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81scorp · 3 years

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21 tips for writing humor

This was not written by me. It was written and uploaded to deviantart Jan 13, 2017 by DesdemonaDeBlake.

All credit goes to her. I just copied and pasted it here.

There are many theories as to the nature, science, and reason for humor. It's an element of human behavior that seems objective in the skill that is required to execute it successfully, and yet just as subjective for how unpredictably it can hit every individual audience member. Today, I'm going to talk about the various forms that humor takes, and give you some tips for making your humorous story a success. To start with, lets look at what I will call the “five scales of comedy”. (Please note that the following is not intended as definitive list of the only sources and scales of humor in the world, only the ones that I have been able to identify within my own life, time, limited understanding, and culture. Also note that I will use the word “Humor” instead of the word “Comedy,” simply because I do not want this discussion on genres to be confused for the type of story that is opposite of Tragedy.)

The Five Scales of Comedy

A story or other source of humor can usually be found along the lines of five different scales. These are: High Humor vs Low Humor, Sweet Humor vs Acidic Humor, Distanced Humor vs Close Humor, Predatory Humor vs Reflective Humor, and Clever vs Ridiculous Humor. These scales stand apart from the sub-genres of humor (dark, slapstick, dry, etc...), and have to do with how the humor affects the audience. Note that there is no “best” type of humor; there is only humor that works in different ways and which impacts different sorts of people. So wherever you find your story in the scales, know that there is no need to change it unless you want to. Also, the names of the scales are just that—names. Just because your story falls into the category of “low” humor, doesn't mean that it is any less valuable than “high” humor.

Range 1: High Humor

Within the range of High vs Low humor, what we are discussing is the how large an audience we are trying to reach. High humor involves jokes and comical situations that are only understood by a very select group of people. An example might be a comedy series that focuses its humor on the experience of working in a corporate office (like … The Office), or perhaps political commentary. These are only funny to those people who have shared the experience or the political knowledge of the person generating the humor. Basically, the higher the humor, the more the entire set-up begins to resemble an inside joke. This type of humor is excellent for gaining the interest of select demographics who you may want to address. For example, if you only want to talk to nerds (I say non-insultingly because I am one and am proud of it), you might have lots of references to science fiction and fantasy.

Range 1: Low Humor

On the opposite side of the range, you have Low Humor. Low Humor deals with topics, jokes, and situations that are more universal to the human experience. An easy example of this is a fart joke. Everyone in the world farts, and most people are in touch enough with their inner child to think that it is funny if the joke is skillfully set up. Again, there is nothing wrong with low humor; and in certain situations it is even preferable. The lower your humor, the larger your potential audience can be. Other examples of low humor might be family life, slapstick, and situational comedy based on everyday experience. Shows like Spongebob Squarepants, for example, involve such a low degree of comedy that people of all ages, demographics, and locations across the world are able to find delight in it.

Range 2: Sweet Humor

The next range of humor, Sweet vs Acidic, deals with the intensity of the humor itself. Sweet Humor involves jokes, situations, and characters that require less pain and cynicism to appreciate. For example, a story that involves simple characters bumbling around, making mistakes, overcoming, and becoming better people for it would generally fall into the range of Sweet. We don't laugh at their misfortune (or if we do, its lighthearted and with limited consequences, like slipping on a banana peel), we laugh because their situations are joyfully amusing.

An example of this are the sort of jokes and humor found in Youtube “Lets Plays,” like those of Markiplier and Jacksepticeye. We don't laugh because of anything bad happening to these people (or the characters that they play); we laugh because they are eccentric, silly, and joyful in a way that also makes us feel joyful. This form of humor can be tremendously encouraging and uplifting to the types of readers who enjoy it.

Range 2: Acidic Humor

On the other hand, we have Acidic humor. Much like with food, most people have strong preferences and limits to how acidic (spicy, sour, or bitter) they like their humor. Acidic humor deals with laughing at topics that are increasingly serious or even tragic, such as death, illness, social injustice, etc... A popular example of acidic humor is South Park. Those of us who enjoy acidic humor will find ourselves laughing at topics that would otherwise likely bring us to tears. The power of acidic humor is that it helps its appreciators to cope with the difficult truths of life, and also to acknowledge problems that we are otherwise tempted to ignore because they are too hard to think about.

An example of an issue addressed in South Park is the elderly, their treatment, and our fear that we will face the same. Sure, when we watch an episode we laugh when the younger characters mistreat and abuse the elderly in the community. However, a conscientious viewer will then begin the chew on the issue, once the episode is over. We'll look at our own actions, and begin to wonder if our treatment of the elderly is just as bad. Because of the acidic humor, these difficult truths come to the forefront of our minds, we gain the courage to actually think about them, and we can even bring them up in discussion with others. This discussion can then lead to people changing the world for the better.

Range 3: Distanced Humor

This range has to deal with the necessary emotional distance we need in order to be able to appreciate a certain level of humor. Even with lighthearted humor like slapstick, which has very low acidity, the audience needs to be distanced in order to laugh. For example, if I watch Bugs Bunny wallop Elmer Fudd on the head with a mallet, it's generally pretty damn funny. I know that these characters are both flat cartoons with limited depth to their character, and that as non-beings they don't really feel pain. Therefore, I don't have empathy to Elmer's pain (because it is really non-existent), and I can laugh. However, if the show were to show me Elmer's life, how he's been a vegan but famine has caused him to need to find meat to feed his family, and how he struggles to even shoot at a rabbit because it makes him feel like he's betraying himself; then I'm not going to laugh if Bugs hit him with a hammer. I'm too close, and need emotional distance in order for my empathy to not get in the way of my humor.

Range 3: Close Humor

We do not need distance in order to find something funny. With close humor, the jokes and situations actually rely on how well we know the characters and how much we empathize with them. An example of Close Humor is Scrubs. In the show actually find ourselves within the mind of the protagonist, JD, and seeing the entire world through his eyes. He tells us about his insecurities, his genuine pain, his fears, and we actually really care about him as a character. Yet, we find humor in his minor misfortunes and even in his silly victories. The closeness of our perspective amplifies the events that happen in his life in a way that distanced humor cannot achieve. For example, when he stutters and says something embarrassing in front of someone he idolizes, we find ourselves giggling. If Elmer Fudd were to stutter in front of someone he idolized, we wouldn't laugh nearly so hard because we can't possibly understand the stakes of the moment or why meeting this person is so important to him. We need to be close to a character for Close Humor to work.

Range 4: Predatory Humor

With the range of Predatory Humor vs Reflective humor, we are discussing who will be the “butt” or target of the joke. (Note that a joke does not necessarily need a butt, as we will discuss later.) While often used in a negative way, in order to bully and shame others, predatory humor is not a bad thing in and of itself. Predatory humor can be used to tackle and harm negative constructs and ideas in our society. For example, Fairly Odd Parents used to frequently attack neglectful and abusive parenting. Note that the while Timmy's (the protagonist of the show) Parents were frequently the butt of jokes, they were also not the real target (just like parents in general were not the target). The targets were their selfish and non-reflective actions that had damaging effects on their son. We can use predatory humor to attack ideas, and point out the evils that are so often overlooked in society. The trick is to always keep vigilance of your own mind, actions, and motives to makes sure that you do not become a bully who targets the people themselves. Because even if someone acts in an evil way, bullying them will never cause that to change.

Range 4: Reflective Humor

On the other side of this range we have Reflective Humor, which serves to make fun of itself. Again using South Park as an example, the creators would often make their own beliefs and ideals the target of their ridicule. For example, it's fairly clear that the show speaks in favor of LGBT rights and for their being accepted as equals in society. However, they also go as far as to mock people who are so over-enthusiastic and pro-LGBT (to the point of hypocrisy). Another example is when the show begins to teach a moral lesson, the writers will often make fun of themselves through the character of Kyle for being so preachy. The effect of the show making fun of itself is two-fold. First, those of us whose beliefs South Park mocks feel like the show is being fair. Thus, we continue to listen to and respect the views of the creators, even if we don't always agree. Second, we trust the messages of a story more when it has the integrity to point out its own failings. Note that unlike with other scales, Reflective and Predatory Humor can actually be interwoven so that a joke or story makes fun of itself just as much as its target.

Range 5: Clever Humor

The last range of humor that we'll discuss is that of Clever vs Ridiculous. This range is fairly self-explanatory, but the core of its nature is what sort of punchline is delivered at the end of a humorous situation. Clever humor takes the audience expectation and amplifies or twists it to an unexpected place. You can see this in the work of comedians such as Louis CK and Demetri Martin. Martin, for example, has a humorous bit about doorways that say “Exit Only.” The joke then involves his compulsive desire to tell store workers that they underestimate the potential of those doors by about 50%. The delivery of the punchline is true and logical, but it such a way that it humorously exceeds audience expectation.

Range 5: Ridiculous Humor

Opposite of Clever Humor, we have ridiculous humor. This is when the punchline of a humorous situation is so absurd that we can't help but laugh. And example of this is the Spongebob Squarepants episode where he and Squidward get lost while delivering a pizza. They become lost in the wilderness and spend the episode becoming more and more so. Then, right at the end, Spongebob exclaims that they are saved because he's found a big beautiful boulder, the likes of which the pioneers used to ride for miles. And, to make matters even more ridiculous, the boulder works—driving just like a car. We find humor because the punchline is simply so grandiosely absurd that we can't help but enjoy it. Note that both Clever and Ridiculous humor require a great amount of skill and thought to pull off successfully, it's just a matter of your preference and your target audience.

