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.
Sex
Notes
Sex is one of the most intimate means of human connection, so some anxiety surrounding it is normal. But deeper fears can easily develop in this area because of its intimate nature and the vulnerability involved, especially if a person has suffered past trauma or has a physical condition that makes sex painful. When this happens, the character may seek to avoid something that should be natural, pleasurable, and a means to grow in intimacy with others.
What It Looks Like
Having little to no interest in sex
Not engaging in conversations around sex
Hesitancy towards romantic relationships…
Common Internal Struggles
Wanting to find a life partner but being afraid of intimacy
Wanting sex but being unable to complete the act
Difficulty being vulnerable with others…
Flaws That May Emerge
Addictive, Antisocial, Cynical, Defensive, Dishonest, Inattentive, Inflexible, Inhibited, Insecure, Jealous, Macho, Nervous, Oversensitive, Suspicious, Uncommunicative, Withdrawn
Hindrances and Disruptions to the Character’s Life
Being unable to find someone to go through life with
Difficulty opening up to others
Developing a sexual dysfunction…
Scenarios That Might Awaken This Fear
Being stalked or harassed
Friends gossiping about their sexual experiences
Meeting a potential partner the character would like to pursue a deep relationship with…
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.
