Usually when building a character, we go for their general personality in terms of traits, the routine/general behavior they would display, the routine/general things that would interest them and so on.
If you are writing a slice of life story, or a sitcom style series, or anything that ...

When Nothing Is Normal
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Jan. 9, 2021Back From The Dead
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Jan. 2, 2021
So we've talked often about how letting a character die in a story is something that should be used very frugally, because once death occurs, it should be permanent. In most settings, death shouldn't be something that is reversible. If not, it will lose its impact, and the ...
Shuffling a character off this mortal coil
Emma_Clare at 12:00AM, Oct. 30, 2020
Whether it be planned from the beginning, or a sudden decision, some characters just have to go. As a creator, one should endeavour to do it for the right reasons. Shuffling off this mortal coil may be a catalysing event for the plot, a much needed kick for the protagonist ...
The Challenge of Obeying The Rules
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Feb. 8, 2020
Rules are meant to be bent, or broken.
Of course they are- if it's a one time thing. If it happens all the time, the stakes collapse, the story comes apart, and the experience is ruined. I'm talking about stories, of course…
As we've talked about time ...
On Writing Therapists 2
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Jan. 18, 2020
Therapists are the type of character whose occupation can easily seep into their ‘off the clock’ life. It's not something that can often be helped. Psychologists don't ‘turn off’ their perception of behavioral patterns and personality analyses, the same way you can't ‘unsee’ the rabbits after you ...
Motivation, Ideology, Action 3
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Nov. 30, 2019
So there's this saying that it's a completely different thing to talk the talk than walk the talk- to do as you preach. To put your money where your mouth is. To actually apply what you say you ascribe to.
In short, putting into action everything you've ...
Writing an Alternate Universe
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Nov. 2, 2019
An alternate universe (AU) is, in case anyone isn't aware, a story taking place in a fantastical, alternate historical timeline that usually kicks off from a specific event in actual history that takes a different turn from the one that it did in reality.
Alternate universes are fascinating. From ...
When Anyone Can Die
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Aug. 31, 2019
In a story when any character is plausibly eligible to die, the stakes are high. We worry for everyone, even main characters than in other stories wouldn't be on the chopping board at all. It's a great premise to have for your story setup, because it makes the ...
QUACKCAST 441 - Cooperation = cool
Ozoneocean at 12:00AM, Aug. 27, 2019 LISTEN on our new player!
Listen on Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/drunkduck-quackcast
Or TuneinRadio - https://tunein.com/podcasts/Books–Literature/Drunkduck-Quackcast-p1150194/
Cooperation Vs Competition. For decades the mantra was competition is good: it produces progress and makes things better… Well that's actually false. Competition is what you ...
The Mysterious Stranger
Banes at 12:00AM, July 11, 2019
The Mysterious Stranger
This is about ‘the mysterious stranger’ in fiction. Well, one of the variations of that, at least. I'm not talking about the mysterious stranger who becomes the MC's lover in a romance novel, or the mysterious stranger who knocks on the door or gets into ...