Writing authentic fear reactions can be challenging—even when we understand our character well. Why? Because each character has their own personality, background, trauma, and triggers, meaning their fear response to perceived threats will be unique.
Fear is universal, making it a valuable tool for drawing readers into a character’s perspective. It serves as an early warning system, alerting a character to possible danger, but it can also warp perception, hijack logic, and steer their choices and behavior in ways that can hurt, not help.
Over time, fear can create patterns of avoidance, trapping the character in their comfort zone and shrinking their world, rather than pushing them toward meaningful goals and growth.
Fear drives behavior and powers internal conflict, so Becca and I can’t wait to dive in. We hope you’ll join us on April 11th at 9 am (MST) for a free workshop on fear responses. You’ll get a peek at the content within The Fear Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to What Holds Character Back, and fill your mental toolbox with ideas on how to show your character’s fear.
NOTE: Live seating is limited to 100 for this session, but a replay will be available to everyone who signs up.
Hope to see you there!
