Write Characters Who Feel Dangerous (Even If They’re "Good")

How to Write Better Villains (Because Your Story Deserves One)

There’s nothing worse than a forgettable villain. You know the type: cartoonishly evil for no reason, monologuing their master plan to no one in particular, and vanishing from memory the second you finish the book. A great villain, though? They haunt your thoughts, challenge your hero, and—sometimes—you catch yourself *agreeing with them*. If you want to level up your storytelling, here’s how to craft villains that stick.

1. Give them a reason to be bad (and make it make sense)

Nobody wakes up one day and just decides to be evil (unless they’re in a Saturday morning cartoon). Real people are shaped by their pasts, fears, and desires—and your villains should be, too. Maybe they believe they’re saving the world, just in a way that costs too much. Maybe they were betrayed and now trust no one. Whatever the case, give them a *why*. Even better? Make your readers *understand* that why, even if they don’t agree with it.

2. Avoid the evil-for-evil’s-sake trope  

Mustache twirling is out. Complexity is in. A villain who kicks puppies just to prove they’re the bad guy is boring. But a villain who feeds stray dogs while orchestrating a political coup? *That’s* compelling. The best antagonists aren’t evil—they’re driven. And when their goals put them in direct conflict with the hero, *that’s* where the tension comes from. Let them think they’re the hero of their own story.

3. Let your villain challenge the protagonist in meaningful ways  

Your villain shouldn’t just be a physical threat—they should challenge your hero’s beliefs, force them to make hard choices, and maybe even make them question themselves. When the antagonist represents a deeper, thematic opposite to the protagonist, you’ve got literary gold. Think of how The Joker unravels Batman’s moral code, or how Killmonger forces T’Challa to reconsider Wakanda’s isolationism. Conflict isn’t just punches—it’s philosophy.

4. Make them unforgettable

Whether it’s a chilling line of dialogue, an eerie calmness, or a twisted sense of humor, give your villain something *distinct*. Personality matters. A unique voice, a specific mannerism, or an unexpected vulnerability can elevate your villain from “meh” to “iconic.” Think about what makes them tick—and what makes them *memorable*.

5. Don’t be afraid to make them right

The scariest villains are the ones who are *almost* right. When a reader can see where they’re coming from—or even agree with some of their points—that’s powerful. It creates tension not just in the story, but in the reader’s own mind. And that’s exactly what a good villain should do: make you question, make you uncomfortable, and make the story impossible to forget.

What are some of your favorite villains in fiction? Drop your favs (or your own villain WIPs) in the tags or replies—I’d love to see them!

10 Non-Lethal Injuries to Add Pain to Your Writing

New Part: 10 Lethal Injury Ideas

If you need a simple way to make your characters feel pain, here are some ideas: 

1. Sprained Ankle

A common injury that can severely limit mobility. This is useful because your characters will have to experience a mild struggle and adapt their plans to their new lack of mobiliy. Perfect to add tension to a chase scene.

2. Rib Contusion

A painful bruise on the ribs can make breathing difficult, helping you sneak in those ragged wheezes during a fight scene. Could also be used for something sport-related! It's impactful enough to leave a lingering pain but not enough to hinder their overall movement.

3. Concussions

This common brain injury can lead to confusion, dizziness, and mood swings, affecting a character’s judgment heavily. It can also cause mild amnesia.

I enjoy using concussions when you need another character to subtly take over the fight/scene, it's an easy way to switch POVs. You could also use it if you need a 'cute' recovery moment with A and B.

4. Fractured Finger

A broken finger can complicate tasks that require fine motor skills. This would be perfect for characters like artists, writers, etc. Or, a fighter who brushes it off as nothing till they try to throw a punch and are hit with pain.

5. Road Rash

Road rash is an abrasion caused by friction. Aka scraping skin. The raw, painful sting resulting from a fall can be a quick but effective way to add pain to your writing. Tip: it's great if you need a mild injury for a child.

