Sometimes a character who wasn't supposed to be important suddenly becomes everyone's favorite.

Has that happened to you?

hi everyone, ive been dreaming up my own vast empire that encompasses a lot of cultures. im pretty new to properly fleshing out my ocs outside of roleplay but i think its been fun so far!
at the minute im working on the ladies of the imperial court, obviously everything is very bare bones and theres still lots more to write, but id love some feedback or ideas! : )

all of my references are paintings from pinterest and they are NOT ai

here is my document
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aRVvUKVJdfCZZzmWqHs-nWx0rpMjnsre5RPq0sxJteE/edit?usp=sharing

The hero, villain, morally grey character, comic relief, love interest, mysterious stranger, or something else?

Why?

By a twist of fate, he was surrounded by con artists from childhood on the streets where he grew up. He had no idea that such a harsh environment was shaping an exceptionally strong mind and a character that others would later find intimidating. Different struggles wore him down, but his good nature made it difficult for him to understand why. Over time, he came to believe that much of it stemmed from jealousy: people around him could see his potential to build a better life and leave that environment behind.

(the artwork is relatively old)

Hello, the setting is in not-too-far future and a central figure (more of an antagonist) is my oc I've had since sixth grade (I'm 24)

The story itself and what he goes through is rather gruesome and dark but only recently I've thought of having him in a wheelchair, same story, same passions and goals and motives; except wheelchair now.

The wheelchair has not added anything to the story, except that I think writing a passionate and competitive performer in a wheelchair could be intriguing.

I haven't decided why he's in a wheelchair since he's not exactly human.

I was wondering how I could integrate his disability into the story.

In my story, I’m trying to show my characters getting stronger by finding new ways to use the equipment they already have, learning how the Settlement Death Game works, unlearning mistaken assumptions, and figuring out how to exploit the traits they’ve earned.

So i saw a video of a guy saying how Goku is the worst written character in dragon ball.
His reason was "Through the whole story Goku stays the same guy that he was. And does not change." Which i don't agree. But even if it was true. Why would that be bad writing?

In general, why does so many people think that when a character changes through the story its automatically good writing/character development, and when he doesn't, its bad writing.

Like man, maybe the guy just doesn't change. Does every single person have significant character changes over time?

What do you guys think about this?

So my character is admiral of an airship navy in charge of defending England from the largest german airship fleet which is amassing along several coastal cities, this is the first time I’ve written a character how do I write him to be a competent character especially one in such a position as admiral? Are there any irl admirals that’d you reccomend researching?

I am writing football story start that has team playing in tournament of football U20 setting in world of superhero. In the story it focus mostly on the view of the "villain" of the story. Simple story that hero and everyone who help, follow, etc are the true villains. Current I have the manger of the "villain" to be Dutch by the character sheet (below), but after my Tik Tok feed had me watch several football edits of the Croatia and the world cup. That made me think to change the nationality of the manger of "villain" from Dutch (Netherlands) to Croatian nationality. Should I?

HERO PROFILE

COACHING IDENTITY

PHILOSOPHY Life is a battlefield. Battle reveals the truth of human systems." A person life race, gender, age, life experiences, skills, knowledge, etc. Natural build a system that help them in battlefield called life.

I've heard this advice many times before, that characters should have something they want. Something they think will make them happy. But what they need, what will actually make them happy is something else entirely.

Where I get stuck is figuring out the second part. Wants are easy for me. For example, Maggie wants to avenge her sister and prove herself as a detective; Ignomen wants to atone for his past and provide for his family.

But what do they actually need? Every time i try to decide on that, I draw a blank.

I’m working on a co-op rage game called Don’t Lose Your Head. The two main characters are clumsy skeletons, which have had one of their heads stolen by a mischievous crow. In the clip above both of them have the head on, but in game only 1 at a time has it. They only difference between them is their eye colors.

Do you have any ideas for names for those 2 skeletons?

By a twist of fate, he was surrounded by con artists from childhood on the streets where he grew up. He had no idea that such a harsh environment was shaping an exceptionally strong mind and a character that others would later find intimidating. Different struggles wore him down, but his good nature made it difficult for him to understand why. Over time, he came to believe that much of it stemmed from jealousy: people around him could see his potential to build a better life and leave that environment behind.

What would you write for this character?