The Five Sources of Humor

Once we identify what type of humor we are employing by using the scales, the next thing to consider is what makes our stories funny. This is something of a challenge, because we don't generally put much thought into why humor makes us feel the way it does. The humor either hits or misses, and we laugh or we don't. Making matters even more complicated is that there are so many theories as to why and how humor works—with everyone from Aristotle to Freud interjecting an opinion. But if we look at the particular sorts of things that make people laugh, we can improve how we use humor in our stories.

Source 1: Misfortune

Whether a cartoon character is slipping on a banana peel, or a character in a romantic comedy finds themselves in an embarrassing situation, the misfortune of others seems to be the most popular form of humor. This is why slapstick and funny home videos have been so prevalent in modern humor. Plato and Aristotle seemed to believe that this was because such humor made the audience feel superior to the characters being ridiculed (Superiority Theory). This seems especially true when we see unlikable characters (like the villain in a children's cartoon) experience misfortune in a comical way.

Though Superiority Theory has its place, I would assert that there is an alternative way that people enjoy misfortune. Perhaps the experience of slipping on a banana peel or being in an embarrassing situation is funny because of our own memories of experiencing the same thing or something similar. Freud and others theorized that humor was a release of energy (Relief Theory). Maybe our camaraderie with the character, mixed with emotional distance from the scene we are watching, creates a safe space to release our own stored feelings of pain or embarrassment. Thus laughter really does become a healing force.

Source 2: Absurdity

In his essay “The Myth of Sisyphus”, Albert Camus defines and explains the absurd.

“It's absurd” means “It's impossible” but also “It's contradictory.” If I see a man armed with only a sword attack a group of machine guns, I shall consider his act to be absurd. But it is so solely by virtue of the disproportion between his interaction and the reality he will encounter. […] Likewise we shall deem a verdict absurd when we contrast it with the verdict the facts apparently dictated. (29)

Though Camus is not talking about humor (rather the existentialist question), I think that the absurd is a source of humor. Audiences are often entertained by the absurdity of a situation. And by looking at Camus' explanation, we can hypothesize that this form of humor comes from the disproportionate contrast of action and situation. An example of this might be one of the last battle-scenes in Braveheart. In this scene, victory looks unlikely, the dramatic tension is high, and it seems to be the most serious moment imaginable. Then, upon being signaled, the protagonist's soldiers pull up their kilts and reveal their bare asses to the enemy. It's so unexpected and so absurd, that many people cannot help but to keel over laughing.

This scene is completely disproportionate to what we would expect to see in this dramatic a moment. The action does not suit the situation, but in a strange way it also kind of does—with the action juxtaposing itself against the situation. Perhaps, just like with misfortune, absurd humor creates a needed release of energy, connected to our own sense of existentialist absurdism. The absurd could then serve to release our feelings of despair in a positive light. The show, Rick and Morty, seems to be built on this connection between absurd humor blended with existentialism and nihilism. Of course, this is just a theory. What you'll want to focus on when writing absurd humor is the relationship of your characters' actions to the situations that they find themselves in. Are they lost in the desert? Have them climb a boulder and ride it home. The stronger the contrast between action and situation, the higher you'll make the potential for absurdity.

Source 3: Wit

Wit is the essence of Clever Humor; its the pithy intelligence that makes us laugh because of all the thought put into a situation. When we hear a witty joke or are part of a witty situation, we find ourselves moving in a forward humorous momentum, instead of the backwards and diagonal momentum of the absurd. But we don't stop at the expected location. For example my mother called me a few months ago, asking me if I was going to wish my brother a happy birthday. The expected response for this sort of set-up/situation is to answer “Yes” or “No”. But I went forward and beyond “No” by asking why she wanted me to congratulate my brother for being one year closer to death (I have an acidic sense of humor sometimes). This reply was much more thoughtful than what my mother expected, and pointlessly taken beyond the realm of reason. Therefore, she found it funny.

Perhaps there is an element of the absurd in any given amount of witty humor. It's as if we are taking extra steps to be as intelligent and rational as possible—ending with us standing somewhere close to the absurd. Using Camus' illustration of absurdity, the soldier with a sword wouldn't necessarily attack the machine guns, but instead go home, refusing to sacrifice his life to be a metaphor. You can see this sort of humor in Youtube series such as How it Should Have Ended. In this series, animators take a closer look at popular movies and then make efforts to enforce logic in worlds and characters that didn't have them. This includes having Severus Snape use his time-travel gizmo to go back in time and kill Voldemort before he became a problem—an action that is so logical that it erases the need for any of the Harry Potter stories to even happen. So when you create witty humor, look to take things beyond the realm of expectation—aiming for the absurdly reasonable.

Source 4: Anti-humor

Anti-humor is when something is so unfunny that it becomes funny, sort of like puns. As we find delight in the absurd and the unexpected, humor and jokes can begin to feel predictable. We begin to look for the solution in jokes, and we're usually smart enough to begin to be able to predict it. In this case, the expected becomes surprising. An example is the classic: “Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side.” If you haven't heard it before, this anti-humor joke is actually kind of funny. A great example of this are the great collection anti-jokes found online.

You can take anti-jokes to the next level using extremely acidic humor. This is where you take serious, grievous, or tragic topics and use them as the punchline for your joke. For example, a joke about a fatal illness is not funny because the person making the joke finds that topic amusing (otherwise that person needs some counseling). A joke about fatal illness can be funny to some people for the exact opposite reason—because of how dark and unfunny it is. Again, I believe this ties into a release of negative energy while in a safe space, and the processing of difficult emotions. If you plan to use the extreme form of anti-humor, please note that many people have very legitimate reasons for not enjoying it. So be careful, and give your audience some sort of forewarning so that you do not spring something so emotionally charged on them without their consent.

Source 5: Familiarity and Value

When I was taking university writing classes, I had an extremely eccentric professor who had all sorts of mannerisms that were unique to him. In the moments when he was particularly eccentric and acting out of his true nature (which he was quite comfortable with), I would find myself laughing, even if the situation wasn't funny. I think others can relate to this, as we all love to talk about fun people that we used to know, and find ourselves laughing even when what we are remembering isn't particularly funny. We laugh because those people acting happily out of their own nature gave us joy, and so anything they do creates a laughter that feels akin to humor.

This mirth through familiarity can be accomplished in stories as well. In Bob's Burgers, for example, we really don't even begin to understand the humor until we develop an attachment and feelings for each individual character. Sure the situations are mildly amusing, but true laughter and humor doesn't begin until we know the characters, their likes, their dislikes, and who they are deep down inside. Once we know that, we laugh as each character acts out of their nature. When we see Louise (one of the protagonists) act with mischievous intent, we laugh even before we know what she's doing because we are happy that she is about to act out of who she really is. Note that this is a rather difficult sort of humor to pull off because you have to create a relationship between the characters and the audience before the humor will be possible.

General Tips for Humor

Tip 1: Create a patterned and uniform blend of humor for your story.

When you choose what sort of humor you plan to use in your story, the best way of maintaining audience enjoyment is to keep it constant. Just like when we watch a stand-up comedian, we begin to develop a taste and sense of expectation for whatever we are watching or reading. Over time, your audience will begin to really appreciate the flavor of your humor, and that appreciation will make your jokes increasingly funny (so long as they are creative and continue to be intelligently crafted). The pattern will also make all of your jokes seem, feel, and become purposeful. Your audience will enjoy this much more than if you seem like you are desperately trying to milk the humor from anything you can get your hands on (you perv).

I recommend you begin by analyzing the origins of humor in your story's world. Is the world simply absurd, with unseen gods of chaos just dropping coconuts on people's heads for pure amusement? Does the humor come from a specific character? A group of funny people living in a serious world that they must learn to cope with through humor? A funny narrator with a unique perspective on life? Once you figure out the origins, determine where your humor will fit on the scales (it doesn't have to be on any extreme, you can stay in the middle of the scales and still be hilarious); and then figure out the source.

Tip 2: Create a genuine story with genuine characters, in order for humor to gain the most power.

If we value stories in terms of how much people enjoy and remember them, the best humor stories are those with good plots and characters. This may seem counter-intuitive when your intent is to make your audience laugh, but think of it this way. If an audience wants just concentrated jokes, they will read a joke-book. Your audience is choosing to dredge through the murky waters of story in order to find the humor with more difficulty because they want a blend of story and humor.

An example of this is the movie,“Austin Powers.” Many people, myself included, watched these movies before we ever watched the James Bond movies that they were making fun of. And we enjoyed them greatly, and laughed the entire way through. Why? Because the characters and story, ridiculous as they were, were good enough that we actually invested our interest and emotions into them. As an added bonus, the story has become timeless and respected in its own right. Even if we face a future where nobody knows who James Bond is, the Austin Powers movies will be able to stand on their own merit because they are more than just jokes.

Tip 3: Be careful about dating yourself.