6. Shoulder Dislocation

This injury can be excruciating and often leads to an inability to use one arm, forcing characters to confront their limitations while adding urgency to their situation. Good for torture scenes.

7. Deep Laceration

A deep laceration is a cut that requires stitches. As someone who got stitches as a kid, they really aren't that bad! A 2-3 inch wound (in length) provides just enough pain and blood to add that dramatic flair to your writing while not severely deterring your character.

This is also a great wound to look back on since it often scars. Note: the deeper and wider the cut the worse your character's condition. Don't give them a 5 inch deep gash and call that mild.

8. Burns

Whether from fire, chemicals, or hot surfaces, burns can cause intense suffering and lingering trauma. Like the previous injury, the lasting physical and emotional trauma of a burn is a great wound for characters to look back on.

If you want to explore writing burns, read here.

9. Pulled Muscle

This can create ongoing pain and restrict movement, offering a window to force your character to lean on another. Note: I personally use muscle related injuries when I want to focus more on the pain and sprains to focus on a lack of mobility.

10. Tendonitis

Inflammation of a tendon can cause chronic pain and limit a character's ability to perform tasks they usually take for granted. When exploring tendonitis make sure you research well as this can easily turn into a more severe injury.

This is a quick, brief list of ideas to provide writers inspiration. Since it is a shorter blog, I have not covered the injuries in detail. This is inspiration, not a thorough guide. Happy writing! :)

Looking For More Writing Tips And Tricks? 

Check out the rest of Quillology with Haya; a blog dedicated to writing and publishing tips for authors!

Instagram Tiktok

How to Write Toxic Characters Effectively

Writing toxic characters can be challenging because we often avoid these personality types in real life—they’re socially draining and cause harm wherever they go. However, toxic characters can serve an important purpose in storytelling, adding depth, conflict, and drama to a narrative.

This post was inspired by a personal experience of being falsely accused of creating fake accounts to contact someone who pretended to be a friend. While the accusations are completely untrue and unfounded, I wanted to turn this negativity into positivity by sharing writing tips for creating compelling toxic characters.

Toxic Character Traits

Here are some common traits of toxic people that you can incorporate into your characters:

- Playing the Victim: They act as if they’ve done nothing wrong, blaming others for their problems while refusing to take accountability.

- Accusing Others: They enjoy accusing others of things, whether those accusations are true, fabricated, or even projections of their own actions.

- Talking Behind People’s Backs: Gossip and spreading lies are their forte—they share secrets or fabricate stories about others to create drama.

- Telling Lies: They thrive on creating falsehoods to draw people to their side and control the narrative.

- Playing a Fake Version of Themselves: They avoid authenticity, crafting a persona to alienate others and boost their fragile sense of self-worth.

- Turning People Against Each Other: They manipulate conversations, taking words out of context to sow discord between friends or allies.

- Twisting the Truth: They distort reality to craft harmful narratives that suit their agenda.

- Making Themselves Look Better: Toxic characters fabricate achievements or victim stories to elevate themselves and deceive those around them.

- Refusing Responsibility and Accountability: They refuse to accept their wrongdoings, often shifting blame to maintain their self-image.

Conclusion

Toxic characters can play crucial roles in storytelling, serving as instigators of conflict or catalysts for growth in other characters. While they can be exhausting to write, they offer valuable lessons about the consequences of toxic behavior and its impact on those around them.

However, I recommend using these characters sparingly, unless your story revolves around the specific theme of toxicity and its repercussions. When approached thoughtfully, toxic characters can add depth and complexity to your narrative.

Happy writing!

— COMO BUSCAR TEMPLATES?

Onde e como encontrar templates.

Recebi uma ask pedindo por um tutorial de como encontrar templates, e mesmo que seja um trabalho que não tem como eu facilitar, sei que muita gente chega aqui no tumblr e não sabe onde procurar e por onde começar.