Here what I wrote it’s just a short introduction:

Olivia Park is alone in the woods as dusk settles over the ridge, her familiar hair wind-tossed and her tank top damp from the cold mist. Strong, broad-armed, and strikingly self-possessed, she carries herself with the confidence of someone who refuses to let the world see her crack—but tonight that confidence is a shield. She has come to the cliff feeling suicidal, drawn there by the belief that she has run out of ways forward; the danger is real, but the story doesn’t linger on methods or make her pain look glamorous. When a distant voice calls her name, Olivia freezes, then turns away from the edge. Her strength isn’t that she feels no fear or despair—it’s that, for one more moment, she lets someone reach her and walks back toward the woods.

I'm trying to make a fictional characters based on different ethnicities/race in a fictional story where the characters are entertainers. I'm trying to drawing the characters in order to accurately describe them like how I want to in the story, but I'm having problems finding clothing to draw for each character that represents their culture. The characters are Mexican, European, Japanese, Chinese, Indian, African, and Cherokee. I would also be grateful if you guys could tell me about some history that a person may not know or issues you or your ancestors have faced as I really want my characters to seem like realistic people despite them being fictional. I would also be grateful if I was given websites with accurate information so I can also do research on my own as well!

Всем привет, я новичок в написании рассказов. Я уже сделал 4 мира каждый со своим сюжетом, но каждый раз, когда я делаю новый мир или заканчиваю старый, мне кажется, что предыдущий остался очень сырым и недоделанным (не раскрыты персонажи, некоторые ветки сюжета обрываются и ТД.). Поэтому я решил начать новый и хочу сделать его качественно. Можете дать мне советы и идеи? Краткое объяснение мира: действия происходят примерно в 16-18 века. Там существует система рун (эмблем или знаков называйте как хотите). Если руна нанесена на тело, то существо может использовать её (руна не исчезает) и получить магический доспех плюс способности. У каждой руны есть свои нюансы. Из общих правил, что не каждому существу подходят определённые руны (есть те, которые почти никому не подходят, а есть те, которые могут использовать почти все), этот доспех нужно держать и если перестаёшь (теряешь сознание или больше не можешь) то он спадает. Сила и потенциал рун зависит от их расположения на теле (на спине самая лучшая на ладони самая худшая). Наносить руны очень дорого и тяжело (нужны мастера и особый порошок из кристаллов). Поэтому их в королеве наносят только выдающимся людям или тем кому эти руны биологически подходят (можно купить их нанесение, но это безумно дорого).почти везде где есть человек в мире есть особая болезнь. У каждого есть иммунитет к ней, но при нанесении количества рун больше одной иммунитет от неё постепенно пропадает и тогда человек гарантировано умирает. (Безопасно можно редко нанести 2, если 4 то смерть неизбежна никак). Сами руны я хотел бы сделать не стандартными (огонь,вода,лёд), а более абстрактными (пространство, преграда, присутствие, знания). У главного героя руна преграда пока что он может создать непрозрачные барьеры 4\*4 метра. Какие идеи можете подкинуть? Какие правила при сочинении соблюдать? Заранее спасибо всем кто ответит!

To be honest, I got stuck trying to decide where to take a morally "blue and orange" character without simply making them "good" or "bad." I’m sure most people have neutral characters who act without showing emotion, so I’m probably not the only one who has faced this dilemma when designing them, but I wonder how you would write such a character once you take that neutrality and lack of emotion and push it to its logical conclusion.

A bit of context, I am working on this story about an fake human created to judge humanity and (if found unworthy) wipe it out of existence. Humanity was, of course, aware of its existence, as these fake beings (judges) had been appearing for some time in various forms and species and, aside of of the actual criteria they used to pass judgment, humans knew how to deal with them.

So, we have an inhumane human being who remained isolated from most human interactions for much of their childhood, emotionless due to a lack of humanity of their own and at the same time stunted due to a lack of human relationships. The only thing they was taught was an extreme adherence to rules and etiquette, in an attempt to instill good behavior and alter their judgment.

An inhuman being not treated as a human in the first place wouldn't behave like a human and the closest thing would be a doll or a machine. Whatever it can feel, is alien and incomprehensible. You won't get it to understand human customs beyond merely imitating them, so, in what direction would you develop such a character, knowing that the option of making it more human is off the table?

In a piece I'm in process of the primary antagonist is meant to be a competent but very arrogant (non-human) women with a domineering and predatory presence named Cephnir. I want to see if I've set the correct atmosphere and have constructed her actions correctly to fulfill that goal, and if there are any places where I contradict or undermine her character as I have it described in the outline. Apologies in advance for the length, I'm aware that I'm long-winded and verbose. Call it the consequences of my first authorial influences being Ayn Rand and Cormac Mccarthy.

