bramlouisgreenfeld:

ahhh thank you so much!! this really means a lot, i’ve actually spent a bunch of time trying to figure out how to write andrew because he’s such a unique character and i don’t think i’m 100% accurate but it’s really flattering to hear people think i’m good at writing him ahah <3 i’ve also written a bit on andrew here, which doesn’t quite answer your question but honestly i just spent ages on it and it has a lot of my thoughts on Understanding Andrew so

the number one tip is obviously to reread the books and just pay close attention to him. we see him through neil’s eyes, so until the last book neil does not have an accurate read on andrew, so you’ve got to be aware of that in trying to get an objective idea of who andrew is.

then i have a few things that i try to keep in mind when writing andrew. the first is that he has a really strict moral code - to me, he’s a lawful neutral (that doesn’t all fit perfectly; essentially it just means to me that he has a strong sense of what should and should not happen, but it does not really align with anyone else’s morals). for instance, he doesn’t lie. he doesn’t necessarily tell the truth, and he avoids it whenever possible, and when he’s medicated he makes a lot of jokes that dance around the truth. so he isn’t an honest person, but he does not lie. and he’ll bend any rule or moral in order to fulfill his promises and protect his people. 

when it comes down to it, andrew’s actions are relatively easy to predict - he will do what it takes to follow his own rules. he will protect kevin, aaron, and eventually neil, and he has his hierarchy of people. he has his topics to avoid. and then beyond that, he’s pretty much just in pursuit of a reason to keep going. he wants things to be interesting. so outside of his promises, he’s pretty fucking chaotic just because that’s more interesting. exy is more interesting when he’s fucking it up; kevin’s more interesting when he’s pissed off; and then neil’s just plain interesting. 

actions-wise in writing, while on medication he moves a lot and grins a lot and it’s all very sharp imagery. post-medication, he’s still. that’s pretty much the only guidelines. he always has a flat tone, though. he’s not an expressive person and that’s intentional. this is similar to how he talks - on the medication, he’ll joke and make references and it’s very jarringly larger than life. off medication, he doesn’t really spare words or movement. he does and says as little as possible and he’s a lot more likely to stare at someone who doesn’t get it (because they should be able to put it together, it’s not his problem if they don’t) than explain himself. a lot of this adds up to the general person seeing him as super standoffish and a dick and dishonest, when in actuality he just isn’t going to guide a horse to water.

i don’t know. this isn’t by any means comprehensive, because andrew is a really really complex character, and i’m definitely no expert. these are just the things i try to keep in mind when writing him? like it’s important to remember that he literally does not care. it’s important to remember his trauma and how it’s affected him (but obviously we don’t know all the details of it so there’s only so far that goes). it’s important to notice the differences from him being on meds and after. there are lots of intricacies so i really do suggest just doing a reread of the books and trying to pick out certain scenes - especially in the early books when neil’s just ???? about him - and trying to pick apart his motivations. that’s what i found helped me get to grips with him best. 

hope this helps <3