Speaking of parody and humor losing its ability to be funny, let's talk about references that date our stories. Humor at the expense of popular culture (movies, politicians, celebrities) is a fun ploy of high-humor. It's especially useful for nighttime comedy shows that will be lost to time anyways, within a couple years. When you are writing a novel, however, you are trying to create something that will last a bit longer than that. Additionally, novels take a lot longer to write than an episode of a late night comedy show. This means that by the time you publish and people begin to discover your book, they may not know who the vapid pop star you're making fun of is. Your humor will be lost to time, and your book quite possibly forgotten. Of course, I'm not telling you that you can't use this sort of humor, just that you should be aware of the risks it holds.

Tip 4: Mark every line that is supposed to be funny, and make sure that it is.

Nothing detracts from a story or from a spirit of jovial humor so much as an obvious joke that falls flat. It's like watching an acrobatics show. If the acrobat falls on their face too many times you'll either be embarrassed for them or you'll empathize and start worrying for their safety. Either way, you won't find the situation amusing. In your own personal copy of the manuscript, mark every joke for analysis of whether it actually succeeds and whether it serves to empower the story. Then, ask your editors, test-readers, and writing partner to circle every point that they genuinely found funny. Be sure to pick test-readers who fall into the niche you are writing for, as well as those who do not. If nobody but you marked a specific joke, then you need to either get feedback for how to make it funnier, or else cut it.

Tip 5: Write within your own expertise and authority.

This does not mean that you can't laugh at things, and poke fun at things that are outside your realm of expertise, so long as you have done your research. But consider the power of an insider making a joke about something that you are a part of vs an outsider doing the same. It would be like the difference between me calling most writers narcissists (as I am one, and know that it is pretty true in most instances) and a politician making a joke and calling writers narcissists. I mean, what right does that asshole have to judge us, even if it is true? The point is that your jokes gain power when you can tell them with the confidence of an insider. Not only that, but your audience who is a part of the group at the butt of the joke, will be much more gracious and feel far less attacked when the joke comes from one of their own.

Tip 6: Humor is personal

Humor is something that is highly individual to specific groups and people. For example, I do not understand, nor am I really able to appreciate most British or Spanish comedies. This is not because they aren't funny; they are just as valid and hilarious as every form of comedy that I do enjoy. The reason is simply that because of either how I was raised, my life experiences or because of who I am by nature, I can't enjoy them any more than I can enjoy olives on my pizza (seriously, I hate them). It doesn't matter how artfully these types of humor are composed, there is simply no effect akin to joy, amusement, or laughter when I come across them. In other words, the problem is me and not them.

All this is to make three points. First, it may be more difficult to find test-readers and worthwhile criticism for humorous work. Even if I'm really good at critiquing stories, I will not be able to give you any helpful feedback if your humor doesn't match with mine. And that isn't your fault any more than it's my fault. It's just a difference in taste. Second, humor is as personal and close to the heart as any other story or craft. When you create a joke, you are channeling whatever emotions and mixes of experiences have led you to the type of humor you have. So recognize the emotional bond between yourself and your humor.

The third piece of advice is for those on the other end of the spectrum, those experiencing the humor of others and perhaps trying to give advice. Please recognize that others' sense of humor is just as valid as yours. Whether their sense of humor is simple, complex, dry, witty, dark, acidic, sweet, or anything in between, it is their sense of humor and not yours. Be careful in how you voice any attempts at criticism, as there are few ways to break your friends' trust and confidence as completely as when you tell them, “That's not funny.” You might as well be telling them that their heart sucks, and they are a sucky person.

Instead, acknowledge the differences in people's humor, value it even if that humor makes you uncomfortable, and voice your criticisms accordingly. Try: “This joke wasn't successful with me, and might be perceived as racist/bullying/insensitive to some readers; so seek other feedback to see if it's just me.” You will voicing just as honest an opinion, without formulating a direct attack against the person who has trusted you with something so delicate to them.

Weekly Recommended Watching: Doraleous and Associates by Hank and Jed. (A free animated fantasy Youtube series that manages to successfully mesh several humor types with an over-arching plot. Examine how even there are plot elements that are serious and even sad, the series maintains its humor through well-balanced distance and wit. And if this form of humor does not amuse you, that is perfectly valid and your own unique sense of humor is still a valuable thing.)

#81scorp #21 tips for writing humor #comedy

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angelicteeth · 6 years

Note

are u ready to do 250 questions

i think i’m going to cry answering these so i will update you on if i did or not, stay tuned (i am crying right now its been so long since ive worked on this i feel like a piece of my heart is being shared with the world this is way more emotional than i thought sedtryftgyjlk;l’)

Aster: She/Her - Leo - 19 - 5′9

1. What is your OC’s favorite color? red, dark red specifically 2. Does your OC collect anything? What do they collect? she likes collecting swords and daggers3. What kind of things is your OC allergic to? oranges and cat dandruff 4. What kind of clothing does your OC wear? she likes wearing long sleeved shirts and baggy pants a lot. she’s never without combat boots- but when she has to Dress Up for family events/kingdom stuff she tends to wear form-fitting dresses in her kingdoms colors- blue, green, and other earthy tones5. What is your OC’s first memory? she remembers playing by a river when she was around 4 or 5 and finds a dog that she later takes home with her and keeps :^)6. What’s your OC’s favorite animal? Least favorite? she really loves black panthers and humming birds, she hates moths7. What element would your OC be? actually, she’s part of a world that has 4 kingdoms based off of the 4 elements and she lives in the Earth kingdom but i would say she, herself, is fire8. What is your OC’s theme song? something that would be Dark and get your adrenaline Pumping, not sure entirely though9. Do you have a faceclaim / voiceclaim for your OC? no, i don’t! she has a kinda deep but feminine voice10. What deadly sin would best represent your OC? pride11. What are your OC’s hobbies? she likes to read high fantasy novels or historical fiction novels, she enjoys exercising/training, and doing crossword puzzles12. How patient is your OC? How hot-headed are they? she’s very patient and also extremely hot headed, but she knows how to control it for the most part- unless you say something she doesn’t like/is very passionate about 13. What is your OC’s gender / sexuality / race / species / etc.? she’s female, a lesbian, and… well, she’s pink-ish/purple, and i haven’t completely thought about what they’re called yet- basically she’s alien14. What foods does your OC like to eat? What are their least favorite foods? she really hates extremely greasy food, nothing in particular just anything with dripping amounts of grease make her gag- her favorite is probably fruits- save oranges15. If your OC could have any pet, what would they choose? Why? she really wants her own dragon! she wants to get one herself so she’s been saving up for it, she plans to buy one fairly soon- she’s almost to her goal! she’s always wanted one since her older brother got his16. What does your OC smell like? lavender and vanilla 17. How do they make a living? What kind of job do they want / not want? What is their dream job? What do they think of their current job? she currently teaches younger kids how to train/fight and she really enjoys it! this has always been her dream job, actually, or working with dragons. 18. What are your OC’s greatest fears? Weaknesses? Strengths? her greatest fear is drowning, her weakness is always needing to be right, and a strength is how confident yet humble she is19. What kind of music do they listen to? Do they have a favorite song? she doesn’t really invest a lot of time into music but she really enjoys rock and alternative 20. If they came from their world to ours (if not already in our’s) how would they react? What would they do? she would be curious of everything but also very hesitant, she’d probably first go into a bookstore to see if we have a good selection of high fantasy and historical fictional novels!21. What personal problems/issues do they have? Pet peeves? her pet peeves are people chewing with their mouth open and people who think they’re better than everyone else just because they’re rich. she’s also trying to work on how she always feels the need to be right22. What kind of student were they/would they be in high school? she did very well in school, was top of her class and actually looked forward to going- even though she almost always looked disinterested23. What is a random fact about your OC? she doesn’t like staying up late and always has to wear socks to bed24. What is their outlook on life? What is their philosophy / what do they think in general about living? she has a pretty positive outlook on life, she thinks living in general is interesting and no life is insignificant 25. What inspired you to create them / how did you create them? Were they originally a fancharacter? What was their personality / design like when you first made them? i wanted to write a well planned and thought out story about 2 girls from different kingdoms falling in love but having immense amounts of support so i did a ton of research and boom! aster was born! her design at first is practically the same as now, only minor details changed. her personality is very outgoing, she’s definitely an extroverted person but not in a bubbly sense. 26. Who is the most important person in their life? Why? Who is the least important to them (that still has an impact) and why? the most important person in her life is probably esen, her girlfriend :^) the least important is her old best friend, they drifted apart but they still mean something to her27. What kind of childhood did your character have? a happy but sometimes lonely childhood, she didnt have a best friend until she was 11- she usually hung out with her 2 older brothers 28. What kind of nervous habits do they have? Do they stim? Do they have any kinds of addictions? she has a ring she always wears and when shes nervous/anxious she twists it in intervals of 3. she enjoys watching stim videos, typically paint or bread ones29. If they could choose their epitaph for their grave, what would they choose? probably something along the lines of “In loving memory of an angry, tired soul” because she’s always Angry and Tired esen probably wouldn’t let her put that on her grave tho30. Do they want to get married? Why or why not? Would they ever want kids? Do they have kids? Why? yes! she’d love to get married :^) she’d want a small but fancy wedding. she does want kids, but only 1. 2 tops31. What is their most traumatic memory/experience? What is their favorite memory? most traumatic experience would have to be when she was 3 and almost drowned :^) hence her fear, and her favorite memory is probably when she surprised esen randomly with a bouquet of red roses and a necklace that has a pink carnation on it, which is her favorite flower. she could never forget how esen’s eyes lit up and it felt like her smile could swallow her whole32. If they could have one thing in the world, what would it be? she doesn’t know, she’s still trying to figure it out33. Would they ever kill someone? What would someone have to do to push them to kill someone? If they would kill someone, why? probably, the person would most likely have to hurt someone very close to her or just piss her the fuck off to no return34. What social groups and activities does your character attend? What role do they like to play? What role do they actually play, usually? her father is the king so her family is Royalty. theres lots of balls and parties where she plays the role of a charming and sophisticated daughter who knows Exactly what everyone who comes up to her is talking about she zones out SO MUCH at these parties, she’d rather be with esen35. How is your character’s imagination? Daydreaming a lot? Worried most of the time? Living in memories? if nobody is around, she’s usually day dreaming. it’s one of her favorite things to do. she thinks fondly back on memories, but not super often 36. What does your character want most? What do they need really badly, compulsively? What are they willing to do, to sacrifice, to obtain? i think she just wants freedom the most. she enjoys living in her kingdom- but there’s just so many people and she’s tired of them. she wants to live out on a farm or a secluded place with esen, doing whatever they please whenever37. What’s something that your character does, that other people don’t normally do? she often jogs in place because she always needs to be moving38. What would your character do with a million dollars? please do not give her a million dollars she has NO self control39. What is in your characters refrigerator right now? On their bedroom floor? Nightstand? Garbage can? water, grape juice, a fruit bowl, and yogurt. she probably has her work out clothes on the floor right now, and some books. on her nightstand is the book she’s currently reading, a lamp, and a candle. in her garbage can is some papers she crumpled up and a banana peel40. Your character is getting ready for a night out. Where are they going? What do they wear? Who will they be with? to the local theater to see some of the younger kids put on a play. she’d probably wear a white tube top, fancy-ish black pants, a black blazer, and black heels. she’d go with esen and maybe her 2 brothers!41. What does your character do when they’re angry? Why? depends on who/what she’s angry at but she typically bursts out screaming, sometimes getting so frustrated she pulls at her hair. she’s very loud when she’s mad42. Does your character have any scars? Where did they get them from? she has a scar across her nose, she got it from when her and her brothers were play fighting and one of them didn’t realize it was a real knife and accidentally cut her43. What was the most offensive thing your character had ever said? when she was like 6 she called her mom an old hag serdtfygiuohi she doesn’t like to say mean/offensive things but that slipped out 44. How does your character react/ accept criticism? depending on if she asks for it or not, she takes it very well… unless you say it out of the blue when she didn’t ask for any, then she would probably say something snarky back and get angry with you 45. If your character was given a slice of pineapple pizza and they HAD to eat it (or something bad would happen), how would they react? Do they even LIKE pineapple pizza? she actually really enjoys pineapple pizza! it’s her favorite. she’d probably ask you for more46. Your character is given a voodoo doll of themself. What do they do with it? Do they see if it actually works? she’d probably display it on her bookshelf but never see if it actually works, she’s paranoid about it47. Can your character draw? What do they like to draw? Do they doodle? she doesn’t actively draw but she likes to doodle if she’s really bored! she draws pretty well, she’d be excellent if she actually practiced but she isn’t really into it48. What were their parents like? How has that affected how they are as an adult? her parents are very loving and supportive! it’s affected her very positively, she’s very kind and humble- if she didn’t have amazing parents i don’t think she’d be the way she is, she’d most likely be mean- maybe even cruel49. Does your character like candy? Do they get sugar rushes? What are they like when they get a rush? she does like candy! it’s one of her weaknesses, actually. if she eats a lot of it, she does get a sugar rush- which is kinda bad because she’s even louder than normal and even easier to agitate, but she’s also a lot more bubbly and giggly 50. If your character was presented with imminent and unavoidable death/fatality, how would they react? Would they try to avoid death anyways? Would they try to make their last days count? she’d probably think about it for a couple hours- or even the whole day. after that she would try to make her last days count but also try to avoid death at all costs. she’s a very determined person, and hates to give up

