20 Secrets That Your Character Has

Vampires & Vampire Fact Database

While I have I’ve written fiction about werewolves and studied werewolf folklore and pop culture for my entire life both passionately and professionally, they are not the only monsters I study. I also study all other kinds of mythology and folklore, and vampires take perhaps second place only to werewolves. All my sources are thoroughly checked by myself and others, and I take very seriously sharing only accurate information about any and all folklore and myth, as well as from popular culture.

I also do vampire facts! Currently, werewolf/vampire/other folklore facts are on hold from their regular schedule while I compile and publish a fully coherent, fully sourced book entitled Werewolf Facts: A Guidebook to Folklore vs Pop Culture! Give me a follow to stay up to date with all the latest news. There may also be a book on vampire facts in the future!

Still, every now and then, I post a new bit of info about the folklore of vampires. You’ll find those under both the Folklore tag and the Vampire Fact tag. You can also check my Vampires tag for other vampire-related things, including asks and reblogs.

The following is a convenient database of all the vampire facts I’ve written, for easy reference.

Vampire Fact Database

Etymology - The history and meaning behind the word “vampire.”

What IS a vampire? - What exactly is a vampire, anyway, and how do you define one? How does folklore define one? Are there different kinds?

Fangs - Did vampires have fangs in folklore? Where did the fang thing even come from? The answer might surprise you.

Animal Associations - Are vampires really associated with things like bats or wolves - or anything else?

Sunlight - Did vampires in folklore actually burn up in the sunlight?

Weaknesses - Vampire weaknesses in folklore and how that stacks up to the most commonly seen ones in pop culture.

Becoming a Vampire - A comparison of how people “became” vampires in pop culture versus how that happens in folklore - all the most common ones, at least.

Intelligence - How smart are vampires in folklore, anyway?

Can vampirism be cured? - Is it possible in folklore to actually cure someone of being a vampire?

Vampire Hunters - Was there such a thing as “vampire hunters” in folklore?

Physical Appearance - What did vampires look like in folklore?

How to Identify a Vampire - How could you tell if someone was a vampire, anyway?

The Importance of Dracula - How important was Dracula to all vampire concepts?

Association with Disease - Were vampires in folklore actually associated with disease?

Please note I will continually be updating this list as more vampire facts are posted, so be sure to come visit my page again for any new additions!

Other helpful vampire info, tips, and more:

(coming soon!)

I also write fiction, and much of it includes or focuses on various kind of folklore and mythology and monsters, especially my medieval fantasy universe, Wulfgard. For more info, take a look at my Writing List!

I also have a Patreon, where I would love your support (and you get goodies for it!). I also have a Twitter.

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Good Traits Gone Bad

Exploring good traits gone bad in a novel can add depth and complexity to your characters. Here are a few examples of good traits that can take a negative turn:

1. Empathy turning into manipulation: A character with a strong sense of empathy may use it to manipulate others' emotions and gain an advantage.

2. Confidence becoming arrogance: Excessive confidence can lead to arrogance, where a character belittles others and dismisses their opinions.

3. Ambition turning into obsession: A character's ambition can transform into an unhealthy obsession, causing them to prioritize success at any cost, including sacrificing relationships and moral values.

4. Loyalty becoming blind devotion: Initially loyal, a character may become blindly devoted to a cause or person, disregarding their own well-being and critical thinking.

5. Courage turning into recklessness: A character's courage can morph into reckless behavior, endangering themselves and others due to an overestimation of their abilities.

6. Determination becoming stubbornness: Excessive determination can lead to stubbornness, where a character refuses to consider alternative perspectives or change their course of action, even when it's detrimental.

7. Optimism becoming naivety: Unwavering optimism can transform into naivety, causing a character to overlook dangers or be easily deceived.

8. Protectiveness turning into possessiveness: A character's protective nature can evolve into possessiveness, where they become overly controlling and jealous in relationships.

9. Altruism becoming self-neglect: A character's selflessness may lead to neglecting their own needs and well-being, to the point of self-sacrifice and burnout.

10. Honesty becoming brutal bluntness: A character's commitment to honesty can turn into brutal bluntness, hurting others with harsh and tactless remarks.

