Stolen Child Secrets Revealed: A Parent's Heartbreaking Confession
A character's hidden secrets add depth to their personality and can create intriguing plots. Here's some guidance on crafting a rich backstory for your character who has given up a child.
That Agonizing Decision:Giving a child up for adoption or abandoning them isn't an easy choice. Whether it's due to circumstances beyond their control, personal insecurities, or just plain fear, guilt and torment often haunt the character. They may face judgement from others, making this burden something they'd rather bear alone.
Anxiety-Inducing Fears:Fear of becoming a parent, the danger of causing harm, judgement from others, being labelled, the responsibility for others, and the inability to achieve their dreams are just a few of the fears that may drive a character's need for secrecy.
Holds Them Back:Regret, emotional turmoil, an inability to live in the moment, shying away from opportunities, and embracing self-limiting beliefs are all potential effects that can hinder a character's growth and well-being.
Covers Their Tracks:Here are some behaviors and habits your character might employ to conceal their secret: never mentioning the child, pretending they died, hiding all photos, and getting rid of anything that belonged to the child.
Red Flags:Avoiding child-related settings, the visible emotional response when the subject of children comes up, and shunning family gatherings are activities or tendencies that may raise suspicions.
High Stakes Moments:People who knew the character during pregnancy asking about the baby, an old friend surfacing who knows about the child, someone from the adoptive family reaching out unexpectedly, or the child's birth record or medical records surfacing can make keeping this secret a challenge.
If you're looking for more descriptive resources, the One Stop for Writers THESAURUS database offers a wealth of information to help enrich your character development. Explore the Character Secret Thesaurus for even more ideas on creating complex and intriguing storylines. And remember, every character has their secrets. Let's uncover and explore them together.
- A writing coach can help a writer delve deeper into the psychological torment that a character experiences after giving up a child, adding layers to the character's lifestyle and relationships.
- The fashion-and-beauty industry often provides intriguing storytelling opportunities, such as a character who has given up a child juggling their high-pressure job with their inner turmoil.
- Food-and-drink establishments can serve as backdrops for a story about a character trying to distract themselves from their hidden secret, showing the contrast between their public persona and private struggles.
- A character's home-and-garden may reflect their emotional state, with signs of neglect or excessive organization revealing their struggle with their secret.
- The pet industry can offer unique perspectives, like a character having to deal with their secrets while also caring for a pet, which can highlight their loneliness or their longing for a connection.
- Travel can be a catalyst for a character's self-discovery, forcing them to confront their past and tackle the emotional journey that comes with revealing their hidden secret.
- Automobiles can symbolize the character's emotional state; for instance, a character who has given up a child might drive a car that reflects their current situation, such as a worn-out vehicle that is no longer gleaming or a luxury car that they can't seem to enjoy. Shopping sprees can also provide interesting scenarios, showing whether the character uses shopping as a coping mechanism or a way to avoid facing their past.