Esen: She/They - Pisces - 22 - 5′1

1. What is your OC’s favorite color? pink!2. Does your OC collect anything? What do they collect? she collects stuffed animals, sea shells, stickers, and dolls !3. What kind of things is your OC allergic to? nothing!4. What kind of clothing does your OC wear? pink, frilly, lacy clothes! she loves dressing like a doll, honestly. very into pastel. but when she has to go to a party she wears her kingdoms colors- white and black5. What is your OC’s first memory? her first memory is when she was 6 and sitting on a picnic blanket in the spring with her mom while her dad and older siblings played a game of hide and seek6. What’s your OC’s favorite animal? Least favorite? her favorite animal is bunnies and butterflies while her least favorite is spiders7. What element would your OC be? her kingdom is based off of air and i have to say i agree! she’s definitely air 8. What is your OC’s theme song? bubblegum bitch by marina and the diamonds9. Do you have a faceclaim / voiceclaim for your OC? nope! but her voice is very sweet and soft, like candy10. What deadly sin would best represent your OC? envy11. What are your OC’s hobbies? reading classic, romance, and historical fiction novels, doing arts and crafts, and embroidering 12. How patient is your OC? How hot-headed are they? she’s extremely patient and not very hot-headed, when she’s angry she turns very cold13. What is your OC’s gender / sexuality / race / species / etc.? genderfluid, pansexual, japanese/alien- idk ! she has fairly pink skin14. What foods does your OC like to eat? What are their least favorite foods? she really enjoys sweet things and fruits, she doesn’t really enjoy anything with a ton of salt15. If your OC could have any pet, what would they choose? Why? she’d really love to have a bearded dragon! her older brother used to have one and she would help take care of them often16. What does your OC smell like? she tends to wear floral scents a lot !17. How do they make a living? What kind of job do they want / not want? What is their dream job? What do they think of their current job? she works with her mom as a seamstress! she really enjoys it because she works on big, frilly dresses the most- which are her favorites. her dream job is to own her own dress shop18. What are your OC’s greatest fears? Weaknesses? Strengths? her greatest fear is never being able to wake up again, a weakness is how cold she is toward other people, she more often than not comes off across cold even though she looks so sweet and inviting. she’s actually very cruel. a strength is how nothing ever gets to her- she’s blocked out anything negative. the only opinion that matters to her the most is her own, and sometimes her girlfriends19. What kind of music do they listen to? Do they have a favorite song? she typically listens to lana del rey, marina and the diamonds, nicole dollanganger, and other artists that sound similar. her favorite song is dog teeth by nicole dollanganger or queen of disaster by lana del rey20. If they came from their world to ours (if not already in our’s) how would they react? What would they do? she’d probably react similar to aster21. What personal problems/issues do they have? Pet peeves? she’s a very emotional person but never lets anyone see, she always appears cold and harsh. the only person who’s managed to help her open up more is aster, which she is extremely grateful for. she’s working hard to be kinder and smile more. a pet peeve of hers is people wearing shoes around their house, she thinks it’s very rude and disrespectful22. What kind of student were they/would they be in high school? she was an amazing student, as was aster, she was top of her class and managed high scores on everything23. What is a random fact about your OC? she often loves laying in bed and just scrolling through cute animal videos, it helps calm her down24. What is their outlook on life? What is their philosophy / what do they think in general about living? she has a very realistic outlook on life that can sometimes be very dark and depressing. she doesn’t really know how to feel about life and living, she’s still very much trying to figure it out25. What inspired you to create them / how did you create them? Were they originally a fancharacter? What was their personality / design like when you first made them? it’s the same answer as asters but nothing has changed about her design! she has a very cold and stoic personality, but once she opens up to you she’s very loud and bubbly26. Who is the most important person in their life? Why? Who is the least important to them (that still has an impact) and why? most important person in her life is aster, her girlfriend, and the least important person is probably her father27. What kind of childhood did your character have? she had an okay childhood, she doesn’t remember much about her father but she does remember spending a lot of time with her mom and her older siblings 28. What kind of nervous habits do they have? Do they stim? Do they have any kinds of addictions? she often chews/picks at her lips when nervous and she likes foam and slime as a way to stim- she also loves paint mixing videos 29. If they could choose their epitaph for their grave, what would they choose? something snarky but thought provoking 30. Do they want to get married? Why or why not? Would they ever want kids? Do they have kids? Why? she does want to get married! but only to aster. she’d be okay with 1 or 2 kids31. What is their most traumatic memory/experience? What is their favorite memory? most traumatic memory she has mostly blocked out- she doesn’t like bringing it up but her favorite memory was when aster slept over at her place and they just had a really sweet, romantic night in. they watched movies, ate junk food, laughed until they cried, and started a scrapbook together- she really cherishes every moment with aster in general but that one is her most favorite32. If they could have one thing in the world, what would it be? a caring father33. Would they ever kill someone? What would someone have to do to push them to kill someone? If they would kill someone, why? yes, not much, probably because someone hurt her family or aster. she might even end up killing her father but that’s a whole other story34. What social groups and activities does your character attend? What role do they like to play? What role do they actually play, usually? her family, like aster’s, gets invited to parties often because her father is an Important Dude so she often goes to those and pretends to be a loving, caring daughter35. How is your character’s imagination? Daydreaming a lot? Worried most of the time? Living in memories? she daydreams almost all of the time, living in memories or just in her own little world. she isn’t worried often, only when she’s feeling really down36. What does your character want most? What do they need really badly, compulsively? What are they willing to do, to sacrifice, to obtain? what she wants most, she has, for the most part- and that’s aster. aster is what she’s dreamed of all her life, someone to care about her as much as she cares about them, someone who will accept her for who she is- bad and all. she wanted a place to call home, and aster is her home37. What’s something that your character does, that other people don’t normally do? she cries all the time. she cries for everything. she doesn’t let anyone see her, but once she’s alone she weeps. for something lost, something found, something happy, something sad, when she’s mad or when she’s scared. she cries for it all38. What would your character do with a million dollars? she would buy so much jewelry and beautiful dresses but also spend a ton on aster39. What is in your characters refrigerator right now? On their bedroom floor? Nightstand? Garbage can? peach tea, green tea, chocolate almond milk, grapes, and some vegan cheese. there’s nothing on her bedroom floor, she likes it to be clean. she has a rose gold clock, a book, reading glasses, and a cup of tea on her nightstand- and there’s nothing in her garbage can40. Your character is getting ready for a night out. Where are they going? What do they wear? Who will they be with? somewhere with aster, probably one of her favorite white dresses, frilly white socks, white platform heels, and a white/baby pink parasol41. What does your character do when they’re angry? Why? she immediately turns cold and shut off, but if she’s alone she’ll cry because she’s so overcome with emotion- if she’s in public and someone has made her mad she will be calm but cool, deflecting whatever they’ve said and most likely proving them wrong42. Does your character have any scars? Where did they get them from? she doesn’t have any scars!43. What was the most offensive thing your character had ever said? she always says something offensive to her dad which changes each time she has to speak to him, it probably refers to what a shit person he is44. How does your character react/ accept criticism? she takes it very well but if it’s unwanted she’ll get in your face about it 45. If your character was given a slice of pineapple pizza and they HAD to eat it (or something bad would happen), how would they react? Do they even LIKE pineapple pizza? she enjoys pineapple on pizza, just without the cheese- unless it’s vegan cheese but she prefers it to be just the sauce and extra pineapple!46. Your character is given a voodoo doll of themself. What do they do with it? Do they see if it actually works? she would first see if it works and then after finding out if it does or not, display it somewhere. maybe even with her other dolls47. Can your character draw? What do they like to draw? Do they doodle? she likes to draw! her favorites to draw are dresses and pretty people :^)48. What were their parents like? How has that affected how they are as an adult? her mother is one of her favorite people and she has a strong hatred for her father. because of her father she is a very cold person yet still loving like her mother49. Does your character like candy? Do they get sugar rushes? What are they like when they get a rush? she does like candy sometimes, she really loves marshmallows and sweet taffy! she’s never had a sugar rush before but she’s witnessed aster’s and she is Terrified but Intrigued 50. If your character was presented with imminent and unavoidable death/fatality, how would they react? Would they try to avoid death anyways? Would they try to make their last days count? she would 100% avoid it at all costs and probably even succeed, she’s very skilled

