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 Autonomy
Notes
Autonomy fluctuates throughout life but will decrease with certain changes, such as getting married, having a baby, and growing old. A character who fears the loss of their independence will look for ways to maintain their freedom, sometimes at a cost to their own happiness or satisfaction.
What It Looks Like
The character moving out of their parent’s home as soon as possible
Living alone
Setting clear goals for autonomy within relationships…
Common Internal Struggles
Feeling pressured to let others help despite a desire to remain independent
Fearing that a loss of autonomy will result in a loss of identity
The character wondering if they’re being selfish or stubborn for declining help…
Flaws That May Emerge
Antisocial, Childish, Cocky, Confrontational, Defensive, Dishonest, Evasive, Hostile, Inflexible, Insecure, Irrational, Nervous, Paranoid, Resentful, Stubborn, Uncooperative, Withdrawn
Hindrances and Disruptions to the Character’s Life
Sustaining an injury at home and not having anyone to help
The character missing important events because they’re trying to hide a physical or mental decline
Stubbornly refusing helpful advice that would improve the character’s quality of life…
Scenarios That Might Awaken This Fear
Being proposed to
An unplanned pregnancy
A new spouse or child requiring changes in the character’s routine…
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.
