50 Character Personality Traits + Meanings (For Writers, Worldbuilders, And Artists) Part 1

How to make your writing sound less stiff

Just a few suggestions. You shouldn’t have to compromise your writing style and voice with any of these, and some situations and scenes might demand some stiff or jerky writing to better convey emotion and immersion. I am not the first to come up with these, just circulating them again.

1. Vary sentence structure.

This is an example paragraph. You might see this generated from AI. I can’t help but read this in a robotic voice. It’s very flat and undynamic. No matter what the words are, it will be boring. It’s boring because you don’t think in stiff sentences. Comedians don’t tell jokes in stiff sentences. We don’t tell campfire stories in stiff sentences. These often lack flow between points, too.

So funnily enough, I had to sit through 87k words of a “romance” written just like this. It was stiff, janky, and very unpoetic. Which is fine, the author didn’t tell me it was erotica. It just felt like an old lady narrator, like Old Rose from Titanic telling the audience decades after the fact instead of living it right in the moment. It was in first person pov, too, which just made it worse. To be able to write something so explicit and yet so un-titillating was a talent. Like, beginner fanfic smut writers at least do it with enthusiasm.

2. Vary dialogue tag placement

You got three options, pre-, mid-, and post-tags.

Leader said, “this is a pre-dialogue tag.”

“This,” Lancer said, “is a mid-dialogue tag.”

“This is a post-dialogue tag,” Heart said.

Pre and Post have about the same effect but mid-tags do a lot of heavy lifting.

They help break up long paragraphs of dialogue that are jank to look at

They give you pauses for ~dramatic effect~

They prompt you to provide some other action, introspection, or scene descriptor with the tag. *don't forget that if you're continuing the sentence as if the tag wasn't there, not to capitalize the first word after the tag. Capitalize if the tag breaks up two complete sentences, not if it interrupts a single sentence.

It also looks better along the lefthand margin when you don’t start every paragraph with either the same character name, the same pronouns, or the same “ as it reads more natural and organic.

3. When the scene demands, get dynamic

General rule of thumb is that action scenes demand quick exchanges, short paragraphs, and very lean descriptors. Action scenes are where you put your juicy verbs to use and cut as many adverbs as you can. But regardless of if you’re in first person, second person, or third person limited, you can let the mood of the narrator bleed out into their narration.

Like, in horror, you can use a lot of onomatopoeia.

Drip Drip Drip

Or let the narration become jerky and unfocused and less strict in punctuation and maybe even a couple run-on sentences as your character struggles to think or catch their breath and is getting very overwhelmed.

You can toss out some grammar rules, too and get more poetic.

Warm breath tickles the back of her neck. It rattles, a quiet, soggy, rasp. She shivers. If she doesn’t look, it’s not there. If she doesn’t look, it’s not there. Sweat beads at her temple. Her heart thunders in her chest. Ba-bump-ba-bump-ba-bump-ba- It moves on, leaving a void of cold behind. She uncurls her fists, fingers achy and palms stinging from her nails. It’s gone.

4. Remember to balance dialogue, monologue, introspection, action, and descriptors.

The amount of times I have been faced with giant blocks of dialogue with zero tags, zero emotions, just speech on a page like they’re notecards to be read on a stage is higher than I expected. Don’t forget that though you may know exactly how your dialogue sounds in your head, your readers don’t. They need dialogue tags to pick up on things like tone, specifically for sarcasm and sincerity, whether a character is joking or hurt or happy.

If you’ve written a block of text (usually exposition or backstory stuff) that’s longer than 50 words, figure out a way to trim it. No matter what, break it up into multiple sections and fill in those breaks with important narrative that reflects the narrator’s feelings on what they’re saying and whoever they’re speaking to’s reaction to the words being said. Otherwise it’s meaningless.

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Hope this helps anyone struggling! Now get writing.

Lmao imagine being drawn to angst unconsciously so every piece of media you consume ends sadly and horribly and angsty.

Also like balling your fucking eyes out over fictional characters deaths or sadness or whatever

And then turning around and messing up your own characters lives so much that everyone they love dies horribly.

It’s almost like happiness is scarier than being sad

Can’t say I don’t do the same with my life either 🥲

An important reminder

I’m tired of being gaslighted into thinking it wasn’t a big deal.

“When a person tells you you hurt them, you don’t get to decide you didn’t.”

— Louis C.K.

“Rich kids should go to public schools. The mayor should ride the subway to work. When wealthy people get sick, they should be sent to public hospitals. Business executives should have to stand in the same airport security lines as everyone else. The very fact that people want to buy their way out of all of these experiences points to the reason why they shouldn’t be able to. Private schools and private limos and private doctors and private security are all pressure release valves that eliminate the friction that would cause powerful people to call for all of these bad things to get better. The degree to which we allow the rich to insulate themselves from the unpleasant reality that others are forced to experience is directly related to how long that reality is allowed to stay unpleasant. When they are left with no other option, rich people will force improvement in public systems. Their public spirit will be infinitely less urgent when they are contemplating these things from afar than when they are sitting in a hot ER waiting room for six hours themselves.”