Bunni: She/They - Sagittarius - 27 - 5′3

1. What is your OC’s favorite color? white!2. Does your OC collect anything? What do they collect? shells, white/lacy things, stickers, and old clown dolls! also anything care bares or strawberry shortcake!3. What kind of things is your OC allergic to? dust and bees4. What kind of clothing does your OC wear? only white clothes, as its her favorite color and makes her the happiest- typically lacy or frilly things! doesn’t really like pants a lot 5. What is your OC’s first memory? baking a lemon cake with her mother while her father fed her little brother in his highchair!6. What’s your OC’s favorite animal? Least favorite? bunnies!!! and she’s deathly afraid of bees/wasps/moths7. What element would your OC be? earth!!!8. What is your OC’s theme song? a soft melody, not sure which9. Do you have a faceclaim / voiceclaim for your OC? no! she has a very soft and quiet voice though10. What deadly sin would best represent your OC? gluttony 11. What are your OC’s hobbies? baking, crocheting, painting, and making stained glass things!12. How patient is your OC? How hot-headed are they? a saint. the most patient. is hot-headed in private though…13. What is your OC’s gender / sexuality / race / species / etc.? non-binary, bi-ace, they’re an alien so… idk… they’re a periwinkle color ??? (they prefer strangers to use they/them bc she feels very personal!)14. What foods does your OC like to eat? What are their least favorite foods? loves sweets!!!! LOVES THEM!!! also loves fruit! doesn’t really like meat much15. If your OC could have any pet, what would they choose? Why? a bunny… they are her favorite and its her name so !16. What does your OC smell like? sweet sweet vanilla 17. How do they make a living? What kind of job do they want / not want? What is their dream job? What do they think of their current job? her current job is her dream job, she loves it so much. she owns a little bakery/cafe!!! she would never want a job like her old one- it took so much out of her18. What are your OC’s greatest fears? Weaknesses? Strengths? her greatest fear is waking up one day and nobody remembers who she is- that jupiter and delaney don’t recognize her. a weakness is how often she takes in strangers, like she just. helps anyone. please bunni be fucking careful. a strength is despite being super kind and caring- she doesn’t take shit from anyone and WILL tell you off- extremely politely though19. What kind of music do they listen to? Do they have a favorite song? she likes anything soft and makes her feel like she’s floating on a cloud20. If they came from their world to ours (if not already in our’s) how would they react? What would they do? she would want to go to every bakery she can get her hands on, and also craft stores21. What personal problems/issues do they have? Pet peeves? she’s still working through some old scars her past job has left on her, she’s much better now but some things still get to her often. usually in nightmares uh a main pet peeve is people not picking up after themselves- she hates cleaning up after others 22. What kind of student were they/would they be in high school? UH shy quiet kid in the back that nobody notices until halfway through the year- gets pretty good grades A’s & B’s23. What is a random fact about your OC? she hates blood because it reminds her of how much she has on her own hands24. What is their outlook on life? What is their philosophy / what do they think in general about living? she has a relatively positive outlook! she thinks life is beautiful- and that she’s found things that are worth living for- including herself25. What inspired you to create them / how did you create them? Were they originally a fancharacter? What was their personality / design like when you first made them? UH well i was on a character making website and i made pretty ppl and turned them into my ocs… her design has definitely changed the most, her skin is lighter, she has white hair when originally she didn’t have any. its hard to describe but i like her design a lot more now- it suits her better26. Who is the most important person in their life? Why? Who is the least important to them (that still has an impact and why? her brother, delaney, and jupiter!!! her old boss- for a lot of various reasons he’s a scumbag god27. What kind of childhood did your character have? a very happy and loving childhood!!! loves her parents so much28. What kind of nervous habits do they have? Do they stim? Do they have any kinds of addictions? she clicks her nails together when she’s nervous/anxious. she fucking loves cooking/food, paint mixing, soap cutting, and foam videos! has slime and foam of her own she likes to stim with. sometimes chews on a rubber bracelet she has with her all the time29. If they could choose their epitaph for their grave, what would they choose? ‘In Loving Memory of a Sweetheart’ or something cute30. Do they want to get married? Why or why not? Would they ever want kids? Do they have kids? Why? maybe? she really wants a wedding tbh… doesn’t want any kids! maybe adopting but most likely not 31. What is their most traumatic memory/experience? What is their favorite memory? a mission at her old job went horribly wrong and everyone but her was killed. she still blames herself to this day. her favorite memory is when she was sitting on the couch, jupiter next to her and delaneys head on her lap. delaney was having a random lazy day and just wanted to hang with her girlfriends. bunni was happy to hang with them when delaney said that she thinks this is what happiness/loves feel like- content and home. and bunni started crying because she loves them both so very much32. If they could have one thing in the world, what would it be? a giant kitchen thats strawberry shortcake themed33. Would they ever kill someone? What would someone have to do to push them to kill someone? If they would kill someone, why? never again.34. What social groups and activities does your character attend? What role do they like to play? What role do they actually play, usually? uh idk she just lives at her bakery and loves her gfs ok35. How is your character’s imagination? Daydreaming a lot? Worried most of the time? Living in memories? very active! she loves daydreaming and she worries SO MUCH god please let her rest. tries not to think of anything from age 18-24 but anything before that is peaceful and relaxing 36. What does your character want most? What do they need really badly, compulsively? What are they willing to do, to sacrifice, to obtain? she’s pretty content, doesn’t know what she wants. mainly to help delaney- she’d do anything for her girlfriends 37. What’s something that your character does, that other people don’t normally do? she really likes face masks so she’ll put a couple different ones on throughout the day very often and sing opera… i don’t know why…38. What would your character do with a million dollars? buy so many things for her bakery/cafe but also probably herself- finally buy a collectors item she’d been eyeing for weeks- months even39. What is in your characters refrigerator right now? On their bedroom floor? Nightstand? Garbage can? fruit, peach tea, almond milk, orange juice, some vegetables, butter, and a pitcher of fruit water. her bedroom floor is clean as is her garbage can! on her nightstand is a little twin stars clock, white frilly lamp, the comic she’s borrowing from delaney, and a glass of water40. Your character is getting ready for a night out. Where are they going? What do they wear? Who will they be with? probably somewhere with jupiter and delaney! definitely wearing a white off the shoulder top, white skater skirt, white fishnets, white platform heels, and a white hat! 41. What does your character do when they’re angry? Why? clenches her fists if she’s mad at someone else, trying not to take it out on them. feels like she’s boiling from the inside out. usually distances herself and screams as loud as she possibly can42. Does your character have any scars? Where did they get them from? she has quite a few scars all over her body from her previous job 43. What was the most offensive thing your character had ever said? “if you don’t shut the fuck up right now I’m going to rip your arm off and stuff it up your ass so you can choke on it” her job made her. pissed. 44. How does your character react/ accept criticism? depends but she’s relatively neutral, unless its about her baking bc she is So Proud of it 45. If your character was given a slice of pineapple pizza and they HAD to eat it (or something bad would happen), how would they react? Do they even LIKE pineapple pizza? she. loves it? would eat a whole pie by herself. maybe 2.46. Your character is given a voodoo doll of themself. What do they do with it? Do they see if it actually works? she would Not see if it actually works and probably give it to delaney or put it in a glass case display so nobody will fuck with it 47. Can your character draw? What do they like to draw? Do they doodle? she likes to draw the cakes or sweets she wants to make!48. What were their parents like? How has that affected how they are as an adult? love them!!! great people!!!! helped her keep her sanity!!!!!49. Does your character like candy? Do they get sugar rushes? What are they like when they get a rush? Do Not Give Bunni Candy, Please50. If your character was presented with imminent and unavoidable death/fatality, how would they react? Would they try to avoid death anyways? Would they try to make their last days count? you bet your ass she would try to fucking avoid it at all costs and run away with her girlfriends

