mostly because he is trying to continue Cyriel's plan in a moe subtle fashion but also because he is very much terrified of the situation they're stuck in), and has a secret he did not tell neither Cyriel (his twin) or Tarrant - he found out their boss was smuggling live, unfortunate vampires into a fighting ring and other dreadful places sponsored by the elite, but was so terrified by this discovery (and horrified that he was working for a man that would hurt so many innocent vampires for money) he didn't tell a single soul, fearing their leader would kill him for knowing more than he should, and is very much traumatized by it.

... So, basically, family communication issues at their finest.

Cadenza Novalie & her Dad - Cadenza is a young noble fey from the vampiric lands whose relationship with her Dad has become pretty strained in the past few years due to, mostly, a very bad misunderstanding. I can't go into much detail without spoiling an important plot twist but vaguely, the gist of the situation is: her Dad had to, secretly, make a tough decision in order to protect her, knowing that she would likely hate him or at least dislike him for it (it isn't anything too awful but from outsiders point of view it does look worse than it is) but would at least stay safe. They've become pretty distant since then, but still care for one another deeply and their relationship heals later on in the story once they get over this misunderstanding.

Elveryn Haven & The Main Cast (prior to his redemption arc):

As mentioned in a few other posts, Elveryn is a monster hunter tasked by the King to hunt and kill Renn (an adult dhampir) and arrest the rest of the main cast. This makes Elveryn a strong - and oftentimes terrifying - antagonistic force throughout the earlier acts of the book, as his thirst for revenge against all monsters (even good ones) makes him hunt down his targets relentlessly. So one could safely say that yes, there is a lot of conflict between them. And even after he starts to undergo his redemption arc while being forced to work with the main cast for a common goal, there is still a lot of tension between him and them (he considers them his enemies and they still haven't really forgiven him/still fear him for trying to hunt Renn, though they do find a common ground eventually and do become friends later into his redemption route).

The main cast only later finds out that the real motive for his hatred of monsters wasn't prejudice, but actually a thirst for revenge and grief over losing his little brother in a monster attack years ago, and the fact he - deep down - blames himself for not finding him. After his redemption arc, they make amends and finally become good friends, as he realizes the wrongs of his ways.

Renn Atrius & Prince Alaric:

While they technically are friends/allies from the very beginning and are on the same side of the book's conflict, there is some tension between them. Renn has a strong hatred and distrust for human nobility - as when Renn was a child, he witnessed his beloved Dad (Kyrie, a vampire) be murdered by a monster hunter sent by the royals - and Prince Alaric is a human noble - though they have a common goal of stopping the corruption of the royal family - so the distrust/tension is always ready to reappear on the back of Renn's mind in every single interaction, though they're mostly polite to each other they do have a bit of a mix between rivalry/friendship. To make things worse, Alaric has no idea of Renn's past trauma and sometimes is painfully oblivious (not on purpose, he is just not very perceptive in that way) to any signs of it, which creates a lot of rocky patches in their communication at times.