Writing great characters is a constant balancing act — you want each one to have certain quirks and character flaws, but you don’t want them to be SO zany that they’re off-putting to readers. So how can you come up with realistic traits that humanize your characters, without falling into cliché?
Luckily, this post offers a list of over 150 unique character quirks and traits that avoid cliché and can help make the people in your story much more relatable! But before we get into that, here are a few notes on what character quirks are in stories and how to use them.
What are character quirks?
A character quirk is an unusual feature that sets your character apart from others. Many of the most famous figures in literature have distinctive quirks, from Harry Potter’s lightning scar to Hercule Poirot’s mind-blowing detective abilities.
To clarify, “quirk” doesn’t just mean any descriptive quality — for example, having brown hair does nothing to make your character special. Having blue hair, however, is a different story. Basically, for something to be a quirk, it has to stand out from the pack; it has to be, well, quirky.
This might be a physical feature or something about your character’s personality. It might be a special talent (like heightened intelligence) or a paralyzing fear (like arachnophobia). But whatever it is, it should be unusual enough that readers remember it and associate it with whichever character possesses that trait.
How to use character quirks
You might think that deploying a character quirk is pretty simple — just think of one, add it to a description, and you’re done! But it’s actually a bit more nuanced than that. Here are a few ways to ensure that these quirks work effectively in your story.
Make them important to the plot
Some of the best quirks are those that end up aiding the character or contributing to the plot in some major way. For instance, one of Katniss’ traits in The Hunger Games is that she’s an exceptional hunter, and her skill with a bow and arrow ultimately helps her survive the games. Or think about the example above of Harry’s scar — not only is it a unique physical feature, but it also lets him know when Voldemort is nearby.
Don’t overuse them
Avoid making any of your characters too quirky. You don’t want any of them, especially female characters, to cross the line from unique to unbelievably idiosyncratic.
Also avoid describing these quirks in too much detail, as this can lead to overly ornate descriptions that make readers cringe. If you find yourself writing a paragraph in your YA romance about “her freckled face that looked like constellations of hazel, shimmering dots practically leaping off her countenance,” stop and reevaluate. Even when introducing a quirk, a brief mention is enough: “A puzzled expression spread across her freckled face.”
Be consistent, with occasional exceptions
Some of these traits should define how your characters act most of the time, but rules are made to be broken — which is why it’s okay to let people go against their quirks every once in a while. For example, a notoriously unfunny person might crack a decent joke, or somebody super-stoic sheds a tear. After all, if a character doesn’t defy their typical traits every once in a while, they’re at risk of becoming flat.
Try to stay original
As you’re figuring out which quirks to give your characters, do your best to be as innovative and original as possible. While almost every quirk in the book has been used at one time or another, your characters’ traits should function in different ways and create a totally unique dynamic in your story.
That being said, here are some ideas to get the ball rolling on various quirks you might use. They’re divided by physical features, personality traits, and strengths and weaknesses, for your perusing convenience. There’s also a list of clichéd quirks at the very end, so you know exactly which ones to avoid. Enjoy!
150+ useful character quirks
These traits have to do with someone’s looks or physical mannerisms.
1.Unique eye or hair color
2.Extremely short or tall
3.Some discerning physical mark — 4.birthmark, freckles, mole, or scar
5.Wears unusual glasses
6.Has braces and headgear
7.Large feet — may mean they’re clumsy
8.Bites their nails/lips or chews on their hair
9.Constantly fidgeting and can’t sit still
10.Acne, eczema, or other skin problems
11.Many tattoos or piercings
12.Often sick or has allergies (constantly 13.sniffling/blowing their nose)
14.Talks very loudly or quietly
15.Says everything like it’s a question
16.Terrible breath — may be a coffee drinker
17.Gets sweaty easily (especially when nervous)
18.Unusually hairy arms or legs
19.Very long painted nails
20.Always wears a faceful of makeup
21.Has a stutter or other speech impediment
22.Often tucks their hair behind their ears
23.Constantly chews gum
24.Always picking their teeth
25.Smokes and has a raspy voice
26.Breathes heavily or snores
27.Is extremely muscular
28.Walks very slowly or quickly
29.Left-handed or ambidextrous
30.Constantly scratching themselves
31.Has some noticeable physical tic, like a twitch
32.Always wears a distinct item of clothing or accessory — a favorite pair of socks, a lucky jersey, or even a particular shade of lipstick
If you choose to assign a specific physical quirk to character, remember to be consistent! It can be distracting to readers if someone keeps alternating between eye colors, or if they’re supposed to be extremely short, but have no trouble reaching a high shelf.