Jupiter: She/Her - Cancer - 26 - 5′6

1. What is your OC’s favorite color? yellow!2. Does your OC collect anything? What do they collect? makeup, tigers, plants, and anything floral !3. What kind of things is your OC allergic to? some perfumes4. What kind of clothing does your OC wear? loves crop tops and high waisted shorts, sundresses, off the shoulder tops- anything that makes her feel beautiful 5. What is your OC’s first memory? her and her sister discovering an injured dragon and taking them home to help save it!6. What’s your OC’s favorite animal? Least favorite? TIGERS!!! big cats! fucking hates ducks ???7. What element would your OC be? earth! loves plants. loves outside. 8. What is your OC’s theme song? something pop and upbeat!9. Do you have a faceclaim / voiceclaim for your OC? no claims but a sweet yet silky kind of voice10. What deadly sin would best represent your OC? lust 11. What are your OC’s hobbies? video games, makeup, and doing nails!12. How patient is your OC? How hot-headed are they? pretty patient, only gets hot-headed when irritated or annoyed13. What is your OC’s gender / sexuality / race / species / etc.? female, bisexual, and also alien…she is Green… don’t know much else 14. What foods does your OC like to eat? What are their least favorite foods? loves pasta, bread, fruit, and anything cheesy. doesn’t dislike much, but fucking hates pickles15. If your OC could have any pet, what would they choose? Why? she wants a cow. so badly. idk why. just loves them. moo bitch. moo. 16. What does your OC smell like? very floral 17. How do they make a living? What kind of job do they want / not want? What is their dream job? What do they think of their current job? she’s a personal stylist! she enjoys it, she never really had a dream job. 18. What are your OC’s greatest fears? Weaknesses? Strengths? being buried alive is probably her greatest fear. a weakness is how emotionally attached she gets to people, how invested she becomes. a strength is her people skills- despite having bad anxiety 19. What kind of music do they listen to? Do they have a favorite song? indie, pop, alternative are her go too’s! harry styles, lorde, and such. loves sober by lorde a lot!20. If they came from their world to ours (if not already in our’s) how would they react? What would they do? try out so much food, would be so interested in everything and probably try talking in depth to everyone she meets21. What personal problems/issues do they have? Pet peeves? she has very severe anxiety she’s trying to cope with, which has its ups and downs. a pet peeve is scratching silverware on a plate. hates the sound it makes. 22. What kind of student were they/would they be in high school? very talkative and social, wanted to be everybody’s friend. very likable- mainly got B’s23. What is a random fact about your OC? she hate socks??? never wears them. only wears heels or sandals24. What is their outlook on life? What is their philosophy / what do they think in general about living? very optimistic, looking forward to the future very much. loves life, thinks its fascinating and loves watching it grow and just. be. 25. What inspired you to create them / how did you create them? Were they originally a fancharacter? What was their personality / design like when you first made them? the same as bunni but I haven’t changed her design at all!26. Who is the most important person in their life? Why? Who is the least important to them (that still has an impact and why? her girlfriends, delaney and bunni, and her sister! least important is a stupid ex who won’t leave her alone 27. What kind of childhood did your character have? pretty good! had lots of fun and loads of friends- but never a best friend 28. What kind of nervous habits do they have? Do they stim? Do they have any kinds of addictions? twirls her hair and bites her nails when nervous or anxious. doesn’t really stim unless its slime!29. If they could choose their epitaph for their grave, what would they choose? “I’ll Haunt You If You Even Think About Looking At My Grave” 30. Do they want to get married? Why or why not? Would they ever want kids? Do they have kids? Why? married, yes! maybe to kids- not opposed but doesn’t really want one31. What is their most traumatic memory/experience? What is their favorite memory? delaney got into a bad motorcycle accident once and they didn’t know if she was going to make it… delaney and bunni threw her a surprise birthday party that was summery themed and she cried sedrftgyhu she wasn’t expecting it and she felt SO loved32. If they could have one thing in the world, what would it be? mental stability ! she hates her anxiety sooooo much 33. Would they ever kill someone? What would someone have to do to push them to kill someone? If they would kill someone, why? probably not! but you’d have to hurt her gfs or her family to get her to really consider it… or ruin all her makeup…..34. What social groups and activities does your character attend? What role do they like to play? What role do they actually play, usually? doesn’t do jack shit she only cares abt her gfs and sister35. How is your character’s imagination? Daydreaming a lot? Worried most of the time? Living in memories? she daydreams often, but not as much as you might think. she’s almost ALWAYS worried, her anxiety is Awful36. What does your character want most? What do they need really badly, compulsively? What are they willing to do, to sacrifice, to obtain? she’s pretty okay right now… has all she wants, really. 37. What’s something that your character does, that other people don’t normally do? she has a pretty elaborate skin care routine and performs it roughly twice a day38. What would your character do with a million dollars? buy so much makeup and clothes, spoil her gfs, and probably save some money for her little sister39. What is in your characters refrigerator right now? On their bedroom floor? Nightstand? Garbage can? fridge would be the same as bunni’s they live together but her floor has a pile of clothes in the corner, random makeup items, and empty bottles of pink lemonade. her nightstand has a cute floral clock, her rose gold watch, and a pair of sunglasses and her garbage can is empty bc she just throws shit on the floor all the time, sigh40. Your character is getting ready for a night out. Where are they going? What do they wear? Who will they be with? somewhere with bunni and delaney, probably. she’d probably be wearing a floral dress, maybe sunflowers, white wedges with wood bottoms, and a little gold purse! 41. What does your character do when they’re angry? Why? she doesn’t get angry super often but she’s Loud and probably cries, acts like a little kid most likely 42. Does your character have any scars? Where did they get them from? nope! she’s scar free43. What was the most offensive thing your character had ever said? if she’s ever catcalled she definitely says something Nasty to the person44. How does your character react/ accept criticism? she takes it well and acts stoic because of her job, she’s trained very hard to be the perfect stylist! 45. If your character was given a slice of pineapple pizza and they HAD to eat it (or something bad would happen), how would they react? Do they even LIKE pineapple pizza? she doesn’t mind it but it’s definitely not her fave 46. Your character is given a voodoo doll of themself. What do they do with it? Do they see if it actually works? fucking chucks that thing so far away from her and hopes it never returns 47. Can your character draw? What do they like to draw? Do they doodle? she often designs things for clients if they want something specifically made for them but that’s about it!48. What were their parents like? How has that affected how they are as an adult? her parents were very kind and sweet people, she really loves them a lot but they aren’t extremely close 49. Does your character like candy? Do they get sugar rushes? What are they like when they get a rush? she enjoys very sweet candy, but nothing else! she’s had a couple sugar rushes but she crashed Hard from them, no matter how small they were 50. If your character was presented with imminent and unavoidable death/fatality, how would they react? Would they try to avoid death anyways? Would they try to make their last days count? she’s so stressed her anxiety is through the ROOF but delaney and bunni help her and they spend a lot of time together! she’d probably try to find a loophole, though

