I’m a writer blog

Guidelines for writing Poems, Stories and Tales

Is it okay to describe the protagonist’s friend’s appearance before the protagonist?

Asked by: Ellie Keith

Should you describe a characters appearance?

Yes, sometimes they are necessary. Some writers will disagree on when a physical character description becomes a necessity, but that’s part of the beauty of writing. You get to decide what is or isn’t necessary for your own story.

What do you call a protagonist friend?

Confidant: This type of character is the best friend or sidekick of the protagonist, the Sancho Panza to their Don Quixote. Often the protagonist’s goal flows through the confidant—although not every story needs one. A particularly famous confidant is Horatio in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, as is Hermione in Harry Potter.

How do you describe a protagonist in first person?

In writing, the first person point of view uses the pronouns “I,” “me,” “we,” and “us,” in order to tell a story from the narrator’s perspective. The storyteller in a first-person narrative is either the protagonist relaying their experiences or a peripheral character telling the protagonist’s story.

What should you consider when developing a protagonist?

  • Establish the character’s story goals and motivations.
  • Give the character an external and internal conflict.
  • Make sure the character has strengths and flaws.
  • Decide whether the character is static or dynamic.
  • Give the character a past.
  • Develop the character’s physical characteristics.
  • How do you describe someone’s appearance in a story?

    Providing visual information about a character allows readers to visualize imagery in their mind. Eye color, along with hair color, is one of the first things people mention when describing someone’s appearance. Include it when sketching your characters, but be sure to do it in a descriptive way.

    How do you describe someone’s appearance?

    A List of English adjectives that are used for describing people’s looks and appearance.

    • attractive.
    • a person who is good looking (male or female).
    • youthful (looks)
    • A person who looks young, or much younger than their actual age.
    • bald.
    • a person who has no hair. …
    • beautiful.

    Can a story have 2 protagonists?

    Dual protagonists are characters who are both the central actors in a story, work toward a shared or similar goal, and take up approximately the same amount of screen time. Like most protagonists in film, they must both embark on inner and outer journeys that culminate in an emotional or physical change.

    What do you call a second protagonist?

    The definition of a deuteragonist (from the Greek deuteragōnistēs, for “second actor”) is the second most important and present character in a story—often called a secondary main character.

    What do you call a third protagonist?

    In literature, the tritagonist (from Ancient Greek τριταγωνιστής (tritagōnistḗs) ‘third actor’) or tertiary main character is the third most important character of a narrative, after the protagonist and deuteragonist. In ancient Greek drama, the tritagonist was the third member of the acting troupe.

    What anime has the best character development?

    Sometimes, it’s not the journey or the destination that make an anime great, but the characters who carry you through them.

    • Greed Stops Being Quite So Greedy In ‘Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood’ …
    • Violet Learns About Love In ‘Violet Evergarden’ …
    • Vegeta Goes From Villain To Family Man In ‘Dragon Ball Z’

    Are anime characters fictional?

    In the case of anime and manga, it means that most anime that we watch aren’t truly the work of fiction. It does resemble the real life experience and the actual event. In other words, most anime and manga is a blend of fact and fiction.

    What makes a character likeable?

    Likeable characters are those that the audience can empathise with and are somewhat different to the other characters in the story. Likeable characters stand out from the rest and usually become iconic characters and fan-favourites. These types of characters share similar qualities that emulate their likeability.



    How do you get a good OC personality?

    8 Tips for Character Development

    1. Establish a character’s motivations and goals. …
    2. Choose a voice. …
    3. Do a slow reveal. …
    4. Create conflict. …
    5. Give important characters a backstory. …
    6. Describe a character’s personality in familiar terms. …
    7. Paint a physical picture of your characters. …
    8. Develop secondary characters.


    How do you make a character unlikeable?

    Here are a few key elements to create an unlikeable character readers will still be willing to root for:

    1. Redeemable qualities. …
    2. Vulnerability. …
    3. Belief they are doing right. …
    4. Action-Orientation. …
    5. The Secret to Unlikeable Characters.


    How can I make my villain more likeable?

    Villain Characteristics Checklist:



    1. He’s convinced he’s the good guy.
    2. He has many likeable qualities.
    3. He’s a worthy enough opponent to make your hero look good.
    4. You (and your reader) like when he’s on stage.
    5. He’s clever and accomplished enough that people must lend him begrudging respect.
    6. He can’t be a fool or a bumbler.

    Who is the baddest villain of all time?

    The Greatest Villains Of All Time

    1. Darth Vader. The Star Wars trilogy (1977-1983) Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge Of The Sith (2005), Rogue One (2016)
    2. The Joker. Batman (1966), Batman (1989), The Dark Knight (2008), Joker (2019) …
    3. Loki. …
    4. Hans Gruber. …
    5. Hannibal Lecter. …
    6. Hans Landa. …
    7. Kylo Ren. …
    8. Anton Chigurh. …

    How do you foreshadow a villain?

    And not too subtle. Foreshadowing. You might as well have a sign on the big bad that says hello i'm an evil guy that's you're not strong enough to fight right now.

    How do you make a villain sympathetic?

    5 Tips for Writing a Sympathetic Villain

    1. Make them believe they’re the hero. …
    2. Craft a tragic backstory. …
    3. Give them an internal conflict. …
    4. Employ supporting characters. …
    5. Show them doing a good deed.


    What are female villains called?

    A female villain is sometimes called a villainess. Random House Unabridged Dictionary defines villain as “a cruelly malicious person who is involved in or devoted to wickedness or crime; scoundrel; or a character in a play, novel, or the like, who constitutes an important evil agency in the plot”.



    Can you have more than one villain?

    Can I Have More than One Villain? Antagonists are plot devices that create obstructions and challenges for your hero protagonist. You can have more than one antagonist in your story. But, the villain must remain the protagonist’s main opponent.

    How do you write character trauma?

    Show the characters processing their trauma and trying to resolve their issues. How do their brains connect the moment to reminders of the past? Give your characters a backstory, but don’t let the traumatic event dictate their entire lives. Real people never want to be defined by a single thing that happened.

    What movie character has PTSD?

    Tony Stark in ‘Iron Man 3’



    At the beginning of the movie, we see him struggle with PTSD symptoms like insomnia and panic attacks.

    How do you write PTSD in a story?

    Basically, when PTSD is triggered, your character will be at war with themselves. The physical symptoms are easy to show; just write what’s happening to their bodies. Let internal dialogue focus on their awareness of being irrational, that there’s no threat, yet they’re unable to feel safe.



    Should I write out my trauma?

    Research suggests writing about trauma can be beneficial because it helps people re-evaluate their experiences by looking at them from different perspectives. Studies suggest writing about traumatic events can help ease the emotional pressure of negative experiences.

    Can writing heal trauma?

    Writing is no stranger to therapy. For years, practitioners have used logs, questionnaires, journals and other writing forms to help people heal from stresses and traumas. Now, new research suggests expressive writing may also offer physical benefits to people battling terminal or life-threatening diseases.

    Will I ever heal from trauma?

    Recovering from trauma takes time, and everyone heals at their own pace. But if months have passed and your symptoms aren’t letting up, you may need professional help from a trauma expert. Seek help for trauma if you’re: Having trouble functioning at home or work.