Por isso, nesse guia, vamos discutir onde procurar templates para usar aqui no tumblr, seja em um blog pessoal, 1x1, blogs de personagens ou, até mesmo, em uma central.

Antes de tudo, como eu disse ali em cima, não tem muito como cortar caminho. Se você quer encontrar templates que gosta, vai ter que passar um tempo fuçando nas tags até encontrar o que você está procurando. Aqui você não vai encontrar uma fórmula mágica, e é importante saber que demanda tempo além do que você vai dispor para editar seu template. Dito, isso, vamos começar.

Adendo: o casal do @twilightalks postou um super post com vários blogs e sites pra vocês encontrarem conteúdo pra edições e que vai facilitar muito a sua vida. Clique aqui pra ser direcionado para o post!

RPHs

Primeiro, a maioria (se não todos) os tumblrs de rph reblogam templates. Você pode abrir um rph da rp br ou da tag gringa e vai encontrar resources, isso é fato. Mas se você não sabe o que procurar, abrir um blog não vai te ajudar tanto assim, já que é impossível ir olhando página por página.

Para facilitar a sua vida, eu vou colocar aqui algumas tags de helpers brasileiros onde você encontra templates:

jackhelps

#char psd; templates específicos para introdução de personagens. #ps template; templates em geral. #icon borders; templates para banners & ícones. #psd; psd para aplicar em imagens. #dividers; divisores para posts.

sakurajjam

#( templates ) #( psd ) # ♡ · ❄️ : photoshop

neozhelps

#⊰ 🍄：photoshop resources ˎˊ˗

desireeh

#templates

yeagrist

#* ⠀𓈒 ׄ ✮ ﹕ 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 ⸝⸝ template . # *   ⠀𓈒       ׄ     ✮     ﹕     𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬       ⸝⸝    psd      .

gwldcnz

#m: templates. #m: dash icons. #m: graphics. #m: colorings. #m: ps resources. #r: templates. #r: colorings. #templates. #colorings.

yixinc

#template

twilightalks

Mega post de help com vários links úteis, incluindo perfis de criadores de conteúdo.

Tags

Certo, mas onde esses rphs procuram esse tipo de coisa pra reblogar? E se não encontrar nada ali, como procurar?

Pra ir direto na fonte, você vai precisar usar as tags do tumblr. Se você notou ali pelos links, temos termos específicos mas em geral usamos template em rph. É assim com todo conteúdo? Não, você vai precisar pesquisar tags específicas pra encontrar algo que você procura.

#rph

Essa é a tag geral de helpers do tumblr, então você pode encontrar conteúdos em geral, como templates, gif packs, pngs, etc. Não é frequentemente que vejo templates por ali, a maior parte dos posts é de gif packs, mas pode ser que você encontre algo se der uma olhada pela tag.

#rp resources

Resources variadas, desde pngs, templates, ícones, etc. Aqui você vai encontrar tudo mais misturado, e com outros tipos de resources como starters e etc. Se você está procurando algo mais específico, pode dar um trabalhinho. Se não, vai encontrar bastante coisa bacana.

#rp template #psd template #rp psd template #graphic template #photoshop template

Nessas tags você encontra templates gerais. Acontece de ter alguns posts irrelevantes, mas, em geral, são só templates que você pode usar, só precisa filtrar conteúdo gratuito.

#character graphic #character template #character psd #char psd

Character psd/graphic/template são aqueles templates que se encaixam em fichas. São especificamente feitos para mostrar personagens, e podem ser usados como fixado também. Alguns têm espaço para nome e outras informações, outros são focados só em imagens. Quando você estiver buscando esse tipo de template, as tags acima são ideais para essa busca.

#rp psd #psds #free psd #psd

Quando você quer encontrar ajustes de cor para colocar nas suas imagens, e não templates, as tags que usamos são as de psd. Nelas você encontra psds gratuitos e pagos, alguns que só alteram coloring e outros que alteram as cores de forma mais extrema.