Delaney: She/Her - Gemini - 24 - 5′11

1. What is your OC’s favorite color? dark dark red or black 2. Does your OC collect anything? What do they collect? comic books, knives, and cool jewelry for her piercings 3. What kind of things is your OC allergic to? nothing she was made to be Perfect4. What kind of clothing does your OC wear? typical punk/goth/emo clothes! a lot of fishnets, chains, boots, belts, and jackets5. What is your OC’s first memory? white walls, tests, experiments, sterile smells, moving shadows, blinding lights, wakeupwakeupwakeup6. What’s your OC’s favorite animal? Least favorite? loves snakes, lizards, and all that jazz. doesn’t care much for birds7. What element would your OC be? fire, sigh8. What is your OC’s theme song? something sad and emo, probably, but also fast paced and adrenaline pumping 9. Do you have a faceclaim / voiceclaim for your OC? no but her voice is… smoother than you expect. she looks like someone with a gruff voice but its nice and smooth, angry sounding but not necessarily Gruff it is kinda deep tho10. What deadly sin would best represent your OC? wrath11. What are your OC’s hobbies? reading comics/graphic novels, riding her motorcycle, annoying jupiter and bunni12. How patient is your OC? How hot-headed are they? sheeeee’s patient depending on her mood? typically Isn’t because she likes annoying people but when she actually cares she’s very patient. pretty hotheaded, definitely says a lot of shit In The Moment 13. What is your OC’s gender / sexuality / race / species / etc.? female, lesbian, ??? she’s… an experiment so technically an alien and a human? they merged both of them together… i haven’t fleshed this part out a whole lot 14. What foods does your OC like to eat? What are their least favorite foods? she… Loves… pancakes…. and wings with curly fries….. and food. she discovers she really fuckin Loves food. hates pickles god fuck15. If your OC could have any pet, what would they choose? Why? a big ass snake tfgui16. What does your OC smell like? for such a long time she would just smell like a hospital but now that she’s her own person she experiments with a bunch of different ones, she’s still trying to pick a Fave because everything just smells so fucking nice17. How do they make a living? What kind of job do they want / not want? What is their dream job? What do they think of their current job? she’s very confused on the whole aspect of jobs and making a living, bunni and jupiter mainly support her bc they make A Lot but encourage delaney that she can get a job If She Wants one… she’s kinda looking into working at a comic book place, tbh18. What are your OC’s greatest fears? Weaknesses? Strengths? hospitals, doctors, needles specifically IVs or shots, and dressing gowns. she can be very emotionless at times which can be off putting but she just genuinely doesn’t know how to react tfuygi but it can also be a strength??? she has a lot of Love in her which is essentially what saved her :^)19. What kind of music do they listen to? Do they have a favorite song? she mainly listens to instrumentals??? or sad/emo/goth music20. If they came from their world to ours (if not already in our’s) how would they react? What would they do? oh god please Don’t she’s already confused by her own world drftgyhui21. What personal problems/issues do they have? Pet peeves? she was an experiment for the first 16-18 years of her life and she still often has that mindset, even though it’s been years… she’s trying to work through it and her fears but it’s so fucking hard lol 22. What kind of student were they/would they be in high school? she would’ve been a dumbass trouble maker had she actually grown up as a normal being 23. What is a random fact about your OC? she really fucking wants to get her tongue split, she currently has it pierced though 24. What is their outlook on life? What is their philosophy / what do they think in general about living? Not Good.25. What inspired you to create them / how did you create them? Were they originally a fancharacter? What was their personality / design like when you first made them? saaaammmeeee as bunnniii and jupiterrrrrrrr26. Who is the most important person in their life? Why? Who is the least important to them (that still has an impact and why? bunni and jupiter! her gfs! the gorls! uhhh a doctor at the place where she was created :^)27. What kind of childhood did your character have? awful, lonely, painful28. What kind of nervous habits do they have? Do they stim? Do they have any kinds of addictions? the uh doctors where she “lived” used to experiment on her with drugs and she developed a codependency with heroin for a little bit, and it was the absolute fucking worst thing in the whole world. now, though, she just drinks kind of excessively 29. If they could choose their epitaph for their grave, what would they choose? “experiment: fuck your bitch”30. Do they want to get married? Why or why not? Would they ever want kids? Do they have kids? Why? married, possibly. kids, hell no. 31. What is their most traumatic memory/experience? What is their favorite memory? she was about 8 or so, and wandering the halls of the ‘hospital’ when she stumbled upon a room with someone her age strapped down to a table. she watched silently as they were tortured and its forever burned into her memory. doesn’t help she remembers everything vividly, but that one sticks out to her the most. her favorite memory is literally just watching her gfs do something or just hanging out with them rdftgyui she’s So in Love but doesn’t know how to fucking voice anything 32. If they could have one thing in the world, what would it be? …revenge 33. Would they ever kill someone? What would someone have to do to push them to kill someone? If they would kill someone, why? yes. any doctors who hurt her. they wouldn’t have to do fucking anything, they’ve already done enough. 34. What social groups and activities does your character attend? What role do they like to play? What role do they actually play, usually? none35. How is your character’s imagination? Daydreaming a lot? Worried most of the time? Living in memories? she tries her best to distract herself all the time so she can’t live in her memories, but that only helps so much 36. What does your character want most? What do they need really badly, compulsively? What are they willing to do, to sacrifice, to obtain? peace. quiet. anything. 37. What’s something that your character does, that other people don’t normally do? every time she puts on socks she has to go on a slippery surface and Slide 38. What would your character do with a million dollars? she has no idea she’d probably just fucking stare at it until bunni or jupiter said ‘hey you can get ____ this now’ and she’d be like ‘oh shit i can Get Things’39. What is in your characters refrigerator right now? On their bedroom floor? Nightstand? Garbage can? nothing on her floor, a stack of comics shes reading, a random book she found and actually liked the idea of, some candy40. Your character is getting ready for a night out. Where are they going? What do they wear? Who will they be with? bunni and jupiter, somewhere Nice, would for once probably wear nice dressy-ish clothes so basically a suit, minus the jacket unless they’re going to a restaurant, and a red button down with a black tie 41. What does your character do when they’re angry? Why? she… explodes? yeah. its… not fun42. Does your character have any scars? Where did they get them from? y e a h she has scars on her arms from experiments and self harm, she has one on her face going through her left eyebrow, a couple on her stomach and legs, and one Big one her knee43. What was the most offensive thing your character had ever said? she says stupid shit all the fucking time, sigh44. How does your character react/ accept criticism? blankly 45. If your character was given a slice of pineapple pizza and they HAD to eat it (or something bad would happen), how would they react? Do they even LIKE pineapple pizza? fucking loves food will c o n s u m e it46. Your character is given a voodoo doll of themself. What do they do with it? Do they see if it actually works? sheee displays it, actually! she doesn’t test it, though, she’s not stupid47. Can your character draw? What do they like to draw? Do they doodle? she cannot do jack shit48. What were their parents like? How has that affected how they are as an adult? doesn’t have any 49. Does your character like candy? Do they get sugar rushes? What are they like when they get a rush? she loves candy a shitload but isn’t really affected by it??? unless she eats like a gallon of sugar 50. If your character was presented with imminent and unavoidable death/fatality, how would they react? Would they try to avoid death anyways? Would they try to make their last days count? she honestly probably ends up avoiding it because she’s that cursed, sigh

#wow i have ocs #aster #esen #bunni #jupiter #delaney #holy fucking shit this is 7 months late thanks for waiting amber im So Sorry

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sentrava · 5 years

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Books a Million, Part XXI: Memoirs, Chick Lit & Growing Up Different

Winter tends to be my favorite time to catch up on my reading. From the week of Thanksgiving until midway through January, everyone in the tourism industry seems to disappear—it’s as if conference season is over, their budgets have been planned for the following year, and they’re taking a very lengthy hiatus. I took the opportunity over the holidays and my birthday trip to Puerto Rico to whittle down my 2019 book list, just a smidge.

Here’s everything I’ve read in the past couple months in case you’re heading on a Spring Break or summer trip of your own soon and looking for a good vacation read of your own.

Man in the (Rearview) Mirror by LaRue Cook

I’m at that point in my career where so many peers and friends are publishing books, and I can barely keep up with reading them all. But when a friend sent me a link to LaRue’s book, I bumped it up the chain and immediately ordered the paperback instead of waiting for the Kindle version to drop. LaRue and I started as writers at the UT paper, The Daily Beacon, on the same day; I was 20, he was 18, halfway through his freshman year. We immediately became journalist friends, and I was soon promoted to features editor, he one of my most reliable writers. He later went on to be the editor of the paper after I graduated.

Our lives ran parallel for years; I worked a stint at Entertainment Weekly, and he took over the same job a year or two later. He and his girlfriend at the time, another of my close college pals, moved to NYC in my final months there before moving to California, so I got to spend some time with them as my neighbors while he was getting his feet wet in sports writing for ESPN. But then, he dropped off my radar. He was never on social media back then, despite being younger than me, and I often lose touch with people I can’t track via Facebook and Instagram. I now know that’s partially because he was going through his version of an existential crisis, and after a decade with ESPN, he quit, moved back to Knoxville and became an Uber driver. While doing this (and driving more than 5,000 passengers around town), he wrote a book—a memoir told through the parallel lives of his passengers. A read that covers so many topics in the span of 234 pages: racial inequality, sexual orientation, faith and religion, his own infidelities. It’s always weird reading a memoir by someone you know, as it feels a bit like your peeling back the layers of their soul. I’d love to write something similar someday, but am not sure I’d ever be able to approach it with such honesty as LaRue did. This is a great book for anyone looking for a non-fiction read that examines how losing your pillar at a young age—in this case, LaRue’s dad at 15—can go on to shape a person’s identity as a young adult.