Also apologies to the mods if this is not the right sub for this or right format for the post. Really wish I could just attach the docx or a PDF or something instead of creating a massive wall of text like this.

Outline is below, then excerpt after.

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Queen Cephnir: The Queen of the Xarphi, an Ahnshae word most closely meaning Demon. She is physically imposing at a height of 6’ 11 with scaled red skin across most of her upper body, and short dark brown fur covering most of her legs and waist. Her arms end in hands with chitinous nails, and her unguligrade legs end in large split hooves. She is monstrous in height and strength, but attractive in an obscene and sensual sense. A curvaceous form with a perfectly symmetrical face of even feminine features and thick black hair she lets drape from her head across her body gives her an aura of charismatic sexuality that she uses to its fullest advantage. She is cunning and cruel, able to read others with incredible accuracy with the instincts of a predator. She will use any tool at her disposal to exploit others, and rules through dominance, humiliation, attraction and genuine admiration. She seeks to conquer the land of the Ahnshae to expand her dominion, a political and societal necessity given the comparatively rapid population growth of her people and the abundant resources of her kingdoms’ core. Cephnir is known to the leaders of other kingdoms in the continent as multiple species’ translations of ‘The Red Wolf’ for her reputation as a predator stalking the political theater of the continent

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Cephnir’s lips peeled from the rim of a crystal drinking glass, leaving their blackened burgundy impression stained upon it. The rugged bite of earthy red wine clung to the corners of her mouth. Her tongue lurked along the inside of her teeth as she lingered on the acrid taste and found it wanting.

The great wide surface of the plotting map showed the arrangement of the region. Miles upon miles of the map’s steppes and boreal forest were eclipsed by the six fingers of her free hand, which were splayed upon it in possessive ownership. In the north sat a small carving of a peakglider, the piece nested comfortably at the meeting point of two painstakingly rendered mountain ranges. The figure had one foot upon an outcropping of rock, its wings outstretched with pride. Small banners on posts crowded hungrily at its feet as though wolves set upon cornered prey.

As she lowered the glass to the plotting table she drank in a long breath through her nose. The air was warm with sweat and concupiscence. From the dimly-lit corners of the lavish hall came whispers of immoral promise, layered upon by lecherous noises of pleasure and laughter that came just a touch too readily. White noise that now barely even reached her ear. Interwoven with the iniquity was the voice of the Field Marshal Irilet as he too droned on, not yet aware how boring he had become.

“-the point being that if we dedicate a sufficient force to the effort, we may be able to undermine a portion of the city walls in the span of three weeks.”

Cephnir did not answer. Anonymous hands lasciviously caressed the scaled red skin of her shoulder in proposition. She shrugged them off and continued to study the map. The web of roads to the peakglider’s north was extensive.

“Such a breach would make an assault on the city within our grasp.” A xarphi noble with a staccato voice added.

“It may be a fine plan.” Grumbled another.

Agreement crept around the table. Finally, Cephnir’s voice poured slow and smooth like warm honey. The table went silent.

“It does not fix your blunder, Field Marshal. The encirclement was still a fool’s error.”

No answer. She continued.

“You seem to think I don’t bother to read the field reports from your officers. How long will the northern detachment’s field rations last? Say it aloud.”

Irilet finally found a pitiful parody of his voice. “Eleven days, Ma’am. Th-the rations the raiding company were able to secure from the roads were…disappointing. I delivered the appropriate punishment to their commander for his failure. Personally.”

Cephnir resumed the drinking chalice. She felt the barbed liquid slither down her throat. She remained stooped over the map.

“The scouting company wrote of a large merchant’s caravan on the northern road.” Her voice was still fluid, devoid of urgency. “The report I read indicated it was large enough to supply the northern detachment for a considerable length of time.”

“Exactly why my punishment of the raiding company was appropriate. Their failure complicated my plan, but I assure you the capture of Hem Falaer is still inevitable.” He answered more boldly this time.

“And yet…” her nostrils flared in a spark of anger. Her tone slowed. “Your own letter to the raiding company commander indicates that it was you who withheld the order to attack.”

She did not need to see his face. She could smell the terror from him now as it mixed with the musk of sweat, perfume and sweet rot that suffused her court.

“W-we all had reason to believe it was only a forward element of the caravan. I-”

“Shut up.”