Outras tags úteis:

#faceless gif pack para packs de gifs de cenários, pessoas que não mostrem os rostos, objetos, etc.

#aesthetic pngs #transparent png #png icons #transparent icons para ícones em png. Podem ser usados em templates e como ícones.

#dividers #tumblr dividers #aesthetic dividers #post dividers são os divisores de posts em png.

#icon border #free rp icon border #icon borders sendo bem sincero eu só me deparei com esses templates recentemente, vejo eles sendo usados (e já usei) como banners.

#dash icons template são os templates pra fazer ícones transparentes pra dashboard.

Deviantart

Se você pretende usar templates com frequência, vai ter que se acostumar a usar o Deviantart. É um site onde criadores postam arte, mas também armazenam templates, psds, e etc, e disponibilizam para baixar. Alguns criadores aqui do tumblr armazenam lá, e você recebe um link para baixar pelo deviantart, e outros você só encontra por lá.

Para baixar, você vai precisar criar uma conta, o que é bem simples de se fazer, e depois ir até o link do que pretende baixar. Embaixo da imagem do template, você vai encontrar esses botões:

Você clica na seta de download, e o conteúdo vai ser baixado. Algumas vezes vem direto como psd, outras em uma pasta com arquivos, ou até mesmo um arquivo zipado. Depende do criador.

Mas atenção, se você entrar em um conteúdo em que no lugar da seta, apareça o valor, assim:

Significa que esse conteúdo é pago, infelizmente.

Mas, além de ser direcionado para o Deviantart apenas para download, você também pode pesquisar templates diretamente por lá. Eu considero até um pouco mais fácil, pois você consegue especificar exatamente o que está buscando.

Exemplos:

É claro que vai surgir algum conteúdo que não interessa, mas você consegue fazer uma busca mais direcionada ao que você está buscando.

Aconselho sempre adicionar o termo template no final da busca para garantir que você filtre por templates mesmo, e buscar usando termos em inglês pra ter mais resultados. Depois é só ir selecionando os que você gostar e conferir se não são pagos. Não se esqueçam, é claro, de dar uma olhada na descrição do conteúdo para saber como o criador gostaria de ser creditado.

No post do twilightalks também tem uma lista ótima de usuários que postam templates, o que facilita essa busca.

Buscar templates é um trabalho um pouco cansativo, não tem muito como correr disso, infelizmente. Mas sabendo onde buscar facilita bastante e poupa um pouco do seu tempo. Então espero que esse guia ajude, e qualquer dúvida, só chegar na ask!

How to write smut ?

(@urfriendlywriter | req by @rbsstuff @yourlocalmerchgirl anyone under the appropriate age, please proceed with caution :') hope this helps guys! )

writing smut depends on each person's writing style but i think there's something so gut-wrenchingly beautiful about smut when it's not very graphic and vivid. like., would this turn on a reader more?

"he kissed her, pulling her body closer to him."

or this?

"His lips felt so familiar it hurt her heart. His breathing had become more strained; his muscles tensed. She let herself sink into his embrace as his hands flattened against her spine. He drew her closer."

(Before proceeding further, these are all "in my opinion" what I think would make it better. Apply parts of the advice you like and neglect the aspects you do not agree with it. Once again I'm not saying you have to follow a certain type of style to write smut! Creative freedom exists for a reason!)

One may like either the top or the bottom one better, but it totally depends on your writing to make it work. Neither is bad, but the second example is more flattering, talking literally. (Here is me an year after writing this post, i think, either is amazing, depending on the context. the type of book you're writing, your writing style and preferences!)

express one's sensory feelings, and the readers will automatically know what's happening.

writing, "her walls clenched against him, her breath hitching with his every thrust" is better than writing, "she was about to cum".