Hum If You Don’t Know the Words by Bianca Marais

I’m still shook by this book. You know that it’s a powerful read if you’re still thinking about it two months later. I started and finished this book at the beach in less than 24 hours, and man, it was some heavy stuff.

Taking place in an 18-month span during the height of apartheid, Hum chronicles the lives of two very different heroines—a nine-year-old white girl whose parents are slain and a 50-year-old black woman who came to the big city to track down her rebel daughter caught up in the Soweto Uprising—and at the heart of the story, impresses upon the reader how no matter the color of our skin, our sexual orientation, our religion or where we were born, no one is any greater or worse than the next human (and that good people do bad things and bad people do good things). Particularly poignant during the racial inequality happening still today, this book really tugged at my heartstrings and should be on everyone’s must-read list.

All The Missing Girls by Megan Miranda

I love me a good mystery, and All the Missing Girls is in a similar vein to Gone Girl and every Mary Kubica book I’ve ever devoured. It starts off with Nicolette, a 28-year-old teacher who had fled her small Appalachian town after high school to move to the big city, returning home to care for her ailing father—and confronting the ghosts of her past, specifically the disappearance of her best friend. Not long after she arrives, another young girl goes missing, and Nicolette makes it her mission to figure out what happened to her—and if it is indeed linked to the same missing girl from a decade prior.

Contrary to what other reviewers have written, I found the pace of this book quick and engaging, and those who like suspense will likely find it entertaining. The only thing I didn’t really care for was the erratic storytelling style in which the author kept jumping a day back in time to set the stage. It made it a bit confusing to piece together the timeline on the reader’s end. Overall, though, I’d read this book again and give it four out of five starts if I were still rating my reads.

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

We’re never really told what exactly is wrong with Eleanor Oliphant; we just know from the opening lines of the book that she’s different. And that difference takes us through her life in a deadbeat job with no friends or family to call her own, a curious character who becomes overly infatuated with a rockstar she’s never met, to the point where she begins to stalk him, both at gigs and at his own home, and even thinks he’s her boyfriend.

Socially awkward Eleanor is always saying the exact wrong thing, and she’s never even aware she’s the butt of everybody’s jokes in the office. A chance encounter, however, brings her close to a coworker who she previously had written off as uninteresting: She falls into an unexpected friendship with Raymond when they come to the rescue of an older man who has fallen in the street and needs to be taken to the hospital. This book isn’t so much plot-driven, as it is about character development, and Honeyman is a master of that particular trope. Peculiar and uplifting despite its somber undertones—alcoholism, mental illness, child abuse—Eleanor Oliphant was one of the most unexpectedly endearing books I read in the past year. The cadence of Eleanor’s narrating takes a bit of getting used to, but once you insert yourself into her mind, reading in her voice becomes second nature.

The High Season by Judy Blundell

The premise of this book—an artist and gallery curator, Ruthie, dealing with a separation who longs to keep her life in a sleepy Long Island coastal town in one piece when everything around her seems to be falling apart—made me think this was going to be a beach read (or maybe the fact that it was actually set on an island did that). But it was a bit, well, sleepier than that. It took nearly halfway through the book until I even knew what it was really about: Ruthie’s failed marriage, her career crumbling at the hands of her board and coming to grips with everything changing around her, including the loss of her home and her daughter, who is midway through high school. There was a socialite aspect to this book I kind of liked when the Hampton set arrived in the North Fork for the summer; it brought a little Sex and the City edge and scandal to what was dragging on as a mundane novel to that point.

In the end, this book was fine; not great, not terrible. I liked the art gallery aspect of it; the fact that SVV and I are part of so many groups and on various art boards these days made the book a bit more relatable. If I still gave ratings, this one would get two-and-a-half stars: very slow in parts, but enough of a story to hold my interest till the end.

The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillroy

The Wedding Date is, hands down, one of the worst books I have read ever. I am still shocked it got such positive ratings on Good Reads and Amazon—does no one read for content anymore?! I stuck with it kept waiting for the plot to develop and … nothing. In the opening pages of the book, Alexa meets Drew in an elevator, then soon after agrees to be his fake wedding date to his ex-girlfriend’s wedding. The two fall into an on-again, off-again romance, and there’s just no storyline AT ALL.

I never read any of the 50 Shades of Grey trilogy, but I imagine it was a lot like this: heavy on the sex scenes, light on the content. No thanks, not my jam. It’s a shame, too, as this could have been a powerful tale about interracial relationships and the trials faced by both side, but instead it was just plain garbage.

When Life Gives You Lululemons by Lauren Weisberger

If you loved The Devil Wears Prada, you’ll be happy to see that Lauren Weisberger is back many years later with another follow-up tale that chronicles Miranda Priestley’s assistant Emily Charlton as she navigates life’s changes after her time at Runway. (Side note: Somehow I must have missed the second in the series, Revenge Wears Prada? Anyone read it?) Emily is a fixer, an image consultant of sorts for the Hollywood set, and when her career starts to falter, she takes a job in Greenwich, Conn., trying to help a former supermodel navigate a scandal involving her senator husband while also suffering life in the suburbs.

I’ve read every other book of Weisberger’s, and while none can compare to Devil, this one is satisfying for anyone who loved the original.

Crazy, Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

I’ll admit that I had no desire to read this book until I saw the movie trailer. Then, I immediately signed up for it at my local library, but was approximately 368th on the list, no exaggeration, so it took ages to land in my inbox. And when it finally did, it was worth the wait—nothing at all like I expected.

Rachel Chu is a professor at NYU whose boyfriends Nicky invites her back to Singapore with him for his best friend’s wedding; little does she know, his family is basically Singapore royalty. Despite the fact that she’s Asian-American—she never knew her father, but her mother was a Chinese immigrant—many members of Nick’s snobby family doesn’t give her the time of day, particularly his mom who is out to destroy their relationship. What follows is a fascinating look into how the upper crust, the social-climbers for whom dropping a cool million on a pair of earrings is an everyday occurrence, live—private planes! private clubs! private islands!—in one of the world’s most extravagant, over-the-top cities. One of my dear friends is a Singapore native, and I fact-checked much the book with her—she says it’s very accurate to the 1% there and even knows the families upon whom the book is based.

I then watched the movie on a recent flight and was equally pleased by it. I suppose next up I’ll be reading the second and third installments of this trilogy—please tell me they’re as entertaining as the first?

The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine

You know the kind of book you think is going to end one way, then midway through, you’re hit with a whammy and completely left off-guard? That’s The Last Mrs. Parrish to a tee. Amber Patterson is a con-artist who weasels her way into heiress Daphne Parrish’s world of excess by becoming her friend in Single White Female fashion—later going as far as trying to become her, attempting to take over her husband and her home. The book ping-pongs between narrators, both Amber and Daphne, and there’s really no way to tell you anymore of the plot of Amber’s metamorphosis into Daphne without spoiling any of the zingers, of which there are many. Go. Read. This. Book!

I’m really, really hoping The Last Mrs. Parrish gets made into a movie starring (or produced by) Reese Witherspoon.

This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel

Oh my, I LOVED This Is How It Always Is. I didn’t know what it was about in the slightest, but so many people recommended it, that I immediately requested it from the library. Based on Frankel’s own experiences with having a boy who early on began identifying as a girl, this book chronicles a set of five brothers, the youngest of whom always felt different. When this feeling becomes evolves into exploration—wearing dresses, putting on makeup, playing with dolls—his parents begin to realize it’s more than just a phase. So they take steps to letting their son become their daughter by moving across the country and completely resetting their lives.

At the root of this story is the message that all families have issues, all families keep secrets—it’s how they choose to deal with them that sets them apart.

**********

Currently I’m reading The Paris Secret and A Gentleman in Moscow, neither of which have really grabbed my attention, but I’ve also got Bad Blood, Becoming, Pete Buttigieg’s Shortest Way Home and Far Away and Further Back, a memoir by my friend Holly’s dad. I guess it’s a non-fiction kind of reading month over here!

What have you read and loved so far this year?

Books a Million, Part XXI: Memoirs, Chick Lit & Growing Up Different published first on https://medium.com/@OCEANDREAMCHARTERS

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waynebomberger · 5 years

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Books a Million, Part XXI: Memoirs, Chick Lit & Growing Up Different

Here’s everything I’ve read in the past couple months in case you’re heading on a Spring Break or summer trip of your own soon and looking for a good vacation read of your own.

Man in the (Rearview) Mirror by LaRue Cook

Hum If You Don’t Know the Words by Bianca Marais

All The Missing Girls by Megan Miranda

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

The High Season by Judy Blundell

The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillroy

When Life Gives You Lululemons by Lauren Weisberger

I’ve read every other book of Weisberger’s, and while none can compare to Devil, this one is satisfying for anyone who loved the original.

Crazy, Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine

I’m really, really hoping The Last Mrs. Parrish gets made into a movie starring (or produced by) Reese Witherspoon.

This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel

At the root of this story is the message that all families have issues, all families keep secrets—it’s how they choose to deal with them that sets them apart.

**********

What have you read and loved so far this year?

from Camels & Chocolate: Travel & Lifestyles Blog http://bit.ly/2Ghl547

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