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.
Leaving No Legacy
Notes
There are different kinds of legacies. Sometimes, it’s accumulating something substantial, such as money or land, for one’s children. In other cases, a legacy is a worthwhile accomplishment that will be remembered after the character’s death. Legacy is often tied up in purpose, resulting in a character with this fear going to any length to leave their mark and prove that their life had meaning and substance.
What It Looks Like
Being ambitious
Accumulating wealth or status (degrees, membership in exclusive clubs, etc.)
Protecting the legacy above all else…
Common Internal Struggles
Feeling guilty for missing family milestones in pursuit of the legacy
Wanting to leave a legacy despite knowing it won’t last forever
Grappling with the fear of dying without having left a mark…
Hindrances and Disruptions to the Character’s Life
An inability to balance the legacy with other areas of life
Missing important family events because of the character’s single-minded dedication to the legacy
Being unable to enjoy life outside of the legacy…
Scenarios That Might Awaken This Fear
Seeing someone fade into obscurity after their death
The character’s parent dying with nothing to leave for their heirs
A long-standing record of the character’s being broken…
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.