(edit: once again, hi, it's me. Either is amazing depending on ur writing style. Everything at the end is about taste.)

here are some vocabulary you can introduce in your writing:

whimpered, whispered, breathed lightly, stuttered, groaned, grunted, yearned, whined, ached, clenched, coaxed, cried out, heaved, hissed

shivering, shuddering, curling up against one's body, squirming, squirting, touching, teasing, taunting, guiding, kneeling, begging, pining, pinching, grinding,

swallowing, panting, sucking in a sharp breath, thrusting, moving gently, gripped, biting, quivering,

nibbling, tugging, pressing, licking, flicking, sucking, panting, gritting, exhaling in short breaths,

wet kisses, brushing soft kisses across their body (yk where), licking, sucking, teasing, tracing, tickling, bucking hips, forcing one on their knees

holding hips, guiding the one on top, moving aimlessly, mindlessly, sounds they make turn insanely beautiful, sinful to listen to

some adverbs to use: desperately, hurriedly, knowingly, teasingly, tauntingly, aimlessly, shamelessly, breathlessly, passionately, delicately, hungrily

he sighed with pleasure

her skin flushed

he shuddered when her body moved against his

he planted kisses along her jawline

her lips turned red, messy, kissed and flushed.

his hands were on his hair, pulling him.

light touches traveled down his back

words were coiled at his throat, coming out as broken sobs, wanting more

he arched his back, his breath quivering

her legs parted, sinking into the other's body, encircling around their waist.

+ mention the position, how they're being moved around---are they face down, kneeling, or standing, or on top or on bottom--it's really helpful to give a clear picture.

+ use lustful talk, slow seduction, teasing touches, erratic breathing, give the readers all while also giving them nothing. make them yearn but DO NOT PROLONG IT.

sources to refer to for more:

gesture that gets me on my knees !!

(more to comeee, check out my hot or kisses prompts on my master list!)

The Words We Don’t Say: Dialogue Should Reveal, Not Just Inform.

Every line of dialogue is a tiny window into who your characters are, not just what they need to say. In real life, people rarely say exactly what they mean. They dodge, hint, exaggerate, fall silent, or say one thing when they feel another. Your characters should, too.

Good dialogue isn’t about giving information cleanly — it’s about revealing layers.

For example:

A character could say “I’m fine,” while tightening her grip on the table so hard her knuckles go white.

He could say “You’re impossible,” but his voice is soft, almost laughing — meaning you’re impossible and I love you for it.

She could say “I hate you,” in the rain, soaked through, desperate — meaning don’t leave.

The surface words and the real emotions don’t always match. That’s where the tension lives.

That’s what makes dialogue linger.

Three quick tricks to deepen your dialogue:

1. Layer emotion under the words.

Surface: What are they saying?

Subtext: What do they really mean?

Conflict: What’s holding them back from just saying it?

E.g. Two best friends sitting in a car after one of them has announced she’s moving across the country.

She fiddled with the edge of her sleeve, staring straight ahead.

“You’ll forget about me after a week,” she said, light, almost laughing.

Surface: She says he’ll forget about her.

You’ll forget about me after a week. (The outward words are casual, a joke.)

Subtext: She’s terrified of being left behind, feeling abandoned.

I’m scared you don’t care enough. I don’t want to be alone. Please tell me you’ll miss me.

Conflict: She doesn’t want to beg him to stay — she’s too proud, too afraid he doesn’t feel the same.

She wants to stay close, to ask for reassurance — but fear of rejection makes her hide her true feelings under humor.

2. Use silence and body language.

• A pause can scream louder than a speech.

• A glance away can whisper I’m afraid better than a thousand words.

E.g. After her apology, it’s his silence — heavy, raw, unspoken — that says everything words can’t.

After an argument, she finally admits, in a shaking voice, “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

He says nothing.

Instead, he leans back against the wall, scrubbing a hand across his mouth, looking everywhere but at her.

The silence stretches between them — heavy, aching, almost unbearable.

When he finally does speak, his voice is hoarse: “I know.”

