Communities

Writing
Writing
Codidact Meta
Codidact Meta
The Great Outdoors
The Great Outdoors
Photography & Video
Photography & Video
Scientific Speculation
Scientific Speculation
Cooking
Cooking
Electrical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Judaism
Judaism
Languages & Linguistics
Languages & Linguistics
Software Development
Software Development
Mathematics
Mathematics
Christianity
Christianity
Code Golf
Code Golf
Music
Music
Physics
Physics
Linux Systems
Linux Systems
Power Users
Power Users
Tabletop RPGs
Tabletop RPGs
Community Proposals
Community Proposals
tag:snake search within a tag
answers:0 unanswered questions
user:xxxx search by author id
score:0.5 posts with 0.5+ score
"snake oil" exact phrase
votes:4 posts with 4+ votes
created:<1w created < 1 week ago
post_type:xxxx type of post
Search help
Notifications
Mark all as read See all your notifications »
Q&A

Post History

50%
+0 −0
Q&A Establishing trust with a Shapeshifter

Have a conversation first. Explain herself to her confidant, make it clear she IS a shapeshifter, and willing to prove it, until the person she is talking to demands a demonstration. Then provide ...

posted 6y ago by Amadeus‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Answer
#4: Attribution notice removed by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-19T22:13:25Z (over 4 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/36244
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T08:51:24Z (over 4 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/36244
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by (deleted user) · 2019-12-08T08:51:24Z (over 4 years ago)
### Have a conversation first.

Explain herself to her confidant, make it clear she IS a shapeshifter, and willing to prove it, until the person she is talking to demands a demonstration. Then provide the demonstration.

You can think of this as a form of intimacy, she has been keeping something about herself private. So write it similar to revealing a long held romantic attraction to another person: You don't typically announce that by taking all your clothes off, or trying to take theirs off, or even trying to kiss them if you are not certain they wish to be kissed in that moment.

You would approach it with talk, perhaps obliquely ("what do you think of shapeshifters?") or more directly.

You don't have to equate it too directly with romance (unless that helps your story), but the dynamic of the reveal is similar. The shapeshifter feels the reveal is necessary, but is fearful of how the reveal will change their relationship. She desires a more intimate level of interaction, but may be rejected and lose a friend.

It will be easier (on the confidant) if they are the ones that demand proof of this claimed shapeshifting ability.

#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2018-05-18T11:35:43Z (almost 6 years ago)
Original score: 3