These examples demonstrate how even admirable traits can have negative consequences when taken to extremes or used improperly. By exploring the complexities of these traits, you can create compelling and multi-dimensional characters in your novel.

Happy writing!

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Emotions in writing

The following examples have been taken from the book The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide To Character Expression by Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi - make sure to get the book!

Confidence

Definition: having faith in one’s own influence and ability

Physical signals: Strong posture (shoulders back, chest out, chin high) Walking with wide steps Strong hygiene and personal grooming Holding the hands loosely behind the back Touching one’s fingertips together (tapping, forming a steeple) A gleam in one’s eye, an inner light Smiling, a playful grin Winking or giving someone an easy nod Keeping one’s hands out of the pockets Appearing relaxed (drumming fingers against a leg, humming) Taking up space (legs spread wide, arms loose at the sides) Approaching people with ease Looking others directly in the eye Arms swinging while walking Choosing the middle, not the sides (be it a couch or a room) Using exaggerated movements to draw attention to oneself A booming laugh Showing comfort in the close proximity of others Initiating contact Telling jokes, adding to or steering a conversation Hosting events (getting the guys together for a football game) Openness when dealing with people Appearing unbothered by what others may think Leaning in to talk or listen Increased physical contact, becoming touchy-feely Running hands through one’s hair or flipping the hair back Assuming a pose that draws attention to one’s best attributes Wearing clothes that are flashy or dramatic

Internal sensations: Relaxed muscles Easy breaths Lightness in the chest

Cues of acute or long-term confidence: Doing or saying things outside of the norm without anxiety or concern Obsessively talking about an achievement or material object Reacting with anger or jealousy if one’s reputation is impugned Bragging, showing off

Cues of suppressed confidence: Minimizing compliments Modesty Changing the topic to bring others into the spotlight Downplaying one’s own comfort level to make others feel better Asking for opinions or advice

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masterlist of characters’ deepest fears

ok maybe i shouldn’t call this a masterlist but it’s pretty comprehensive i think hello!! i was having a lot of trouble finding resources for ideas of fears to give to characters so i thought i would compile my own list, then i figured i might as well share it with y’all! 

this list is for those deeper, more intangible, existential type of fears rather than fears such as illness or bugs or clowns (all very valid fears!! just not the kind i needed rn) it might be a little repetitive but i wanted to be thorough/account for nuances and such. hope this is helpful :-)

• Fear of intimacy • Fear of death/dying • Fear of failure • Fear of rejection • Fear of commitment • Fear of being alone/loneliness • Fear of God • Fear of abandonment • Fear of change • Fear of the unknown • Fear of success • Fear of love • Fear of being forgotten/ignored • Fear of getting old/growing up • Fear of the future • Fear of loss • Fear of forgetting/losing memories/amnesia • Fear of becoming their parents • Fear of being a bad person • Fear of being unwanted

Lees verder

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FIVE TIPS FOR WRITING BETTER ROLEPLAY REPLIES struggling to get interactions? try incorporating these tips into your replies!

use the five senses. sight, smell, touch, hearing, taste. where are your muses currently standing? what does the air smell like? are there birds chirping or people walking by? is there a battle in the distance? does the wooden floor beneath them creak when they walk? is the other muse wearing cologne or perfume? describe the world around them in vivid detail and paint a picture of their environment. this will help your writing partner envision the space.

don't keep everything internal. your muse's internal commentary is important, of course, but when an entire reply is only their inner thoughts, it doesn't give your writing partner anything to go on (unless their character can read minds). make sure you add action, story progression, or character movement in a reply, or provide enough dialogue for the other muse to respond to.

end your reply with a question. at the very end of your reply, have your muse ask the other character a question, or pepper a few questions throughout the reply. this gives the other writer a perfect jumping off point for their response.

incorporate npcs and other things happening nearby. maybe your muses are in a library, and the librarian won't stop shushing them. maybe your muse gets a call from their best friend in the middle of the conversation with horrible news. maybe your muses are in a hotel room, and they hear a noisy party in the room next door. your muses aren't the only two people in the universe - expand upon it with details and breathe further life into this world. it makes things so much more fun.

don't forget the other muse. i think we all struggle with this one the most. we get so caught up describing our own muse and their own thoughts and actions that we forget they're interacting with someone else. try describing the other character's stance or facial expression, the way they cross their arms. maybe their makeup is really beautiful. maybe their hair is nice. maybe they smell really bad. maybe the last time your muses interacted, they had a big fight. don't take up your entire reply talking about your muse only; talk about the other character. give the other writer something to smile about and comment on - "i loved what your muse noticed about mine! i loved their observations! they were so right!" make the other writer feel seen. this is a great way to show them you're reading their replies, loving their writing, and noticing little details about their muse.

