The Queen Bee in Literature
The concept of archetypes, popularized by Carl Jung in 1959, has long influenced character creation in literature. Among these archetypes, the "Queen...
5 min read
Writing Team
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Feb 9, 2025 2:11:58 PM
When crafting memorable characters, the devil is in the details. A character's small habits, unconscious gestures, and distinctive traits can transform them from words on a page into living, breathing entities that readers can't forget. This comprehensive guide explores how to use mannerisms and quirks effectively in your writing to create characters that leap off the page.
Think about your own behaviors for a moment. Maybe you catch yourself drumming your fingers during meetings, adjusting your glasses when you're nervous, or starting every sentence with "Well, actually..." These small, often unconscious behaviors make you uniquely you. The same principle applies to your characters.
Mannerisms are recurring, unconscious behaviors that your character exhibits throughout your story. These are the automatic gestures, speech patterns, and movements that happen without thought. They're like fingerprints of personality—unique identifiers that make your character instantly recognizable.
Key characteristics of mannerisms:
Quirks are the distinctive or unusual characteristics that set your character apart. Unlike mannerisms, quirks tend to be more noticeable and might even be defining traits. They could be physical attributes, behavioral patterns, or personality traits that make your character memorable.
When used effectively, mannerisms and quirks serve multiple storytelling purposes:
Consider these two approaches:
Telling: "Sarah was nervous about the interview."
Showing: "Sarah's fingers found the loose thread on her sleeve again, twisting it tighter and tighter as the interviewer reviewed her resume."
The second version uses a mannerism to convey emotion, making the scene more engaging and immersive.
It's important that you nail the nuance.
Create a character bible that tracks each character's mannerisms and quirks. This helps maintain consistency throughout your story and prevents accidental changes to established patterns.
Choose 2-3 significant mannerisms or quirks per character. Too many can overwhelm readers and dilute their impact. Make each one count.
Allow mannerisms to evolve with character development. A nervous habit might diminish as a character gains confidence, or new mannerisms might emerge after traumatic events.
Use mannerisms to show relationship dynamics:
Mannerisms can reveal:
Here are some examples from a fave genre - romantasy.
A fierce female warrior who maintains a deadly grace in combat and radiates intimidating power through her magic, but unconsciously traces the outline of an old battle scar when faced with emotional intimacy. This mannerism reveals how she's more comfortable with physical battles than matters of the heart. The gesture becomes particularly noticeable around the love interest who sees through her barriers, creating tension between her public persona and private vulnerabilities.
A High Fae noble who presents an impeccable courtly facade, marked by fluid movements and an otherworldly stillness, but betrays their half-human heritage through small "tells" when caught off guard—like momentarily forgetting to glamour their ears, or instinctively reaching for modern technology that doesn't exist in the Fae realm. These slips become more frequent around those who make them feel safe enough to be their true self.
Sarah J. Maas masterfully uses mannerisms to show Feyre's evolution from mortal huntress to High Fae. Early in the series, she exhibits huntress mannerisms—scanning exits in every room, walking silently by habit, and gripping any nearby object that could serve as a weapon when startled. These behaviors persist even after her transformation, showing how deeply her survival instincts are ingrained.
As she adapts to Fae life, new mannerisms emerge: she unconsciously flexes her fingers when thinking about painting (a habit that grows stronger as she reclaims her passion for art), and she develops a tendency to bare her teeth slightly when challenged—a subtle Fae behavior she adopts without realizing. The interplay between her human habits and emerging Fae instincts creates a rich character portrait that shows her dual nature.
Jennifer L. Armentrout uses Poppy's mannerisms to reveal both her training as the Maiden and her natural rebellious streak. Her most telling quirk is how she touches the scars on her face when nervous—a gesture that shows both vulnerability and defiance, as the scars represent her survival. She also has a habit of biting her lower lip when trying to hide her thoughts, a mannerism that becomes a source of tension with Hawke, who recognizes it as her "tell."
The way she unconsciously shifts into a fighting stance whenever someone approaches too quickly reveals her warrior training, while her tendency to tilt her head when curious (described as "bird-like" throughout the series) shows her naturally inquisitive nature that conflicts with her role as the Maiden. These contradictory mannerisms effectively illustrate her internal struggle between duty and desire.
A character might display different mannerisms depending on their position in a scene's power dynamic. Consider how a normally dominant character's gestures change when they encounter someone they can't control, or how a subordinate character's habitual deference might vanish in a moment of crisis. These shifts in behavioral patterns can reveal complex relationship dynamics and character growth.
For instance, a character might:
Mastering the art of character mannerisms and quirks takes practice and careful observation. When done well, these details transform flat characters into unforgettable personalities that readers will carry with them long after finishing your story. Remember: the goal isn't to create a catalog of behaviors, but to use these details strategically to bring your characters to life.
The most effective character details are those that feel natural and inevitable—as if the character couldn't possibly behave any other way. By carefully selecting and consistently applying mannerisms and quirks, you create characters who don't just exist on the page, but live in your readers' imaginations.
Keep exploring, observing, and experimenting with character details. After all, it's these small touches that often make the biggest impact in memorable character creation.
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