LAST RADICAL SATURDAY OF OUR CHILDHOOD

I feel like my characters cry too much. What are some ways to show their sadness and pain that doesn't involve crying so I can have some variety in their reactions?

Alternatives to Showing Sadness with Tears

- becoming really quiet/not wanting to speak much- staring at the ground, out the window, or vacant staring- slumped, defeated posture- closed posture (arms crossed or hugging self, standing apart from others)- frowning- resting head/chin on hand or burying head in folded arms on table- not laughing or smiling, or giving only half-hearted laughs or smiles- sagging posture/lack of motivation- sighing a lot- rubbing neck/chest - avoiding people or a certain situation- leaving the room or preferring isolation- sitting outside alone- seeming absent-minded when doing things- not finding comfort in things that usually bring joy

I hope that helps! :)

A backstory is one of the essential parts of a character. It dictates the character’s mindset, place in the world and their subsequent arc throughout a story. A character’s backstory is the key for opening the vault of character options, ideas and journeys. The reason for this principle is due to cause and effect. It is the answer for why your characters act and think a certain way. For example, Bruce Wayne doesn’t become Batman just because he wants to. He becomes Batman because of his parents death. He wants to make sure that no other child in Gotham will suffer the same traumatic event he did, so he then becomes Batman. This character is an excellent example of using backstory in writing since it uses the cause and effect method.

What is Backstory

As I said before, backstory should be about explaining how your character got into their specific state at the beginning of the story. It is merely answering the subconscious questions in a reader’s mind. Why are they acting like this? Why do they want this goal? How did they get to that specific mindset? It is a device to give a character history, so it is not like they appear out of nowhere for this particular story, but rather, they were a person all along. This principle makes a character a real person with depth and breadth.

Why is Backstory Important

Backstory is one of the key features of any character, and it should not be ignored. Backstory does not need to complicated but rather a simple explanation. A character might be struggling with parenthood. Their backstory is that they had a rough childhood that damaged the way they seek familial relationships. There. Done. All backstory needs to do is show how a character’s past has shaped their present. Not only this but backstory paves the road for character development. Backstory can provide the lie your character believes or the moral belief that holds them back from being the best that they can be. It will give you the foundations and beginnings of character development.

How to Communicate Backstory

Since backstory is events that take place in the past and not directly in the narrative, it is sometimes hard to tell your audience about it without having lengthy exposition. It is crucial to make sure that backstory isn’t revealed without context. It would make no sense for a character to start monologuing about how his parents died, and how he must avenge them when he is eating breakfast. Moreover, by pacing the release of your character’s backstory, it gives them more mystery and suspense. There are several different ways to communicate backstory while keeping suspense. You can use diary entries to communicate backstory. This concept usually has a story in a story principal and shows readers a deeper, more raw version of a character. Another way you can communicate backstory is through flashbacks or dream sequences. It is important that these sequences don’t come out of anywhere but have a believable trigger. For example, if a character is in a situation which has a similarity in their backstory, you would explore that.

Extra Notes

Hey! Hope this was helpful!!!

by Keener_girl

In the back of his mind, a voice would whisper, why can’t you be like Captain America? Why can’t you do something that is actually important? He would ignore it and take yet another shot.

Or

Tony takes a trip down memory lane while attending a funeral that should have never happened.

Words: 2011, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: Major Character Death

Categories: Other

Characters: Tony Stark, Peter Parker, Steve Rogers(Mentioned), James “Rhodey” Rhodes

Relationships: Peter Parker & Tony Stark, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, Howard Stark & Tony Stark, James “Rhodey” Rhodes & Tony Stark

Additional Tags: Howard Stark’s A+ Parenting, Hurt Peter Parker, Sad Tony Stark, i can’t tag, Tony’s self-deprecating thoughts, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Worried Rhodey, Funeral, Not Team Steve Friendly

The little things

Sometimes, it's the little things that really sell a character. Tiny moments of humanity can shine through the pages or the screen to remind you that reality can be found in the most fantastical of places.

With that in mind, here's an ask game to drill down into those small, subtle characterizations! Send some emojis and a character name/names!

☺️ - what's their smile like?

😳 - how do they act when they're nervous?

🤫 - if confronted by a dangerous situation where quiet was important, would they be able to keep silent?

🤯 - what's a fact or bit of knowledge they don't know but which would absolutely blow their minds if they found out?

💞 - what (if any) is their preferred way to receive affection?

😬 - do they have a tell when lying/bluffing?

🚶 - what's their posture like, and why? What does it say about them?

😱 - what does fear look like on them, and is there anyone who can tell before everyone else when it's setting in?

