Hello Readers, T.C. Arc here! Today’s post will be about siblings and how to realistically portray them in writing. I find that frequently in writing siblings are portrayed as always being nice and friendly with each other or the extreme opposite where siblings are each other’s absolute nemesis. Now, of course, we should be nice to our siblings and strive to have a good relationship with them but part of the fun of having siblings is being able to joke around with them.
Even if you are portraying siblings in a fictional setting, most of your audience will appreciate characters with accurate and relatable relationships. A great spot for inserting sibling banter is when two siblings are greeting each other. I don’t know a lot, if any, people who greet their siblings with “bro” or “sis.” A nickname (weird, random, or normal) or simply making a face is a funny and more realistic way of having siblings greet each other.
Unless your characters are rich/royal then they may have smaller living quarters, thus siblings have to share a room. When you live so close to another person, their habits that tick you off become apparent quickly. Whether it’s because one person snores, is disorganized, or always has music playing, there is plenty of room for teasing or disagreement between the two or more siblings.
Although seats aren’t assigned in our house, my siblings and I usually tend to sit in the same spot every time. So, when someone sits in a different seat than usual bribery/tickling may be necessary to get your seat back. Calling shotgun for the front seat also frequently occurs between a lot of siblings. In a fantasy setting, it could be changed to sitting in the front of the carriage or something with a similar idea.
Siblings are infamous for being annoying but they can also be your partners in crime and your best friend. Showing siblings who have a close relationship is still a great way to write characters, however sprinkling realistic banter and situations is an opportunity for improvement.
That’s all for today Readers, I hope you are enjoying your summer! I thought I would have time to rest but it’s been the complete opposite. To be fair, all the activities I’ve been able to do so far have been full of fun so all in all it’s been great. Also, tomorrow is A.G.’s birthday so be sure to send her a quick birthday message! Next week we will be counselors at a summer camp so apologies if the post is shorter than usual. See you next time!
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T.C. Arc is a calligraphy-loving teen, and lives in Texas. When not writing, she loves to work on crafts of all kinds. She is the co-founder of Silver Arc. She is the author of Hey There Delilah.