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.
Fear will hold your character back in the story and affect how they see themselves and the world. Below is a sample of the entry found in our Fear Thesaurus at One Stop for Writers. To access the full entry and the full range of topics in this powerful show-don’t-tell THESAURUS database, start a free trial.
Fear of Sickness
Notes
Being sick is typically annoying, unpleasant, and sometimes painful. Many people are especially worried now, after the pandemic, about coming down with something. But it becomes a real problem when the fear of sickness begins to dictate a character’s very livelihood and ability to function in society.
What It Looks Like
Frequent hand washing
Carrying sanitizer or wipes
Keeping a distance from others
…
Common Internal Struggles
The character constantly worrying that they’re coming down with something
Struggling with loneliness
The character feeling shame for their compulsive behaviors
…
Flaws That May Emerge
Antisocial, Compulsive, Cynical, Fussy, Inflexible, Irrational, Judgmental, Morbid, Nervous, Nosy, Obsessive, Paranoid, Pushy, Withdrawn, Worrywart
Hindrances and Disruptions to the Character’s Life
Being unable to care for a sick loved one due to fear of germs
Living in isolation (being unable to go to the store, enjoy hobbies, socialize, etc.)
A serious condition going undiagnosed and untreated
…
Scenarios That Might Awaken This Fear
A pandemic or disease outbreak
A loved one receiving a serious diagnosis
The annual arrival of cold and flu season
…
Other Fear Thesaurus entries can be found here.
Fear is a Crucial Piece of Your Character’s Arc
A character’s fear is defining, determining who they are at the start of your story and what they’ll have to overcome to succeed in the end. Don’t overlook or underestimate this vital piece of the character’s arc. Unearth their greatest fear at One Stop for Writers.
The Fear Thesaurus is part of the largest, fiction-specific description database available.
Access it here.
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Becca Puglisi is an international speaker, writing coach, and bestselling author of The Emotion Thesaurus and its sequels. Her books are available in five languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. She is passionate about learning and sharing her knowledge with others through her Writers Helping Writers blog and via One Stop For Writers—a powerhouse online library created to help writers elevate their storytelling.