How To Write A Character Who Feels Like Throwing Up

How to Write a Character Who Feels Like Throwing Up

When fear, dread, or guilt gets sickening—literally—your character is consumed with a gut-clenching feeling that something is very, very wrong. Here's how to write that emotion using more than the classic "bile rose to the back of their throat".

Start with the Stomach

This isn’t just about discomfort. It’s about a complete rebellion happening inside their body.

Their stomach twists like a knot that keeps pulling tighter

A cold sweat beads on their neck, their palms, their spine

Their insides feel sludgy, like everything they’ve eaten is suddenly unwelcome

They double over, not from pain, but because sitting still feels impossible

Add Sensory Overload

Vomiting isn’t just a stomach reaction—it’s the whole body.

Their mouth goes dry, and then too wet

Their jaw tightens, trying to contain it

A sudden heat blooms in their chest and face, overwhelming

The back of their throat burns—not bile, but the threat of it

Breathing becomes a conscious effort: in, out, shallow, sharp

Emotional Triggers

Nausea doesn’t always need a physical cause. Tie it to emotion for more impact:

Fear: The kind that’s silent and wide-eyed. They’re frozen, too sick to speak.

Guilt: Their hands are cold, but their face is flushed. Every memory plays like a film reel behind their eyes.

Shock: Something just snapped inside. Their body registered it before their brain did.

Ground It in Action

Don’t just describe the nausea—show them reacting to it.

They press a fist to their mouth, pretending it’s a cough

Their knees weaken, and they lean on a wall, pretending it’s just fatigue

They excuse themselves quietly, then collapse in a bathroom stall

They swallow, again and again, like that’ll keep everything down

Let the Consequences Linger

Even if they don’t actually throw up, the aftermath sticks.

A sour taste that won’t leave their mouth.

A pulsing headache

A body that feels hollowed out, shaky, untrustworthy

The shame of nearly losing control in front of someone else

Let Them Be Human

A character feeling like vomiting is vulnerable. It's real. It’s raw. It means they’re overwhelmed in a way they can’t hide. And that makes them relatable. You don’t need melodrama—you need truth. Capture that moment where the world spins, and they don’t know if it’s panic or flu or fear, but all they want is to get out of their own body for a second.

Don't just write the bile. Write the breakdown.

More Posts from Little-infj-cafe and Others

2 months ago

Persephone, I’m sorry I forgot to wear the bracelets out, but I took some pretty photos of flowers to make it up to you.

Persephone, I’m Sorry I Forgot To Wear The Bracelets Out, But I Took Some Pretty Photos Of Flowers
Persephone, I’m Sorry I Forgot To Wear The Bracelets Out, But I Took Some Pretty Photos Of Flowers
Persephone, I’m Sorry I Forgot To Wear The Bracelets Out, But I Took Some Pretty Photos Of Flowers
Persephone, I’m Sorry I Forgot To Wear The Bracelets Out, But I Took Some Pretty Photos Of Flowers

I hope you like them 🙏🏻

Flowers may not last forever, but the impact you and they have on me does.


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1 month ago

That last one thooooo

if u dont mind, could u do some more enemies to lover + one bed trope dialogs and prompts?

all my love for this req anon<3

enemies to lovers w/ one bed trope - prompts and dialogue.

@celestialwrites for more!

♡ both characters grumbling about the one bed situation but one finds them self secretly blushing.

♡ "there is no way i'm getting in a bed with you." "you're welcome to the floor."

♡ as they both get into bed, one says "touch me and die."

♡ both making a pillow wall between them, only for it to be destroyed somewhere along the night.

♡ one wakes up screaming in the middle of the night, leaving their 'enemy' to comfort them.

♡ "i hate you." "as long as you don't hog the covers, i don't care." (they really did care.)

♡ one nudging the other while they're both tucked in because they like seeing their enemy rattled.

♡ "woah, it's cold." their enemy's sleepy form threw something in their direction, it was the enemy's sweater.

♡ unintentionally huddling together for body warmth.

♡ both unable to sleep (due to fears of nightmares) so they both stay up in bed and somewhere along the late night, they start talking and sharing about their pasts.

♡ "you're not sleeping?" "nope." "why not?" "don't want you to stab me the second i close my eyes." "i won't."

