List of 234 Interesting Character Quirks

Characterization begins with conveying personality traits that are integral to a particular person in the story.

• adrenaline junkie
• brags about one’s own accomplishments
• high levels of enthusiasm
• likes to be the center of attention
• makes assumptions about others’ motives
• makes snap judgements about other people
• needs the approval of others
• obsessive about personal hygiene
• overly trusting of other people
• plans things to the most minute detail
• quick to recognize others accomplishments
• seeks adventure or new experiences
• seeks stability
• suspicious or distrustful of others
• takes credit for other’s work
• tendency to one-up other people’s accomplishments
• tendency to pull for the underdog
• tendency to react emotionally
• tendency to respond objectively
• tendency to take things personally
• tenderhearted nature
• tends to be argumentative just for the sake of arguing
• tends to see how things unfold without planning ahead
• very outgoing in demeanor
• won’t touch people, even to shake hand

A person’s signature behaviors or unusual habits are examples of character quirks.

• always wants to sit facing the door
• bites lip when thinking or trying to remember something
• chain smokes
• chews gum all the time
• clears throat frequently
• eating all of one type of food before moving on to the next item on the plate
• flipping hair back over one’s shoulders
• grasping a fork or spoon with one’s full fist to eat
• jingles keys
• laughs very loud
• licks lips frequently
• makes humming noises
• makes very intense eye contact with people
• moves around a lot when talking to a group
• paces when thinking
• points at people when talking to them
• prefers to sit on the end of a row rather than between people
• sniffs frequently
• snorts when laughing
• taps chin or nose when thinking
• taps fingernails on surfaces
• tends to giggle
• uses air quotes when talking
• very distinctive laugh noises
• whistles the tune to songs

Eating and drinking are common areas where people tend to develop some interesting quirks.

• always orders the same food in a restaurant
• barely chews food before swallowing
• brings snacks everywhere
• burps or belches loudly at the end of meals
• constantly talks about dieting
• counts the number of chews before swallowing
• drinks coffee or tea very frequently
• eats while driving the car
• extremely delicate eater
• grazes throughout the day
• makes nasty remarks about other people’s food
• makes sure everyone knows they’re vegan
• messy eater
• only eats organic food
• picks food off other people’s plates
• prefers junk food to home-cooked meals
• pretends to be a dainty eater but pigs out in private
• refuses to eat leftovers
• snacks excessively
• takes huge bites of food
• takes other people’s food without asking
• tries to win over everyone to their way of eating
• tucks a napkin into one’s shirt when eating
• wont’ eat in front of other people
• won’t eat food that other people cook

Describing a person’s movement habits and waking style can help with characterization.

• adjusting sleeves frequently
• bouncing one’s leg when sitting
• bouncy walk
• cracking knuckles frequently
• determined, purposeful walk
• enters rooms hesitantly
• extent to which a person’s arms swing when they walk
• loose limbed way of walking
• meandering walk
• often breaks into a jog when walking
• picking at nail polish
• pulling down on one’s jacket or skirt
• pulling sleeves down over one’s hands
• scratches one’s head frequently
• scratching one’s face
• shakes foot when sitting with legs crossed
• sidles up to people
• takes large steps
• takes tiny, mincing steps
• tends to push past other people abruptly
• tugging a sweater or jacket from left to right
• twisting to crack one’s back or next
• walks at a very rapid pace
• walks with a limp
• walks with an even stride

The way people carry themselves can play a role in characterization.

• crossing legs at the ankle when seated
• favors one side vs. the other when standing
• frequently shifts from side to side
• lays head down on desk or table
• leaning back in ones chair
• leans in toward people who are speaking
• leans on things when standing up
• leans to one side when standing
• looks straight ahead
• propping one’s feet up on furniture
• rests head in hands when seated
• shifting from one foot to another when standing
• shifts or squirms when sitting
• sitting with one’s legs crossed
• stands or sits extremely still
• stands up extremely straight
• stands with hands behind back
• stands with hands on hips
• stands with hyperextended knees
• tends to lean away from people
• tends to slouch
• tends to stretch a lot
• tilts head down most of the time

Interesting features or other aspects of a person’s appearance can play an important role in character development.