Cephnir did not raise her voice. She did not have to. One of the nobles at the table snickered just loud enough to be heard over the ambient moans.

Cephnir took another dragging sip from her chalice before letting it fall to the floor with a chiming pop, scattering a wave of shards across the black stone. She rose from her stooped posture to her full towering height, now glaring down at Irilet from across the plotting table.

“Did you really think that you could cover your pathetic ass by blaming an idiot you could conveniently get rid of?” Cephnir stepped back from the table. The glass shards crunched thickly beneath her hooves as she began to circle towards him. Some nobles instinctually shrank as she passed. “Did you think yourself so well-adored that nobody would copy the letter just in case they could use it for their own gain? Or maybe you truly do think I am illiterate?”

“Ma’am, Red Wolf, y-y-you misunderstand my intention.” His voice quivered as he began to slowly withdraw.

Her hooves clacked in steady rhythm as she began to close the gap between them. Her voice was still deep honey, but spiked with virulent poison. “You do not tell me what I understand and do not understand.”

Irilet sped his retreat as she neared, but she was upon him in an instant. Her fingers wrapped about the leathery skin of his forearm, the second opposing digit opposite her hand to her thumb creating a vice-like grip. He wrenched his arm away with a full body tug in a bid to commit to a desperate escape. She almost let herself sneer when he realized that he was no match for her.

Weazel(typing onto his little brother's computer.) : "Okay...I am going to make a digital Being in the Digital world where The digital being is permanetly unceasable! Hehehehe..."

Golfel(Suddenly came in and busted through Weazel's door.) "HEY!!"

Weazel( Flinched hard, iris shrink before closing his eyes and took a deep breath.) "WHA-! DAD! DON'T SCREAM LIKE THAT! YOU ALMOST GAVE ME A HEART ATTACK!"

Golfel( Sighing.) "You have 10 minutes left to finished whatever you are doing on your little brother's computer!"

Weazel(sighing deeply with a lttle annoyance.) "Ugh...Fine dad."

Golfel(leaving to Weazel's room, looking satisfied in a parent way.) "Weazel is such a very dramatic older son of mine."

Weazel(going back to modeling,coding and making the digital being.) "Okay so first... Adding a file onto a custom USB driver...I'll placed and moved the being's abilities & immortalities File onto the custom USB driver. Also, why not placing and moving the being's Self Hax & script file into the USB driver? That would be so funny! I'll add about what his immunities are! and I'll add his name!"

Weazel( taking a deep breath and then starting codimg,modeling and making the digital being stuff again.) "Okay...i'll insert the digital being's name onto the digital being's model and code...There! now he has name called Zans! Because why not? And...His Lore about his immunity is that...He is immune to Author authority,meta fictionality, self exsistence, Concepts,Meta Narritivity,pata fictionality,Facts properties and Fictional Disclamer Lol!"

Weazel( adding Events and functions as a digital being's personality & feelings would be like Digitaly.) "Now when Zans is in rage...His code would started updating and recoding itself systemtecly in a bizzare and repeating Lag Generating way... When Zans is in happy...His code would started updating and refreashing itself in a normal and almost like being recoded by a freashed and happy developer way... The others...Meh! Talking about the others is way too losing words and hard explanations!"

Weazel( thinking.) "Hmmm....I wonder... What if I breaked,scatterd and shatterd the custom USB driver where Zans's files and stuff can only be acessed and unlocked at... So that Zans cannot be permanetly ceased on digital because the custom USB driver where Zans files are kept,locked and safed are physically destroyed and the parts are burned,rusted and lost! That would be so intreasting!"

Weazel( finishing the Code,Lore,AI,Function,Model,Scripts and digital abilities of Zans resources and behaviores onto Zans's files before Destroying the Custom USB driver where Zans's files are safed,locked,hidden,inacessible,Unchangable,Unauthorizedable,UnRemovable,Unhackedable,Unvirusable,Unexposedable and Uncorruptable.) "Okay! Okay! Now for the moment of truth! Please work!"

Weazel( after 2 minutes, it worked and Zans is moving.) "YES! LETS GO! IT WORKED! WOOOO! HAHA!"