♡ cuddling up to each other for warmth, "this never happened?" "deal." except both of them can't stop thinking about it for weeks after.

REBLOG TO SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL WRITERS<3


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1 month ago

Writing Tips

Punctuating Dialogue

➸ “This is a sentence.”

➸ “This is a sentence with a dialogue tag at the end,” she said.

➸ “This,” he said, “is a sentence split by a dialogue tag.”

➸ “This is a sentence,” she said. “This is a new sentence. New sentences are capitalized.”

➸ “This is a sentence followed by an action.” He stood. “They are separate sentences because he did not speak by standing.”

➸ She said, “Use a comma to introduce dialogue. The quote is capitalized when the dialogue tag is at the beginning.”

➸ “Use a comma when a dialogue tag follows a quote,” he said.

“Unless there is a question mark?” she asked.

“Or an exclamation point!” he answered. “The dialogue tag still remains uncapitalized because it’s not truly the end of the sentence.”

➸ “Periods and commas should be inside closing quotations.”

➸ “Hey!” she shouted, “Sometimes exclamation points are inside quotations.”

However, if it’s not dialogue exclamation points can also be “outside”!

➸ “Does this apply to question marks too?” he asked.

If it’s not dialogue, can question marks be “outside”? (Yes, they can.)

➸ “This applies to dashes too. Inside quotations dashes typically express—“

“Interruption” — but there are situations dashes may be outside.

➸ “You’ll notice that exclamation marks, question marks, and dashes do not have a comma after them. Ellipses don’t have a comma after them either…” she said.

➸ “My teacher said, ‘Use single quotation marks when quoting within dialogue.’”

➸ “Use paragraph breaks to indicate a new speaker,” he said.

“The readers will know it’s someone else speaking.”

➸ “If it’s the same speaker but different paragraph, keep the closing quotation off.

“This shows it’s the same character continuing to speak.”

1 month ago

I just got my first full manuscript request and my brain thought it was a good time to question the entire plot

2 months ago

Dialogue Responses

"Don't look at me like that."

"I can't help it."

"Simply impossible."

"Just don't look back."

"I'm not looking at you."

"Then stop being so cute."

"How am I looking at you?"

"Why? Does it bother you?"

"Can't take my eyes off of you."

"Sorry, but it will happen again."

"How would you like me to look at you?"

All the Dialogue Responses can be found here.

If you like my blog and want to support me, you can buy me a coffee or become a member! 🥰

1 month ago

Me when I finally found someone to share all of my writer brainrot autism and stories and characters with

Me When I Finally Found Someone To Share All Of My Writer Brainrot Autism And Stories And Characters
2 months ago

Mine came from the fact that I am short, an infj, and… was honestly looking for some kind of vibe. The word cafe seemed to fit. Also my moot in here helped me set up my account, so she had a little say, too.

No pressure, @chaiandpages @axtnoi-i @castorbit @hoardingwritinginspo

Tag game🎉

Tag your moots and ask them where they got the idea for their tumblr accounts name!

For my name it was a nickname I was giving back in middleschool! One of our teacher had a system where we worked with 'wifi' eachtime we talked in class we lost a bar of the "wifi" (was a weird joke and we never held count on that) All the kids usually joked if they needed 'wifi' , they would borrow mine if they wanted to talk more. (I was incredibly shy in middle school, I only talked to like 3 people at school;^;)

They called me Ms. Wifi because of that. I just thought it would be funny if I put 'miss' instead of 'ms' because of my terrible actual wifi connection I have at home lol.

That's my story! Now moots, only if you guys want to, tell us your story.

Tags-> @slipping-lately @firequeenofficial @noagskryf @twinklstarrrr @halfbakedspuds @polterwasteist @rokushi-san @mygedagtes +anyone that sees this and wants to do this as well

4 weeks ago
From The Anatomy Of A Character - Luna Azzurra *~*

From The Anatomy Of a Character - Luna Azzurra *~*

2 months ago

I won’t say it wasn’t meant to be, because it was. We were. Only for a short while, maybe. But we were.

Unknown

1 month ago

Writing Prompt #12

I’m sorry I could not love you the way you needed me to.


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little-infj-cafe - littleinfjcafe's blog
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