How To Make Your Characters Almost Cry

How to Make Your Characters Almost Cry

Tears are powerful, but do you know what's more impactful? The struggle to hold them back. This post is for all your hard-hearted stoic characters who'd never shed a tear before another, and aims to help you make them breakdown realistically.

The Physical Signs of Holding Back Tears

Heavy Eyelids, Heavy Heart Your character's eyelids feel weighted, as if the tears themselves are dragging them down. Their vision blurs—not quite enough to spill over, but enough to remind them of the dam threatening to break.

The Involuntary Sniffle They sniffle, not because their nose is running, but because their body is desperately trying to regulate itself, to suppress the wave of emotion threatening to take over.

Burning Eyes Their eyes sting from the effort of restraint, from the battle between pride and vulnerability. If they try too hard to hold back, the whites of their eyes start turning red, a telltale sign of the tears they've refused to let go.

The Trembling Lips Like a child struggling not to cry, their lips quiver. The shame of it fuels their determination to stay composed, leading them to clench their fists, grip their sleeves, or dig their nails into the nearest surface—anything to regain control.

The Fear of Blinking Closing their eyes means surrender. The second their lashes meet, the memories, the pain, the heartbreak will surge forward, and the tears will follow. So they force themselves to keep staring—at the floor, at a blank wall, at anything that won’t remind them of why they’re breaking.

The Coping Mechanisms: Pretending It’s Fine

A Steady Gaze & A Deep Breath To mask the turmoil, they focus on a neutral object, inhale slowly, and steel themselves. If they can get through this one breath, they can get through the next.

Turning Away to Swipe at Their Eyes When they do need to wipe their eyes, they do it quickly, casually, as if brushing off a speck of dust rather than wiping away the proof of their emotions.

Masking the Pain with a Different Emotion Anger, sarcasm, even laughter—any strong emotion can serve as a shield. A snappy response, a bitter chuckle, a sharp inhale—each is a carefully chosen defence against vulnerability.

Why This Matters

Letting your character fight their tears instead of immediately breaking down makes the scene hit harder. It shows their internal struggle, their resistance, and their need to stay composed even when they’re crumbling.

This is written based off of personal experience as someone who goes through this cycle a lot (emotional vulnerability who?) and some inspo from other books/articles

More Posts from Lost-with-no-begining and Others

No matter how much you don’t deserve it, I will love you always.


Tags
9 years ago

I love her because of her quirks, not in spite of them.

Matthew Fisher on Tamed by Emma Chase (via suspend)

I thought this said squirts..dirty minded 😏..

9 years ago
Tattoos -

tattoos -

10 years ago

Cause you never think that the last time is the last time. You think there will be more. You think you have forever, but you don’t.

Meredith Grey, Grey’s Anatomy (via bl-ossomed)

2 years ago

I wish I could die. In no dramatic sort of way. I wish I could slip away and no one notice. I wish it could be peaceful. The way you expect an old dog to pass, like everyone has been waiting for it for a while.


Tags
9 years ago

I could really go for some kissing and cuddling right now

9 years ago

Everything I wish I had with you

The things I want to do with you.

cook together

fall asleep in your arms

cuddling

late night movie dates

sing together

slow dance

feed you

take care of you when you are sick

listen to all your problems

hug you when you are sad

be silly with you

pillow fights

go to the beach

play in the snow

ice skating

hold your hand in front of my friends

fall asleep on the phone

EVERYTHING.

jonaswpoetry

10 years ago

Wow

How I Feel This Morning

How I feel this morning

☆ funny tumblr

☆ funny reblogs

  • souyaswife78
    souyaswife78 liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • littlemissanonymousx
    littlemissanonymousx liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • trashykawa09
    trashykawa09 liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • a-sparrows-melody
    a-sparrows-melody liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • palerubyart
    palerubyart liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • ashtxnrxss
    ashtxnrxss liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • howtomflirts
    howtomflirts liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • ought-to-be-studying
    ought-to-be-studying liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • luzrolay
    luzrolay liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • radval
    radval liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • messywriterscorner
    messywriterscorner reblogged this · 2 weeks ago
  • lostgaytestsubject
    lostgaytestsubject reblogged this · 2 weeks ago
  • o-sn4pple
    o-sn4pple reblogged this · 2 weeks ago
  • sakurabomb
    sakurabomb reblogged this · 2 weeks ago
  • sakurabomb
    sakurabomb liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • lycanthrotea
    lycanthrotea liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • glowknight
    glowknight liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • lichijelli
    lichijelli liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • starlit-warren
    starlit-warren reblogged this · 2 weeks ago
  • starlit-warren
    starlit-warren liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • fightingbymoonlight
    fightingbymoonlight liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • lady-bee-fechin
    lady-bee-fechin liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • nightfuryobsessed
    nightfuryobsessed reblogged this · 2 weeks ago
  • khaoticemerald
    khaoticemerald liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • therealityhelix
    therealityhelix liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • alec1sagh0st
    alec1sagh0st liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • cartoonsbyandie
    cartoonsbyandie liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • nightfuryobsessed
    nightfuryobsessed liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • digiconjurer
    digiconjurer liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • digiconjurer
    digiconjurer reblogged this · 2 weeks ago
  • aikotters
    aikotters reblogged this · 2 weeks ago
  • bigolidioot
    bigolidioot liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • smebubble
    smebubble liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • pridefulrose
    pridefulrose reblogged this · 2 weeks ago
  • aerica13
    aerica13 liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • cassius-013
    cassius-013 liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • by-the-candlel1ght
    by-the-candlel1ght reblogged this · 2 weeks ago
  • thedragonchilde
    thedragonchilde liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • mirrorfalls
    mirrorfalls reblogged this · 2 weeks ago
  • caliowl333
    caliowl333 reblogged this · 2 weeks ago
  • caliowl333
    caliowl333 liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • sekai-no-koi
    sekai-no-koi reblogged this · 2 weeks ago
  • kazarme
    kazarme liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • surainlaiyq
    surainlaiyq liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • daydreaming-allday-everyday
    daydreaming-allday-everyday liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • ghostwolf777
    ghostwolf777 liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • colourfulshadows
    colourfulshadows liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • seamycelium
    seamycelium liked this · 2 weeks ago
  • graspingremlinhands
    graspingremlinhands reblogged this · 2 weeks ago
  • r3al1t7
    r3al1t7 liked this · 2 weeks ago

Just a queer unicorn 24 pansexual from Ireland🇮🇪

194 posts

Explore Tumblr Blog
Search Through Tumblr Tags