Debilitating fears are a problem for everyone, an unfortunate part of the human experience. Whether they’re a result of learned behavior as a child, are related to a mental health condition, or stem from a past wounding event, these fears influence a character’s behaviors, habits, beliefs, and personality traits. The compulsion to avoid what they fear will drive characters away from certain people, events, and situations and hold them back in life.
In your story, this primary fear (or group of fears) will constantly challenge the goal the character is pursuing, tempting them to retreat, settle, and give up on what they want most. Because this fear must be addressed for them to achieve success, balance, and fulfillment, it plays a pivotal part in both character arc and the overall story.
This thesaurus explores the various fears that might be plaguing your character. Use it to understand and utilize fears to fully develop your characters and steer them through their story arc. Please note that this isn’t a self-diagnosis tool. Fears are common in the real world, and while we may at times share similar tendencies as characters, the entry below is for fiction writing purposes only.
Losing Other People’s Respect
Notes
Gaining and keeping the respect of our peers is such an innate desire; even those who claim they don’t care what people think of them often do desire respect on some level. When this desire turns into a fear, it can manifest in a variety of ways that may seem contradictory depending on who the character is with and what’s expected of them. Whether it be in the workplace or the character’s personal relationships, respect is hard won, and the fear of losing it can limit their personal growth and be devastating to their mindset.
What It Looks Like
Mimicking others to adhere to the group’s standards
Being susceptible to peer pressure
Avoiding confrontations to keep the peace…
Common Internal Struggles
Replaying previous conversations obsessively and focusing on what should have been said
Fearing change and new expectations from others
The character knowing the life they want but being reluctant to step toward it…
Hindrances and Disruptions to the Character’s Life
Sacrificing their social life to make a good impression at work
Overfilling their schedule to please and/or impress their peers, parents, or bosses
Dating or marrying the “wrong” person because it will please the character’s parents…
Scenarios That Might Awaken This Fear
Changing schools or jobs; having to meet new people and figure out their preferences or expectations
Seeing another person fall from grace
Overhearing gossip about a mistake someone made…
Other Fear Thesaurus entries can be found here.
Fear is a Crucial Piece of Your Character’s Arc
Because fear plays such a pivotal role in storytelling and character growth, we’ve expanded this collection and published it as a book that you can easily use as you write. The Fear Thesaurus helps authors understand the psychology behind 80 common fears and use them to create believable struggles, meaningful conflict, and powerful arcs.
For more information on this book and where it can be found, please visit our bookstore. You can also view the book at Goodreads to see what other authors are saying about it.