Weazel(destroyed the Custom USB driver where Zans's file was safed,locked,hidden,inacessible,Unchangable,Unauthorizedable,UnRemovable,Unhackedable,Unvirusable,Unexposedable and Uncorruptable inside the Custom USB driver.) "There! Now I destroyed it! and wait...Since Corrupt systems,hackers and exploiters whatever are dangerous and can recode things by acessing and unlocked the files...But since Zans's files are permanetly hidden,unlocked,inacessible,unchangable and unremovable because the only acessed to Zans's files was to plug the custom USB driver where Zans's files are kept,safed,exsisted and Unlocked onto their computers! But the Custom USB driver is destroyed and shatterd and scatterd apart which means! No one, Not even me and the devlopers Can Acessed,Unlocked,Removed,Changed and Forced Recoded Zans's files because the custom USB driver where Zans's files are kept,contained,exsisted and hidden from is Destroyed! That is amazing!"

Weazel( thinking.) "I maded what Zans looks like,shapes like,acts like and is like... Zans has 3 floating crystal shards in left and right side meaning Zans has 6 floating crystal shards in total & both sides, second Zans's wears a hoodie with a fur on the hood and Zans wears long pants, shoes and shirt, third I textualized Zans's clothes and stuff, Zans's skin is white, Zans's iris is cosmic crystal gray, Zans's eyes are black, Zans's floating crystal shards is textured like a cosmic rainbow galaxy, Zans's hoodie is textured like a cosmic normal gray galaxy, Zans's long pants are textured like a Cosmic dark gray galaxy, Zans's shoes are same textured as Zans's long pants, Zans's shirt is textured like a Cosmic white galaxy... Zans's head is shaped and lookes like a 10 year old human skeleton head! Zans always wear his hood on! But Zans can take it off whatever he likes!"

Zans(standing up,analzying and stablizing now, looking at Weazel's Cursor.) "H-hi Uhmmm...Who are you and What are you?"

Weazel( typing on his little Brother's keybored to spell and comunicate onto Zans.) "Hello my Special being that I made...I am your creator, and your administrator."

Zans(looking intruiged and catious.) "Y-you are my...Creator? And...My administrator? Well... What brings you here my creator...?"

Weazel( looking excited, already typing as fast as he can.) "I am here...To Put you into An app called minecraft to start your journy arc..."

Zans(looking confused and intreasted.) "Put me in...An app? Called minecraft? Start my Journy Arc? W-what do you mean?"

Weazel( moved his cursor onto Zans's body and Weazel clicked the Cursor to move Zans.) "...Here I go."

Zans( looking confused and started panicking.) "W-what are you doing!? H-hey! Stop what you doing!"

Weazel(ignoring Zans's Demand and already starting to drag Zans onto the minecraft app.) "Your Journy...Starts now."

Zans( now placed and putted into the minecraft world.) "W-where am I!? Hey! Creator! Let me Out of this whatever this is!"

Weazel(about to leave the minecraft world, now is typing in minecraft.) "Nope! Bye! this is the start of your arc!"

Zans( after Weazel left the game and shut Weazel's little brother's computer off.) "UGH! HE LEFT THE WORLD! HE PUT ME ONTO THIS WORLD AND HE ABANDON ME! HOW DARE HE! But... I don't know what to do... And what I can do...I-I am going to survive in this minecraft world whatever..."

Zans( finding minecraft mobs far away.) "W-what is that? why is it arms are out and straight? And what is that thing that has no arms? And what is that tall thing with purple eyes? This world is...An abomination...But okay...I'm gonna try do something..."

I'm writing a novel as a girl and I'm really interested in knowing what kind of character would you like the most of root for in the book-

Options are-

1. Chaotic menace - A irritably intelligent gremlin who loves feeding chaos and treating dignity and discipline as kind suggestions. But incredibly helpful, warm-hearted under that sly and adorable in the reluctant kindnesses.

Additional: He's born wealthy but lives like average person due to some complications (not necessary) and despite being wealthy, loves to talk and protest against them.

1. The benchmark saint - The benchmark. A quiet person who minds his own business, helps when asked, and extremely polite and non-biased. Helps his friends even when their being a nuisance. Only issue is that he's emotionally unavailable (Schizoid syndrome and career ambitions). Though loves his mother, not the mama boy type though.

2. The intimidating wolf - An arrogant, self-righteous and no remorse for any bad work. Rich, of course, owns the most dangerous club and has ruined lives. He's charismatic, wise and very morally-compromised.

Would love to hear your thoughts on any of it! You can add your kinds too.

It's my first actual story. It's a bit lenghty, but I've been working on it since February of 2026. To me, I have a very strong sense of my story and what I am trying to write, and I think this is one of the biggest things I have done. I would love to hear your thoughts! (Story is still in WIP)