Writing habits that you have but don't mind?

[Naruzeldamaster]

I'm talking about habits that could be 'fixed' if needed, but they aren't really 'harming' anything if you leave them.
Mine is giving certain characters a body movement (I use it sparingly though) to identify them.
I'm sure I could find some other way, but until I do I think it's fine, as long as it's done super sparingly. (Like once or twice a chapter, if that)

I've read that doing this too often can make a character seem 'twitchy' but like, what if that's the goal? lol

 

[RoccO]

I have characters that act straight edge and gay. I think they are polar opposites, but autism or stoic could sum it up. When you can read any character into an MC, I’d like to think they are the conscientious objector, removed from the situation, but not the devil’s advocate.

Some characters get stuck in a loop of evolution after an event, and some characters are drawn into their differences like a swarm. This is not a skill of mine, but they can give writer’s block, or they can change a story entirely.

The conundrum comes when a character faces their enemy, and they can either be defeated by or relish the challenge. They are not in a rut, when they face the music, that is a crescendo, but pulling that off is a skill.

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

I have characters that act straight edge and gay. I think they are polar opposites, but autism or stoic could sum it up. When you can read any character into an MC, I’d like to think they are the conscientious objector, removed from the situation, but not the devil’s advocate.

Some characters get stuck in a loop of evolution after an event, and some characters are drawn into their differences like a swarm. This is not a skill of mine, but they can give writer’s block, or they can change a story entirely.

The conundrum comes when a character faces their enemy, and they can either be defeated by or relish the challenge. They are not in a rut, when they face the music, that is a crescendo, but pulling that off is a skill.

I write characters just as people first and that seems to help with that stuff.

It really helps when I write characters who don't have the same 'preferences' as me. They're just people, why should I write them differently? Though it does get tricky to write them sometimes because I haven't interacted with many people with said preferences.

That being said I do have a stoic character who sometimes gives me writer's block because I've been throwing him into situations where he HAS to be social and I'm letting him 'take the reigns' as it were.

 

[RoccO]

It is a fine thing to write characters who take the reins. Once I had a story in mind where all the characters would bow down to a hunchback character. It seemed to be going really well, until a love interest came along. Then I did not know what to do about my evolutions, because they did not fit into any frame of mind or even my own.

Another thing is watching these characters tow the line. There is a proper way to approach things, like everyone has an internal compass. When they get involved with any kind of social interaction, not a battle or a mission, they fight like cats. This was a particular story in mind, I cannot say with equanimity this is the way they would act.

 

[pmmg]

I tend to write with a cadence in my head, that often has me put words down in a twisty and backwards manner. I like it. Its my voice. Some hate it. What can you do?


Jarutu looked down. The serpent just strides away, undulating to keep in place. It body black as darkest glass, its eyes like silver stones. And then it shifted; changing and rising from the surface, it took shape. Slender curves and wide hips; a woman--a goddess of deepest black, with a hand inviting, and eyes wanting. "I am trapped," she said. "The land has dried, and the water does not flow."

I could write this more plainly, but I wont.

Jarutu looked down to see the serpent. It undulated to keep in place. It body was as black as dark glass, and its eyes glinted like silver stones. And then it shifted; its form changing and taking shape as it rose from the surface. It took on the slender curves and wide hips of a woman. Like a goddess of deepest black she stood with a hand inviting, and her eyes wanting. "I am trapped," she said. "The land has dried, and the water does not flow."

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

It is a fine thing to write characters who take the reins. Once I had a story in mind where all the characters would bow down to a hunchback character. It seemed to be going really well, until a love interest came along. Then I did not know what to do about my evolutions, because they did not fit into any frame of mind or even my own.

Another thing is watching these characters tow the line. There is a proper way to approach things, like everyone has an internal compass. When they get involved with any kind of social interaction, not a battle or a mission, they fight like cats. This was a particular story in mind, I cannot say with equanimity this is the way they would act.

I rather like it when my characters do things I don't expect them to, often times it will still be 'in character' so I keep it, if it doesn't line up with anything in the future I can fix it during the editing phase.

I have a Dragon Girl, who's a hopeless romantic. I had planned for her to be 'hopeless' but the exact way she behaved when I was writing a scene when she was in that mood was not what I expected. It made me laugh so I kept it, it's a rough draft anyway, so I can change it later.

Since I've adopted this mindset, I've been having a lot more fun with my characters.

I have another character, who is...16 ish ? She speaks entirely in third person and is very child like/feral.
But she also has immense medical knowledge (They were some of the only books she could read growing up. And a lot of them were far more advanced than you'd find in school.) so she often surprises people with said intelligence. She's also prone to being the most insightful of the team. Though most of the time she's very silly. It leads to some fun conversations.

Sun: Guys you should try this oyster flavored chocolate, I'm full of energy and feel great!
Tobi: Oyster flavored...
Sun: Is....something wrong?
Tobi: That's not chocolate, that's an aphrodisiac.
Sun: Affro what now? is it poison??
Tobi: [hand on forehead] Nothing to worry about, you'll work it out later.
Tenabres: And Ivy will be happy to help~
Tobi: Your medical knowledge continues to surprise me...