: Re: How do you show an introverted, socially awkward character is kind? I have a character for whom three of their most prominent traits are meant to be their kindness/high degree of empathy, social

@Annie587

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I think your character needs something you haven't mentioned, an existing 'wound' – life experience has taught them it is not ok to be so demonstrative. This 'wound' doesn't need to be melodramatic or freudian, but they know often acts of kindness don't go in the direction they intended, or lead to unwanted consequences. They have learned to avoid irritating the wound – in story terms you don't emphasize the character's handicap, instead you show them getting around with a crutch. You leave the actual 'wound' to be filled in by the reader's imagination.

From your character description, you can justify their hesitation to demonstrate kindness is linked to their social awkwardness. There's no awkwardness about helping a kitten, and there are no social obligations after random acts of kindness to strangers. Their instinct is to rush to help everyone, but experience has taught that it's better ('normal') to stifle this instinct. Those social defenses are like a dam holding back a flood.

Rather than hide it, you might fix the character by showing us the opposite. Take every opportunity to wear their heart on their sleeve, to cry at movies, save all the kittens, and carry groceries for elderly people (but dodge the tip). They've found ways to release this urge, but they've learned to lock it down or things get awkward. Helping people isn't the problem so they've learned to work around the existing 'wound'. It's second nature now so they may not even be conscious of it.

Lots of superheroes have secret identities, maybe that's why? But it's exhausting to pretend to be something you're not, ergo it feeds into their introversion and social isolation. The key is not to have random Save the Cat moments that seem out of character, but instead to show them constantly committing acts of kindness and then covering it up (even denying it) to avoid the inevitable awkwardness.

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