: Re: How to show that a character cares for another, but is also clumsy? This is about a father who returns after a particularly long journey. Typically, he's not available very often anyway, but

@Sent2472441

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Let it be awkward.

I see you already got this advice, and there's a reason for it. People in general go through machinations of all sorts just to keep things from "being awkward" between them and someone else. This is actually something that women in particular are taught to do. Make it seem like everything is okay, even if you're dying inside, because the other person might end up feeling bad if you don't.

But you're not a character; you're the writer. You don't need to make everything okay. You need to show it as it is.

To my mind, the daughter is the main emotional driver here. Her father has basically abandoned her for years (in whole or in part) and she has built up an image in her mind of someone who doesn't actually exist (no one's image of someone else they don't really know can be real). She imagines that she's finally hit on the thing that will make him a good father to her: she will make him proud. And then everything will be okay.

Of course that is baloney. His not being available to her when she was younger, and him leaving on a long trip, is not her fault and she can't fix it. Nothing she does can give her the father she wants.

So he's here and he loves her and wants to show her he loves her but all she can do is focus on the one thing she is sure is going to fix their relationship. That's a lot of pressure for anyone and he's already the type to bail. So he's either going to bail again or he's going to fight the urge and that is going to take up a lot of his focus.

She's not listening to him and he's not listening to her. Awkward will be the best outcome.

Show him trying and your reader will see that. They'll also see how hard she's trying and how they both are missing the mark. You don't have to do much and a light hand is better than heavy feeeeeliiiiingssss talks. Let it be what it is.

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