Breakdown:

Pause: His silence after her admission isn’t empty — it’s full. It screams his hurt, his struggle to forgive, his overwhelming emotions.

Body Language: Scrubbing his hand across his mouth, looking away — it all whispers I’m overwhelmed. I’m hurt. I don’t know how to say what I’m feeling.

Result: The tension between them becomes almost physical without a single extra word.

3. Let characters miscommunicate.

• Real conversations are messy.

• People interrupt, misunderstand, react to what they think they heard.

• That tension is pure narrative gold.

E.g. A confession turns into heartbreak when he misunderstands her words and walks away before she can explain.

She pulls him aside at the crowded party, her voice low and urgent.

“I need to tell you something — about us,” she says.

He stiffens immediately, crossing his arms. “Don’t bother. I get it. You regret everything.”

She blinks, hurt flashing across her face.

“No, that’s not what I meant—”

But he’s already turning away, anger burning in his chest.

She watches him go, the words she was really about to say — I love you — still caught in her throat.

Breakdown:

Miscommunication: He interrupts and jumps to conclusions, assuming the worst.

Realism: Conversations are messy; people hear what they’re most afraid of hearing.

Narrative Gold: Now, there’s heartbreak, regret, and a perfect setup for future emotional payoff when they finally untangle the truth.

Some brilliant examples to study:

‘Normal People’ by Sally Rooney — where miscommunication becomes the air between them.

‘Pride and Prejudice’ by Jane Austen — where formality and wit mask tenderness and fear.

‘Six of Crows’ by Leigh Bardugo — where silence says what pride refuses to.

Dialogue is not just a tool for moving the plot.

It’s a doorway into the heart of your story.

Open it carefully.

When Should You Describe a Character’s Appearance? (And When You Really, Really Shouldn’t)

It’s one of the first instincts writers have: describe your character. What they look like, what they wear, how they move. But the truth is — readers don’t need to know everything. And more importantly, they don’t want to know everything. At least, not all at once. Not without reason.

Let’s talk about when to describe a character’s appearance, how to do it meaningfully, and why less often says more.

1. Ask: Who Is Seeing Them? And Why Now?

The best descriptions are filtered through a perspective. Who’s noticing this character, and what do they see first? What do they expect to see, and what surprises them?

She looked like someone who owned every book you were supposed to have read in school. Glasses slipping down her nose. Sharp navy coat, sensible shoes, and an air of knowing too much too soon.

Now we’re not just learning what she looks like — we’re learning how she comes across. That tells us more than eye color ever could.

2. Use Appearance to Suggest Character, Not List Facts

Avoid long physical checklists. Instead, choose a few details that do double work — they imply personality, history, class, mood, or context.

Ineffective: She had long, wavy brown hair, green eyes, a small nose, and full lips. She wore jeans and a white shirt.

Better: Her hair was tied back like she hadn’t had time to think about it. Jeans cuffed, a shirt buttoned wrong. Tired, maybe. Or just disinterested.

You don’t need to know her exact features — you feel who she is in that moment.

3. Know When It’s Not the Moment

Introducing a character in the middle of action? Emotion? Conflict? Don’t stop the story for a physical description. It kills momentum.

Instead, thread it through where it matters.

He was pacing. Long-legged, sharp-shouldered — he didn’t seem built for waiting. His jaw kept twitching like he was chewing on the words he wasn’t allowed to say.

We learn about his build and his mood and his internal tension — all in motion.

4. Use Clothing and Gesture as Extension of Self

What someone chooses to wear, or how they move in it, says more than just what’s on their body.

Her sleeves were too long, and she kept tucking her hands inside them. When she spoke, she looked at the floor. Not shy, exactly — more like someone used to being half-disbelieved.

This is visual storytelling with emotional weight.

5. Finally: Describe When It Matters to the Story, Not Just the Reader

Are they hiding something? Trying to impress? Standing out in a crowd? Use appearance when it helps shape plot, stakes, or power dynamics.

