The Book Life

All good writers know, that when it comes down to perfecting your art, your story is nothing without a real, meaningful character. Sure, you might have a kickass plot and poetic prose, but it will all fall flat if your character is a cardboard or just a flatter version of yourself. So how do we remedy this situation? By adding quirks and habits of course. Now I'm not saying that this is the only thing you should consider when writing a kickass character, but it can really help to know your character once you give them these idiosyncrasies. I have compiled a list of traits and quirks that I have borrowed from my nearest and dearest, workmates and complete strangers. I highly recommend people watching (Without venturing into creeper territory of course!), it's a pretty tight way of being able to compile your own list and giving your character endless depth.

Note: Some of these are physical distinguishing features so they may focus on appearence somewhere along the line.

1. Smacking lips while speaking.
2. Saying “Like” after every few words.
3. Rubbing elbow.
4. Playing with fringe
5. Tossing head to get hair out of eyes
6. Playing with hair.
7. Clasping hands together and rubbing right thumb over left thumb or vice versa
8. Jogging legs
9. Saying “Um” a lot.
10. Humming when trying to think of something.
11. Gesticulating heavily while speaking.
12. Laughing when nervous/uncomfortable.
13. Pulling sleeves/hem down on shirt.
14. Pulling trousers with feet
15. Sticking nose up in the air when up to no good.
16. Pursing lips when embarrassed
17. Placing hand on arm whenever you talk to someone.
18. Pulling ponytail over shoulder and then back again
19. Crossing and uncrossing legs
20. Exhaling heavily through nose
21. Constantly clearing throat
22. Sucking teeth.
23. Constantly checking and re-checking the time
24. Walks fast, head down. Can walk three miles in under an hour.
25. Corrects grammar/pronunciation
26. Doesn't cover mouth/nose when sneezing or coughing.
27. Gets irrationally angry at noisy eaters/breathers/clicking buttons
28. Never gives change to homeless people.
29. Constantly complains about the weather. Even when the weather is good.
30. Cracks all joints in body.
31. Bends body backwards to stretch muscles in back.
32. Puts hands on hips when surveying a room.
33. Gets jealous of people they think is a threat to their “perfect” world.
34. Wipes forehead and licks lips constantly.
35. Has a hairy chest.
36. Indecently proportioned feet/hands for height.
37. Always carries an odour of B.O.
38. Is very jumpy.
39. Always asks people to repeat themselves when asked a question with “What?”
40. Shuffles feet when walking.
41. Gets irrationally angry when hungry or tired.
42. Stands with their feet wide apart, rocks hips back and forth unconsciously.
43. Left eye twitches.
44. Has uneven stubble.
45. Constantly plucking upper lip/eyebrows.
46. Distinct accent, not related to region they are in.
47. Always speaks about his/herself.
48. Uses words in the wrong context.
49. Interrupts people during conversation.
50. Slowly trails off when they believe no one is listening.
51. Digs nails into palms when angry.
52. Cries when angry.
53. Swears when startled.
54. Punctuates every sentence with a vulgarity.
55. Compulsively sniffs.
56. Clears throat obnoxiously.
57. Spits.
58. Ends each sentence, so that it sounds like a question, even if it's not.
59. Softly spoken.
60. Doesn't speak unless spoken to.
61. Has no sense of personal space.
62. Tells cheesy jokes.
63. Speaks rapidly when happy/excited.
64. Over uses  malapropisms (e.g. My sciences are blocked - My sinuses are blocked)
65. Laughs at random intervals. Even if no one is around at the time.
66. Stutters when nervous.
67. Voice goes low/quiet on the verge of tears.
68. Has a dirty laugh.
69. Calls all women “Love”, calls men “Mate”
70. Struggles to start a conversation.
71. Always under the impression that they are hated/disliked.
72. Has little or no modesty.
73. Sings under breath when they think no one is looking.
74. Stares off into space when they fall into a daydream.
75. Taps feet against the floor when sitting down.
76. Taps fingers on the table.
77. Blows upwards on fringe.
78. Holds an obsession with famous people/people of power.
79. Social Media addict.
80. Pulls on bottom lip when trying to think.
81. Taps coins on the counter, when waiting to pay for something.
82. Cries at sad movies.
83. Listens to music obsessively.
84. Rubs thumb on inside of wrists.
85. Restless. Can't stay still for more than five minutes.
86. Taps wrist when asking for time.
87. Tilts hand in drinking gesture when offering a drink.
88. Constantly taking glasses off and cleaning them.
89. Tears up pieces of paper and scatters them.
90. Pulls grass up from its roots, every time they sit on it.
91. Ums and ah's before answering a question.
92. Gets irrationally angry when waiting in long queue.
93. Gets flustered when confronted with attention from the opposite sex.
94. Serial farter. Makes no attempt to hide this.
95. Swings arms and claps hands. May also kick legs when feeling out of place.
96. Starts their sentences with “So...”
97. Twists a swatch of fabric around their fingers.
98. Pings an elastic band on their wrist.
99. Bobs head to music.
100. Stops and looks into every mirror they pass.