: Re: Ways to make a character snap? I've approached a point in my story wherein one of my characters has just been broken out of a short stretch in prison (around a week). Seconds before being

@Sims2267584

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I think this part is a problem:

His friends understand what he has been through whilst in prison, so
they would not be unreasonably antagonistic towards him in order to
make him leave them so abruptly.

People are usually too much in their own heads to be that understanding of someone else's experiences. And why make them so understanding if it just causes you problems?

Also, when you have a group of people who think one thing or act in one way ("his friends understand..."), it's often a sign that you need to think more about the individuals in the group and differentiate their views.

For example, maybe...

Jimmy idolizes the hero, misses him, and wants him back. (Your
hero used to enjoy this adulation, but now it feels meaningless.)
Will K is impatient to have your hero back in the gang. There are a
few schemes he's had to put on hold. (And your hero suddenly starts
to see that he's just a pawn in Will's plans.)
Butterball is apprehensive about your hero getting out. While your
hero was in prison, Butterball has moved into the number two
position, and he doesn't want to lose his status. (Your hero used to
see Butterball as a joke, but now sees a threat from him.)

I don't know if this is the type of group you have in mind, but whatever it is, try to work out the details of each person's feelings. I think you will then see various ways to move forward.

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