He wore black to the funeral. Everyone else in grey. And somehow, he still looked like the loudest voice in the room.

That detail matters — it changes how we see him, and how others react to him.

TL;DR:

Don’t info-dump descriptions.

Filter visuals through a point of view.

Prioritize impression over inventory.

Describe only what tells us more than just what they look like — describe what shows who they are.

Because no one remembers a checklist.

But everyone remembers the girl who looked like she’d walked out of a forgotten poem.

Ways to show a Character is Hiding a Secret They’re Desperate to Protect

Secrets are juicy. But the best ones aren’t just plot bombs—they’re personal, shameful, dangerous because they mean something...

They flinch when a specific topic comes up. Just a little. Not enough for anyone to call it out, but enough to tell you they’re holding something back.

They avoid eye contact when someone asks a question they almost can’t dodge.

They rehearse conversations in their head, just in case “it” comes up. Always planning a version of the truth that’ll hold water without leaking too much.

They hate silence, not because they’re bored, but because it gives people time to think.

They keep a part of their past oddly vague. “Oh yeah, I lived in Boston for a bit,” they say, casually skipping over the why like it’s not loaded with dynamite.

They’re overly controlling of one specific detail. Always driving. Always cleaning. Always checking someone’s phone is face-down. Not because they’re picky—because if that one thread unravels, it all falls apart.

They sometimes seem exhausted by the lie they’re living. The weight of holding it together shows in subtle ways: headaches, bad sleep, irritability. Their body is cracking before the truth ever does.

Writing Platonic Relationships

When writing relationships between characters, one of the best things you can do as a writer is master the art of platonic relationships. Not every relationship has to turn romantic—and when done right, platonic bonds can hit harder than love stories.

But writing them well? That takes a lot of intentionally-written cues and dialogue. Here are just a few tips:

1. Establish emotional intimacy early

Platonic doesn’t mean distant. Let them see each other. Let one character be the first person the other calls when things go wrong. Show moments of vulnerability, casual care, and trust without flirty undertones. Let them have traditions, inside jokes, or quiet routines together.

2. Don’t hint at romance “just in case”

If you’re going for a purely platonic vibe, don’t toss in romantic tension as bait. It cheapens the relationship. Let them have chemistry that’s based in compatibility, not attraction. Not every deep bond needs a romantic subplot. Avoid unnecessary lingering glances or “almost touch” moments unless it’s 100% platonic context (e.g., comforting after a trauma).

3. Give them shared history or shared growth

Platonic duos feel real when we see how they’ve been through things together. Maybe they survived something. Maybe they just grew up side by side. What matters is that their connection isn’t shallow. Flashbacks, casual references to “remember when,” or unspoken teamwork go a long way.

4. Let them be physically close without it meaning more

One character leaning on the other’s shoulder. Braiding hair. Holding hands in a high-stress moment. All of this can be platonic when framed right. Normalize physical affection without romantic framing. You could show how each character interprets the touch. If it’s comfort or instinct—not attraction—it’s platonic.

5. Use other characters to reinforce it

Have others in the story acknowledge the bond without assuming it’s romantic. It helps the reader accept it as non-romantic, too. Maybe someone can say, “You two are like siblings” or “You always have each other’s back.” Reinforce the type of love.

6. Give them conflict—but let them choose each other

Don’t make it perfect. Platonic love, like any bond, includes disagreement. But when they still come through for each other, that’s what makes it powerful. Maybe one apologizes without ego. The other forgives without resentment. That’s platonic strength.

---

Platonic relationships aren’t the backup to romance—they’re their own kind of energy. They don’t need to be slow-burn romances in disguise. Let them be bold, soft, loud, or quiet—but most of all, real. Because at the end of the day, platonic love deserves to be written with the same depth, stakes, and tenderness as any love story.

Writing Description Notes:

Updated 9th September 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

Drinking

Warm/Hot