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Body language cues for a few emotions

Happiness:

Smiling genuinely, with crinkles around the eyes.

Open body posture, with relaxed arms and shoulders.

Leaning forward slightly towards the person or object of interest.

Making eye contact with a warm and engaged expression.

Anger:

Tightened jaw and clenched fists.

Furrowed brows and narrowed eyes.

Standing or sitting with a rigid and tense posture.

Pointing fingers or aggressive gestures.

Raised voice or speaking through gritted teeth.

Sadness:

Downcast eyes and a drooping posture.

Slumped shoulders and shallow breathing.

Avoiding eye contact and withdrawing from social interaction.

Sighing or a subdued tone of voice.

Tearfulness, with watery or red eyes.

Fear:

Widened eyes with dilated pupils.

Raised eyebrows and a tense facial expression.

Frozen or rigid body posture.

Backing away or seeking physical distance from the perceived threat.

Trembling or shaking, especially in the hands or legs.

Surprise:

Raised eyebrows and widened eyes.

Mouth slightly agape or forming an "O" shape.

Leaning forward or recoiling backward in response to the surprise.

Quick inhalation or gasp of breath.

Rapid blinking or blinking more than usual.

Disgust:

Curling the upper lip or wrinkling the nose.

Narrowing the eyes and raising the upper eyelids.

Turning the head away or physically distancing oneself from the source of disgust.

Covering the mouth or nose with the hand or a tissue.

Expressing verbal disgust through phrases like "ew" or "yuck."

These are just some examples, and individuals may display variations in their body language based on their personality, cultural background, and the specific context of the situation.

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Words to Use Instead Of...

Beautiful

stunning

gorgeous

breath-taking

lovely

jaw-dropping

pretty

glowing

dazzling

exquisite

angelic

radiant

ravishing

excellent

ideal

sightly

wonderful

elegant

bewitching

captivating

mesmerizing

enthralling

magnetic

impressive

tasteful

charming

desirable

enchanting

Interesting

stricking

unusual

appealing

absorbing

srresting

gripping

riveting

alluring

amusing

exceptional

fascinating

impressive

provocative

prepossessing

exotic

readable

refreshing

entrancing

exceptional

Good

honest

upright

dutiful

enthical

pure

guiltless

lily-white

reputable

righteous

tractable

obedient

incorrupt

respectable

honorable

inculpable

irreprehensible

praiseworthy

well-behaved

uncorrupted

irreproachable

Awesome

wondrous

amazing

out-of-this-world

phenomenal

remarkable

stunning

fascinating

astounding

awe-inspiring

extraordinary

impressive

incredible

mind-blowing

mind-boggling

miraculous

stupendous

Cute

endeaing

adorable

lovable

sweet

lovely

appealing

engaging

delightful

darling charming

enchanting

attractive

bonny

cutesy

adorbs

dear

twee

Shy

modest

sel-effacing

sheepish

timid

way

reserved

unassured

skittish

chary

coy

hesitant

humble

introverted

unsocial

bashful

awkward

apprehensive

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writing quiet characters

He looked at him. He looked at him in a different way. Blinked. He tilted his head. He looked at him sideways. Under his lashes. In a unique kind of tilt. In a violent sort of way. He stared at him in a kind of way you haven’t read about before. He sighed. He looked away. He looked at a different away. He stared. Considered. Pondered. He was silent but it was interesting, somehow. It was a questioning sort of silence. Puzzled. He was still. He went even more still. He was barely breathing. He was dead with anticipation. He tensed. He relaxed minutely. The seconds ticked by, silently. He waited. He narrowed his eyes. His eyes widened. He followed you with them. His eyes. He did something that was nothing but filled the required beat of a line. He

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So... I found this and now it keeps coming to mind. You hear about "life-changing writing advice" all the time and usually its really not—but honestly this is it man.

I'm going to try it.

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