My Moon And Stars 💫

Hello hello! I love your blog and its really helping me get back into writing after an uncomfortably long burnout break. My question is how would you write a character slowly going insane because of their circumstances and the things they are forced to endure to go through them? Thank you so much in advance?

Hi, I'm so glad you've been finding it helpful! I went over some of this in a bit more detail in my previous post answering a similar question (how to write a character slowly going insane from their world going out of their control), but it won't hurt to address it again.

Have a Baseline:

When writing a character who is slowly going insane due to external factors and challenges, it's important to start by introducing your character at a point where they're relatively stable mentally, showing their personality, goals, and relationships to give a general idea of how their life normally was before the deterioration of their mental stability. This will allow the readers to see for themselves what changes and shifts occurred, as well as their consequences.

Stressors:

Identify the key events or circumstances that will gradually wear down your character's sanity—whether it be external factors (intense stress, a traumatic experience, isolation, facing a series of challenges they aren't equipped or prepared to handle), internal, or both. In any case, it's important to have a clear reason in place.

Internal Struggle:

As the character starts to feel more and more pressure and stress, the initial signs of distress will start to show, both in their thoughts and behaviour. Using internal monologue or stream-of-consciousness narration to show their mental state. It may start with the character questioning themselves and behaving irrationally, then change to risky or self-destructive behaviour as their perceptions become increasingly distorted.

Thanks for asking! Happy writing ❤

colmar

© 2023  Yiannis Krikis

May Prompts 🌺

Word prompts to use for doodling or writing

strawberries

adventure

golden hour

lake house

picnic

mayflower

nostalgia

homecoming

juice box

farmer’s market

morning light

birdsong

drive-in theater

island

photographs

riptide

coffee-to-go

tree house

instrument

cerulean

porch

animal shelter

lemonade

potted plant

spirit

milkshake

orchids

field

petrichor

sketching

memory lane

Bernie Wrightson - House of Mystery #225 Cain introduction splash (1974) Source

Ophelia by Friedrich Heyser

💎 20 Random Writing/Art Prompts 💎

Happy Birthday

It's Love

Clean Up

Court Order

Hotel Booking

Motor Racing

Be Brief

Driving Hazards

Talkative

Book Keeping

In Colour

X Marks the Spot

Get a Grip

Eye Test

Authorized

Treasure Quest

Film Clip

Spring Clean

Sail Away

Big Deal