🤩 - what's something they're absolutely amazed by?

🤪 - do they have any squicks?

😷 - what are they like when they're sick? (needy, self-isolating, try to power through, etc)

🤲 - how do they feel about touch?

👀 - how do they make eye contact? Do they use it as a gesture of power or subservience? Does giving it or witholding it mean something to them, or to the people around them?

🙈 - how would they handle having one or more senses taken away?

😴 - what's the longest they've gone without sleep? Is skipping sleep a normal occurrence for them?

😤 - what's something that will always, without fail, make them angry?

📣 - how do they go about getting someone's attention?

👣 - what do their footsteps sound like? Could anyone recognize them from that sound alone?

✨ - tell a random fact about them!

Irondad and Spiderson Masterlist

(I may or may not made this so I can find my own stuff easier)

Series

Was that a Star Wars reference, Dr. Stark? (Biodad!Tony AU)

Multichapter

Not-Uncle Tony

Ohana (HYDRA!Peter AU)

Oneshot

Sleepless

Patty Parker (She’s The Man AU)

Date Night

The Parasite

Snowflakes

The Yacht

Gone Kid

When Life Gives You Lemons

Stabbing 101: How To React

A Sick Spider

Prompts

Tony and Peter on Ellen Part 1 Part 2

Karen wants to help

Peter forgets Tony

Superhero-princess

Fatherhood

A cold spider

Blinking

Peter’s first gala

OsCorp’s fries

Pepperony

Teenager problems

Is that blood?

Buzzfeed Unsolved: Spider-Man Part 1 Part 2

Christmas shopping

Nightmare

The Rules

Peter vs Happy

Pepper to the rescue

Mini-Stark

Mama Pepper

Spideychelle

Being observant

The midnight class

The missing sock

Baking a tart

His Dark Materials AU

Pepper the babysitter Part 2

Rhodey and Peter

The “emergency”

Pepperoni pizza

Death Threats

Ned helps his dumb friends

Trouble at Disneyland

Migraine

Two Spiders

Peppermint

GoT AU Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

BFF Harry Osborn

Consolation Price

Wait, you were that kid?

Jealous Tony

Moody Spider

No Goatee

Jealous Morgan

Where is Peter?

Bad Days

Being a complete nerd

Too cold

That was very scary

JustAFan

Just Like Heaven AU

Red Carpet

The Lost Ring

Just An Intern

Three in the morning

Irondadbingo Cliches

Field Trip AU

Baby Peter AU Part 1 Part 2

Harley and Peter meet

So… *checks box*

Talking about trees, any other ADHD coping mechanisms we’d like to discuss today?

So Nick Fury losing his eye or...?

You know what’s a million times more exciting than a random plot twist that comes out of nowhere? A plot twist that was foreshadowed by things you didn’t realize were foreshadowing at first. Nothing makes me go absolutely bananas like the feeling of “oh FUCK…[seemingly unrelated thing] WAS FORESHADOWING”

Prompt list of things that says “I love you” without saying it

“Are you coming home for dinner? 

leaving the light on after using the bathroom at night because they know that you suck at going to bed early but you are also afraid of the dark

quietly picks out the things you don’t like to eat on your plate and transfer it to theirs without you needing to ask them to

quietly gives you the things you like to eat from their own plate

heard you tell the same story multiple times but doesn’t point it out to you when you excitedly bring it up to them again

naturally goes along with a white lie you told and cover up for you when people question it

absentmindedly listening to a song completely different from their own taste in music that you made them listen to 

bringing up small trivia facts you told them to other people

“Do you want me to save food for you?”

“Call me when you get home?”

checking your phone late at night and see them go online the moment you open their message

brings an extra coat/scarf because they know you never check the temperature before going out

“I saw this and thought of you immediately.”

random snapshots of random animals at random times because they know you like that specific animal

slowly accumulating items that’s more your style than theirs

knows your schedule from the back of their heads (and gets shocked when there is a sudden change to your routine)

saying just the right thing to calm you down

holding your hand tight out of reflex when you are in a crowd

brings you up naturally in a conversation you are not in 

one look is worth a thousand words

believing in you even when you couldn’t do it yourself

“I’ll wait for you.”

adjusting the pace they walk in so you can catch up

turning around to check on you constantly when they are walking in the front

Between Zoom birthday parties and three-hour House Party hangs, people are finding new ways to stay connected with their loved ones while practicing safe physical distancing. Tumblr Creatr Jennifer Xiao (@jxiaoo) has a few new ideas for friends to stay #TogetherWithYou if you’re feeling particularly adventurous.