Of course, these can be some of the hardest details to remember, since physical appearance isn’t an inherent part of your character’s personality and won’t necessarily affect how they act. Try using a character profile template to keep track of these quirks so you don’t accidentally contradict yourself!And speaking of personality…
Personality
An introvert (Photo by Sweet Ice Cream Photography)
These qualities describe how someone acts and what they’re like.
33.Very introverted, quiet and reserved, keeps to themselves
34.Highly extroverted, loves socializing and meeting new people
35.Mega control freak who has to have everything their way
36.Neat freak (often coincides with control freak)
37.Total slob who never knows where anything is
38.Super stubborn and will never admit when they’re wrong
39.Brutally honest and can’t lie to save their life
40.Extremely judgmental of other people
41.Short-tempered, especially when irritated
42.Always patient, even when frustrated
43.Hilarious or odd sense of humor
44.Very hard to make them laugh
45.Loves to eat and is obsessed with food
46.Loves to drink and is constantly partying
47.Constantly complains about everything
48.Extremely loyal and will do anything for their friends/family
49.Adventurous and willing to try anything
50.Cautious and careful no matter what
51.Energetic, hardly ever needs to rest
52.Sleeps all the time and still gets tired during the day
53.Horrible sense of direction and constantly gets lost
54.Overachiever who loves school/structure
55.Really modest and won’t ever brag about themselves
56.Extremely emotional and will cry at the drop of a hat
57.Stoic and detached, rarely shows emotion
58.Wildcard whose behavior is unpredictable, even to their friends
59.Notoriously two-faced and will betray anyone
60.Charismatic and can convince anyone to do their bidding
61.Very proper and always polite to others
62.Dates tons of people and has a new boyfriend or girlfriend every week
63.Obsessive personality — whether it’s a TV show, brand, musical artist, or even another person, they’ll get attached and think/talk about it constantly
Some of these clearly match up with each other (like being adventurous and energetic), while some are opposites (like being short-tempered vs. patient). However, some might overlap even if they don’t seem like they should — for example, someone with a great sense of humor might still be hard to make laugh because they’d have very high standards for what’s funny. As you’re creating characters, think carefully about these traits and how they might relate to each other.
Strengths and weaknesses
This section contains suggestions for unique strengths and talents, as well as weaknesses or negative traits one might possess.
Strengths/talents:
64.Fantastic cook or baker
65.Skilled musician (piano, guitar, violin, etc.)
66.Artistic talent (drawing, painting, sculpting, etc.)
67.Model athlete (football, hockey, swimming, etc.)
68.Great at voices/ventriloquy
69.Can do sleight-of-hand — may be a pickpocket
70.Speaks multiple languages, even obscure ones
71.Knows everything about history
72.Mathematical or scientific genius
73.Brilliant coder and can hack into any database
74.Skilled mechanical inventor
75.Can build or put together anything
76.Super-quick logical reasoning
77.Exceptional memory/genius IQ (several of the above might fall under this one)
78.Special connection with animals
79.Super empathetic and understanding of other people
80.Extremely fast runner
81.Contortionist (can twist their body into any shape)
82.Psychic talent (can predict the future)
83.Amazing mechanic
84.Super strength, flying, invisibility or other superpowers
85.Unusually high tolerance for pain
86.Survival skills like hunting and fishing
87.Quick reflexes, acts fast in a crisis
88.Brave and fearless, not scared of anything
89.Able to talk their way out of any trouble/invent stories on the fly
Weaknesses/negative traits:
90.Awful driver
91.Always running late
92.Illegible handwriting
93.Terrible at public speaking
94.Socially awkward — hard for them to make friends
95.Has tons of credit card debt from online shopping
96.Self-destructive and always wants what’s worst for them
97.Gets blackout drunk every time they go out
98.Extremely conceited or arrogant
99.Compulsive liar
100.Manipulative of friends
101.Gets jealous over nothing
102.Often mean for no reason
103.Unbelievably self-centered
104.Extremely passive-aggressive
105.Arachnophobia (irrational fear of spiders)
106.Coulrophobia (irrational fear of clowns)
107.Agoraphobia (irrational fear of leaving the house)
108.Pantophobia (fear of everything)
Be careful how you incorporate these strengths and weaknesses, as you don’t want their inclusion to seem unnatural. After all, personality traits tend to reveal themselves on a daily basis, but this may not be true for their special talents and fears.
