Came real close yesterday... Why are we so cruel to our characters???? 
They just want to be happy!
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Feb '23last reply
Mar '23- 38
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There are certain parts of my story that have brought me to the brink of tears.It's often a double-dip when it's a comic, because you write it in the script like "aaaaah my feeliiiings! 
" and then a few months later, you draw those pages like "Oh no not again! My feeliiiiings!!!! "
I don't know if I'd say that I'm being cruel to my characters, I'm being cruel to me. Sometimes I find myself staring at a wall just thinking, "Damn, my characters have a better life than mine." I feel myself lost in my own story and somewhat realized I'll lose a piece of myself as the story ends. Though that could just be how a lot of writers feel about their works but I could just be too attached to something that isn't that serious.
Not my comic, at least not yet, because it's supposed to be light-hearted. But other things I've written have made me tear up a bit; things get very sad in the novella I've written.
Yes. When I write myself to a corner, exhausted out of idea and motivation, then wondering why I am doing this to myself.
Joke aside, I feel no particularly strong emotion to what is happening and the characters.
Thank goodness I can't draw! That sounds like torture...
Oh, definitely feel this... Probably part of why I could never write a stand-alone novel. Just get so invested!
Probably a good thing it hasn't made you cry then! 
Hahaha! Yes. There's that too...
Honestly, that's the best kind of crying.
Yes ;-;
I often listen to sad music that sets the mood when I write and sometimes everything just clicks and I turn into a bubbling mess.
I am cruel to my characters in order to succeed in making the audience love them. Especially when the villain(s) who traumatized them are destestable douchebags.
I made a long scene and I think I must be the cruelest to my Main character out of everyone, and I can't say that I'm proud of it. Worse, I thought to myself, "Someday, My MC will have to discover the truth of what happened to his family, and tribe" the tragedy and horror that happened since the day he was born.
Ah yes, music is so crucial in helping set the mental tone while writing/drawing, even if it does create a bubbling mess!
See... I'm also cruel to my readers (sorry readers!), because I love having a POV from the 'villain's side' of things and forcing my readers to be conflicted about how they feel. "You were just such a jerk to the MC two chapters ago!! But now you're making me laugh?! GAHHHH!!"
I mean... it does make sense that we would feel guilty about doing such cruel things to our MCs. They are basically a piece of ourselves--or at minimum feel like a close friend. Why would we be proud about torturing them?! These things just happen on their own. It's not our fault!
One scene yes. My character becomes mated to a mermaid that he rescues from an aquarium holding tank. He sends her back to the ocean where she could be happy. Their goodbye scene killed me to write.
Usually do mutli-POV capturing both sides of whatever conflict I'm writing. Sometimes the 'villain' is a true villain, sometimes their upbringing has given them views that are contrary to the hero's but can be swayed to good, and sometimes their actions against the hero can be completely justified.
Aww, the 'be free' goodbye.. That kills me too.
It was a rough scene, but it had to be done. Haha. The guy was also a single dad, so he really couldn't run off to be with her as much as he couldn't expect her to leave her home.
Actually yes. But more so because I got the chance to start and finish their story after like 7 years. Writing my characters become their authentic selves in the span of this time period felt so rewarding. Especially when I got to share it with others.
I plan to go more in depth with the stories I tell in regards to mature themes. I won’t hold back either. Who knows, maybe some stranger will stumble upon my comics one day and tell how it made them cry in the comments section 🤷‍♂️.
Wow, that's incredible. 7 years is an impressive journey! I would cry after that too.
That's every storyteller's dream, right?
There were some scenes that brought me close to crying when I was planning them out (...or some future scenes), but then when I was actually drawing I kinda... drew them with a satisfied laugher? 
like, 'hey readers, I hope you like this part!'
Thanks a lot! I’m so glad I was able to get it done at all. Beginning to endgame. And I did it all while posting new episodes on the website consistently.
Amen to that last part. It’s a dream.
Hahaha, we are one-in-the-same. When I'm writing I'm all 
, then when I'm reviewing/editing the chapter I'm like 'mwahaha 
'
My series is a comedy, so there aren't many sad moments, but there are some personal qualities I'll sometimes inject into my work that can be difficult to write.
I made my best friend tear-up with the final FINAL ending of my webcomic trilogy that I had planned... and it was just a small summary. I made her tear-up with the scrapped one too (she's usually my gauge before I post on Tapas since she's always on sites like that). I'm not sure if I'd cry at my own work though. I used to, but now that particular part is... not on.
I do make myself laugh like yesterday. Whenever I write jokes it's like I'm performing a chain of combos since I have this rule where every line has to transition perfectly with one another (I call it the "Ghostbusters Rule"). I have a blast whenever I'm able to make the scene last longer.
I do tense up or get scared as well. Like there's points where I'm like "I can't believe I'm writing this". Usually when that happens I go overboard and we have to cut stuff out.... but we've gotten away with crazier stuff on the site that some of the stuff that I consider overboard might make it through so I dunno.
Just like Fate Zero. Multiple perspectives, philosophical conflicts, etc. I like that.
My story will get to that point eventually. Questioning the moralities of each side 
Only difference is that they are heroic characters.
Yes, it did really close to it recently. A story has to be turbulent just like the real life is. I hope that my story does bring out the emotion on my readers as well that's probably the best accomplishment if you make your readers feel many ways, just like a rollercoaster of life 
Well yes, I make my characters suffer and according to some readers it affects their kokoros a lot 
Well, some have commented to me, but so far we have not advanced to one of the most difficult parts that I have written so far.
a few parts have, i find it can give soem gravitas to what i am writtin,and thinking of the implications of it adds to the emotion
I dunno, some of my characters don't actually want to be happy ... and they're also the ones I tend to cry over the most :'D
My question though, is 'Have you spent so much time with sad scenes in your story that they don't make you cry anymore because you've become a soulless husk who's desensitized to horrible things happening to your characters?'
Too true. We often put a lot of ourselves into our work, even unintentionally sometimes. For me it's often a character with a lack of confidence (and the fallout from that).
Ohhhh I need a friend like this! You're lucky.
It's always good stuff. Especially when you can have a reader convinced one side is right, then change their mind. Not easy to do though!
100% agree! The more realistic the emotions, the more people will connect with it.
Sounds like your readers are going to be emotionally WRECKED, haha. (Sorry, I shouldn't laugh.... but also... hahahah poor readers.)
For sure - if it's not just sad, but impacts things on a deeper level, has secondary meaning and consequences, it'll always hit harder.
HAHAH! Not there yet, but working hard on it. Check back with me this time next year. 
Hahaha, I laugh at this too xD. Yeah, yeah, I'll see what happens when that time comes. POOR READERS!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Way too many times I might cry more than my readers when I write some parts, I think I’m too attached to the characters and the story 
yes oh lord several times and I can't wait for those scenes to destroy my readers, but oh lord I re-read one of them today and I got so upset so it still packs a punch. I just want happiness for my characters, i swear.
I´m emotionally attached to my characters and it´s very easy to make me cry, the story I´m writing
right now has not and will not make me cry. I have one other story I´m working on with a sad
resolution and a sad backstory of the villain which will probably make me cry when I have to draw it
Hmm, as of now no lol. My series is more on the comedic side of things and I’ve always found it difficult for me to cry with fictional material. I guess something that has made me teary eyed is imagining when I end my series. I think I can finally be proud of myself for being able to complete something so long.
Uh...
Can I just say that it's not really my fault for making my MC get tortured by a crazy bloodthirsty madman?
1 month later
closed Mar 14, '23
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