What makes your MC cry?
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Mine tend to cry as a result of the evil things their evil creator has done to them. Nothing specific, but I don't think I've ever had a character that's not cried at least once in their story.
But once they're done crying, they pick themselves up and fight back.
But once they're done crying, they pick themselves up and fight back.
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Frustration. Usually only the life-or-death kind, where there's just one little setback that's keeping her from doing what she knows she should.
Also: looking at the stars.
Also: looking at the stars.
Better question: what doesn't make her cry? She's way too emotional in this draft. She mostly cries about how other people feel, or how bad other people have it. I'm for sure going to have to clean that out in the rewrite, though.
When someone she hasn't seen for a long time finally returns! err...okay that's what makes me cry...HOW THE HELL YOU BEEN JAXY???!!?? *have missed you*
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Mine used to cry because of injustice, but he got over that. Now he cries only if something really bad happens to his brother (shown once in my WIP). When his brother is exceptionally nice to him he'll get a bit choked up, as well. (They've got a weird dynamic, those two.)
Another MC cries every time the knowledge that his little sister will soon die gets him to a breaking point, so about once a week.
Another MC cries every time the knowledge that his little sister will soon die gets him to a breaking point, so about once a week.
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My MC only cried once, because he has a near death experience while reliving memories of his life before the war. The hug he recieves is what finally cracks him lol
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I know that crying has to be used sparingly in a novel, or else it will lose its impact, but I struggle with that sometimes because what's wrong with crying?
Stoically bottling emotions doesn't make you a strong person. And yes, we need to keep our emotions under control, but tears are a natural release of tension. Everyone cries. Some people just work harder to keep them down.
Anyway, I know this is a thread derail, but I just don't think society should view tears as weakness. Because they are not. Period. And we should be able to write a character who can cry without having that make them a wimp.
Stoically bottling emotions doesn't make you a strong person. And yes, we need to keep our emotions under control, but tears are a natural release of tension. Everyone cries. Some people just work harder to keep them down.
Anyway, I know this is a thread derail, but I just don't think society should view tears as weakness. Because they are not. Period. And we should be able to write a character who can cry without having that make them a wimp.
Anne is kind of on the raw edge when the book opens. Her bff is supposedly dead and she never got closure by way of a funeral. (Hence "supposedly".) But I think the only good cry she has is when someone's act of kindness makes her look at herself in a new, not-so-flattering light.
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OMG, everything. I've never revised a story and not had to remove several instances of crying. It's a knee-jerk reaction.
As for the cases I've kept in: one MC cried over homesickness and then a miscarriage (sadness tears); one when he first drove his wheelchair after being stuck on the ground for months (happy/overhwelmed tears); one when his skull got fractured (owie tears); one when being chased by ghosts (fear tears). Ooh, I think in my WIP, there's going to be some anger tears for variety!
As for the cases I've kept in: one MC cried over homesickness and then a miscarriage (sadness tears); one when he first drove his wheelchair after being stuck on the ground for months (happy/overhwelmed tears); one when his skull got fractured (owie tears); one when being chased by ghosts (fear tears). Ooh, I think in my WIP, there's going to be some anger tears for variety!
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One of my MCs cried over her dead dog and another cried over her recently dead brother.
My male MC, however, has yet to cry yet...although he has in the past (ie: when his father killed his mother). Now, he prefers sarcasm over anything. >.>
My male MC, however, has yet to cry yet...although he has in the past (ie: when his father killed his mother). Now, he prefers sarcasm over anything. >.>
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The MC in my current WIP *feels* like she might cry more often than she actually allows herself to, especially if she is around other people. Which is a lot like me. I've known my husband for 17 years and we've been married for 11, and I still will do everything in my power to NOT let him see me cry. It just feels... awkward. Your face gets all misshapen and you make the most awful sounds....
Anyway, getting back on track.
There are only two times I can think of that she actually cries. The first is when she's drunk and overly-emotional/frustrated about her deteriorating relationship with her mother. The other is near the end and involves her girlfriend... but I'd rather not give anything away, so I'm shutting up now.
Anyway, getting back on track.
There are only two times I can think of that she actually cries. The first is when she's drunk and overly-emotional/frustrated about her deteriorating relationship with her mother. The other is near the end and involves her girlfriend... but I'd rather not give anything away, so I'm shutting up now.
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What makes my current mc cry:
- when she "loses" things...items, people she care about...
- when she's alone
- her thoughts overwhelm her and take over
- when she acts out on her awful thoughts
- when she disappoints the people she care about
- when can't get to her pot
He only cries twice in the entire book.....the first time when his mom comes back and they get in a fight (long story), and the second when he finds out that two people very close to him betrayed him in the most awful of ways...and that's about it ^_^"
He may have cried in the events that happened before the beginning of the book, but I think you probably only ever actually see him cry in one scene, and that's from relief. My other MC, however, probably needs a box of tissues for every other occasion. I'm thinking about cutting out the crying in some scenes. It's probably too much.
I'm thinking about cutting out the crying in some scenes. It's probably too much.- Status