Indeed, sometimes the best way to use quirks like these is to surprise your reader with it at the right moment. Maybe it’s the eleventh hour, and your MC has nowhere else to turn, only for their friend’s special skill to save the day!
Also, as you can tell from both lists, there’s quite a range of strengths and weaknesses you can give your characters. Some of those talents require more practice than others, and some of the weaknesses are greater flaws than others — for instance, being a mean or manipulative person is obviously much worse than having bad handwriting. However, it’s good to be familiar with a wide range of both major and minor quirks so you can create more well-rounded characters.
Miscellaneous
These are idiosyncrasies that don’t really fit into any of the above categories, but could still be of good use in your story.
109.Dresses all in one color
110.Bedroom is decorated exactly like a Pinterest picture
111.Won’t drink still water, only sparkling
112.Refuses to use headphones and blasts their music in public
113.Always dresses too nicely for the occasion
114.Walks around barefoot, even in stores and other public places
115.Hates being inside, sleeps and goes to the bathroom outdoors
116.Can’t help but look in every mirror they pass
117.Wears a small plastic backpack everywhere
118.Preps their meals three weeks in advance
119.Drinks shots of espresso all day long
120.Sings opera in the shower
121.Makes their own (terrible) abstract art and hangs it on their walls
122.Gets super excited about Christmas and then really depressed in January
123.Refuses to wear glasses even though they need them
124.Carries around a secret teddy bear
125.Has been wearing the same friendship bracelet for three years
126.Fastidiously lint-rolls all their clothing
127.Will a shop or restaurant if someone walks in with a baby
128.Extremely superstitious (knocks on wood, avoids the number 13, etc.)
129.Drops everything other people ask them to hold
130.Likes to go out dancing by themselves
131.Prefers to have the lights off or dimmed at all times
132.Only reads books written before 1900
133.Only watches movies that get really bad reviews
134.Always wears multiple sweaters on top of each other
135.Won’t eat anything that doesn’t have bread (at least on the side)
136.Thinks they’re a time-traveler from the medieval era
137.Gives friends and family excellent homemade presents
138.Leaves the office last every day so they can push all the chairs in
139.Hates jagged numbers (always fills their gas tank to the dollar, sends emails on the hour, etc.)
140.Has an imaginary friend they still talk to, even in adulthood
141.Owns a lizard that they try and use as a guard dog
142.Listens exclusively to Britney Spears
143.Leaves little notes in library books for future readers
144.Uses tissues to hold onto poles on public transportation
145.Wears their hair in Princess Leia buns
146.Never goes a day without talking to their mom
147.Hums “In the Hall of the Mountain King” when they get stressed
148.Clucks their tongue while walking, so they sound like a horse
149.Quotes Pulp Fiction all the time
150.Loves hanging out in completely empty places
151.Convinced they’re going to die in a freak accident
152.Grows all their own food in their vegetable garden
153.Never pays for train or bus tickets
154.Can recite Shakespearean sonnets
155.Recycles and eats vegetarian, but only out of guilt
156.Has a “vision board” posted on their ceiling
157.Loves the beach but hates swimming
158.Flicks people in the forehead when they get annoyed
159.Laughs at everything, even bad jokes
160.Curates a great Instagram feed of street art
Clichéd “quirks” to avoid
Giving your characters interesting tics can cross-over into ham-fisted writing if your quirks are used way too much, like the following:
1.Pale skin
2.Crooked smile
3.“Intense” stare
4.Relentless clumsiness
5.Artificial hair colors that are supposedly natural
6.Characters thinking they’re unattractive when everyone else thinks they’re beautiful
When readers see these traits on the page, they roll their eyes and think, “Ugh, not again.” Many of these aren’t even quirks, but fairly common traits that the writer attempts to romanticize. Traits like these signify to the reader that the author has barely put any thought into developing their characters — they’ve just chosen ostensibly quirky features that are actually overused and ineffective. So stay away from them at all costs!
As we said, the business of selecting and integrating quirks is more complicated than it seems. But after reading through this guide, you should have a much better understanding of what they are and how to use them… not to mention a tremendous variety of quirks from which to choose! So will your character be a gum-chewing code genius or a short-tempered contortionist? From here on out, it’s all up to you.
What are some of your characters' quirks? Tell us in the comments below!