— Everyone Into The Grinder

Do you ever just want to inject music into your soul

Really happy to see this at my local library

Writing Description Notes:

Updated 12th July 2024 More writing tips, review tips & writing description notes

Facial Expressions

Masking Emotions

Smiles/Smirks/Grins

Eye Contact/Eye Movements

Blushing

Voice/Tone

Body Language/Idle Movement

Thoughts/Thinking/Focusing/Distracted

Silence

Memories

Happy/Content/Comforted

Love/Romance

Sadness/Crying/Hurt

Confidence/Determination/Hopeful

Surprised/Shocked

Guilt/Regret

Disgusted/Jealous

Uncertain/Doubtful/Worried

Anger/Rage

Laughter

Confused

Speechless/Tongue Tied

Fear/Terrified

Mental Pain

Physical Pain

Tired/Drowsy/Exhausted

Eating

My MC loves rasing plants. Can you give any tips on how to incorporate that into the story?

Plants can serve as powerful symbols, metaphors, and plot devices, adding depth and richness to your stories, and are a great thing to include in your narrative! Whether you’re writing a lush, vibrant garden scene or a barren, lifeless landscape, incorporating plants into your writing can help you create immersive and memorable settings, but they can also serve to develop complex characters and worlds by considering your characters’ relationships with them or incorporating them into your world’s mythos.

The symbolic meaning of plants

Plants have long been associated with various symbolic meanings across cultures and traditions and can symbolise various themes and emotions. We have an introduction to the symbolism of flowers in this Tumblr post; however, here are some more ways you can think about how to incorporate the symbolism into your own writing.

Consider the real-world cultural symbolism you want to draw from. Symbolism that is common in one country, and one period of time may not be the only way to represent something.

Think about the health of the plants. For instance, wilted flowers can symbolise decay, loss, or the passage of time.

A character’s relationship with a plant can reveal aspects of their personality or emotional state, especially when combined with that plant’s symbolic nature.

The growth or decay of a plant can parallel a character’s personal growth or decline in line with the character trait that plant represents.

Consider researching whether a plant has multiple symbolic meanings and whether you can use that to give your characters depth.

Use plants to develop characters

Plants can also be used to develop characters by reflecting their personalities, backgrounds, or emotional states. For example:

A character who meticulously tends to their plants may be detail-oriented, patient, and disciplined.

A character with a neglected or overgrown garden might be struggling with personal issues or feeling overwhelmed.

A character who keeps a specific type of plant, such as a rare orchid, may have a unique backstory or quirk.

A character’s favourite plant or flower can reveal their cultural background, memories, or aspirations.

An allergy or aversion to certain plants can add depth to their personality and create potential conflicts or challenges.

A character’s knowledge of plants, such as their medicinal properties or cultural significance, can showcase their intelligence, education, or heritage.

Writing plants into world-building

In the setting of your story, plants can play a crucial role in world-building. Consider the following:

If writing genre fiction, create unique, fictional plants that have specific properties or uses within your world, such as a plant that glows in the dark or one that can heal wounds.

Use plants to create a sense of atmosphere or mood. A dark, foreboding forest can evoke feelings of danger or mystery, while a lush, vibrant garden can convey a sense of peace and tranquility.

Consider how the climate and geography of your world would influence the types of plants that grow there. A desert setting might feature hardy, drought-resistant plants, while a tropical setting would have more lush, exotic vegetation.

Incorporate plants into your world’s mythology or folklore. Certain plants might be sacred to specific cultures or have legendary origins.

Show how plants are used in daily life, such as for food, medicine, clothing, or shelter, to add depth and realism to your world.

Create atmosphere with plants

Plants can be powerful tools for creating atmosphere and setting the mood in your writing.

Consider the sensory details associated with plants, such as their scent, texture, and appearance.

Use vivid descriptions of plants to immerse your readers in the setting and convey the desired emotional tone. The presence or absence of plants can also symbolise the overall state of the world or society.

Use plants to create contrast between different settings or to reflect changes in the story’s tone.

If your characters are associated with plants, show how their stories develop and change by reflecting those same changes in the plants that surround them.

Plants as plot devices

Plants can serve as powerful plot devices in your stories. They can be used to:

Create obstacles or challenges for characters, such as a poisonous plant or a rapidly growing vine that blocks their path.

Provide clues or solutions to mysteries, like a rare flower that holds the key to a puzzle.

Serve as a catalyst for character growth or change, such as a character learning to nurture a plant and, in turn, themselves.

Represent the passage of time or the changing of seasons, mirroring the story’s progression.

They can be used to create suspense and foreshadow future story beats.

Serve as a symbol of hope or resilience if they survive and flourish despite harsh conditions.

Research plants for authenticity

When incorporating real-world plants into your writing, it’s essential to research their characteristics, habitats, and cultural significance to ensure authenticity. Things to look for might include:

Research the specific characteristics, growth patterns, and care requirements of the plants you include.

Consider the climate, soil type, and seasonal changes that affect the plants in your story’s setting.

Use reliable sources such as botanical gardens, gardening books, or online plant databases.

Incorporate sensory details such as the texture of leaves, the colour of flowers, or the taste of fruits.

Avoid relying only on stereotypes or generalisations about plants to maintain authenticity.

If you’re writing about a specific culture or time period, research the plants that were significant to that context and how they were used.

Visit local gardens, parks, or natural areas to observe plants firsthand and gather inspiration for your descriptions.