• a lot of freckles
• a lot of tattoos or unusual tattoos
• always too cold
• always too warm
• asymmetrical features
• athletic build
• different color eyes
• distinctive moles
• extremely tall or short
• lanky build
• messy, free-flowing hair
• missing or extra appendages
• perfectly coiffed hair
• red nose
• twitchy eye
• unique birthmark
• unusual color eyes
• unusual facial features
• unusual hair color
• unusual hair style
• very long fingernails
• weight range

There are plenty of communication quirks to consider, including nonverbal communication patterns.

• chats nervously when there is lull in conversation
• chooses words very carefully; speaks in an exacting way
• describes things very precisely
• doesn’t speak up unless directly asked a question
• embellishes or exaggerates stories or information
• enunciates words very precisely
• gestures a lot when talking
• habitually avoids eye contact
• hinting at one wants rather than stating it directly
• insists on face-to-face conversations (rather than phone or text)
• insists on having the last word
• makes up a nickname for everyone
• pauses a long time before speaking
• restating what other people have already said
• speaks in a way such that statements come across like questions
• speaks with an accent
• talking to oneself
• talks very fast
• talks with a sing-songy cadence
• unreadable facial expressions
• uses a particular dialect
• very expressive facial expressions
• very reserved in demeanor
• winks at people when talking to them

The way a person dresses can represent a character quirk, particularly if the individual has a signature style.

• always looks perfectly pressed
• always wears boots
• always wears tennis shoes
• appears to have been professionally styled
• becomes disheveled with very little activity
• doesn’t worry about whether clothing items coordinate with each other
• dresses in a flashy style
• dresses in exercise apparel even when not exercising
• dresses in very revealing apparel
• overdresses or underdresses for occasions
• squeezes into clothing that is to small
• wears cheap knock-offs of designer fashions
• wears clothes made for much younger people
• wears loose fitting clothes
• wears only designer labels
• wears shorts even when it’s freezing outside
• wears socks with sandals
• wears stiletto heels all the time
• wears the latest styles
• wears the same color clothing all the time
• wears the same style of clothes all the time
• wears very outdated styles
• wears wrinkled clothes

The accessories a person dons can also play a role in characterization, particularly if they’re unusual or especially distinctive.

• always carries an umbrella
• always wears a scarf
• carries a briefcase everywhere
• carries a huge purse
• constantly wears a hat
• has earbuds in (or headphones on) all the time
• is never seen without a certain piece of jewelry
• keeps a pocket square in a suit jacket
• keeps sunglasses on all the time
• never seen without a backpack
• totes a pet in one’s purse or other bag
• uses a pocket watch
• wears a flower in one’s hair
• wears a headband
• wears a large fitness tracking device
• wears a lot of jewelry
• wears a nametag
• wears an overcoat or other distinctive outerwear
• wears bangle bracelets that jingle
• wears enormous earrings
• wears huge glasses
• wears socks with weird patterns or in strange colors

Not all character quirks fit cleanly into a specific category.

• answers for other people instead of letting them speak
• complains about everything
• constantly complains about aches and pains
• constantly correcting other people’s grammar
• constantly misplaces certain items, like keys or glasses
• expects unquestioning loyalty from people
• frequently gets hiccups
• gets heavily involved in campaigning for political candidates
• has hypochondriac tendencies
• holds other people to higher standards than themselves
• is easily influenced or swayed
• makes snap judgements about other people
• makes unusual snoring noises
• participates in marches and protests
• quick to find fault in others
• seeks out flattery
• seems to turn all conversations political
• takes in stray animals frequently
• tends to look for the bright side in every situation
• tends to make biased remarks about others

Everyone has at least a few interesting behaviors or habits that make them unique. Some quirks are weird and wacky while others just help paint a picture of who a person is. Now that you have many quirk ideas, it’s a great time to consider other options for building interesting characters for the stories you write. Get started by reviewing some diction examples for ideas on using speech patterns in character development.