What Is a Character Trait? 350 Essential Character Traits for Writers
What is a character trait? Delve into 350 character traits to help you choose the right positive and negative traits for building well-rounded characters in your stories.
What Is A Character Trait?
A character trait defines a person’s personality through a distinguishing quality or characteristic. In writing, we use character traits to show behaviour, attitudes, and how someone interacts with others.
People develop character traits through their actions, habits, and mindset. Every person displays a mix of positive and negative traits. If you do this for your characters, they will feel realistic and relatable in stories.
Writers often use these synonyms for character traits: attributes, characteristics, features, qualities, quirks, mannerisms, and peculiarities.
Tips For Including Character Traits
Even if you adore your protagonist and loathe your antagonist, it is important to remember that nobody is perfectly good or perfectly evil.
Every character will have positive and negative personality traits. Make sure you have created real people rather than caricatures by giving your cast a selection of both.
Include them when you complete the character questionnaires for your fictional creations.
How To Use Character Traits In Plotting
When you know what your characters’ traits are, you can use this to add to or to change your plot.
Examples
- An unreliable character might lose a job and the course of the story will change.
- A helpful or scrupulous character may inadvertently find out information when they are lending a hand. This information could create conflict and might force them to act or react.
- A romantic might start an affair and cause complications in their relationships. This could be the inciting incident for a story.
- A curious character could investigate something they shouldn’t, uncovering secrets that escalate the story.
- A selfish person may want to be more dependable and self-disciplined, but this trait could prevent them from achieving this. You can use this to create internal conflict in your characters.
- A hostile character may want to be included in society to improve their life, but their anger will ensure this does not happen.
- A loyal character might protect a friend’s secret, even when it puts them in danger or creates a moral dilemma.
- An ambitious character may take risks or betray others to achieve their goals, driving the plot toward confrontation.
- A stubborn character may refuse to change course, leading to escalating conflict or even tragedy.
- A compassionate character might help the wrong person, unintentionally creating new problems.
350 Essential Character Traits for Writers
We hope these lists help you choose the negative and positive character traits you will need in your books.
Enjoy developing character traits. Have fun, and happy writing.
The Last Word
Understanding what a character trait is helps you create stronger, more believable characters. By using a wide range of traits—both positive and negative—you can shape personalities, deepen conflict, and bring your stories to life. Keep this list of 350 character traits as a go-to resource whenever you need to build well-rounded characters.
by Amanda Patterson
© Amanda Patterson
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