Mannerisms/Habits for Characters

So how many of you are doing Nano this year?

Good for you!

I see a lot of show of hands.

Needless to say, November is going to be a really, really crazy busy month for lots of us writers.

For all you Nano writers out there. I've got four words for you:

YOU CAN DO IT!
Just write, write, write and don't look back.


With the help of some awesome cps, I have finished putting my Save the Cat beat sheet together (love you Blake!) and started on my character and setting charts.

As I'm fleshing out my characters, I discover that I can't seem to find my handy mannerisms/habits chart. I had one put away for when I started my next project.


Of course, it's nowhere to be found.


So I decided to compile my own list. It's not much, but thought to share what I have so far and hopefully it can spark some ideas for you.


Feel free to add some more examples in the comments section and I'll be happy to add them to the list.


Think deep.


What does your best friend do when she gets nervous? Does she scratch her nose or maybe blink way too much?

How about your other half? Does he/she have a really annoying habit you have to constantly remind them to stop practicing?


Observe your surroundings. Watch how people react. (You can do this even by watching the actors in movies or cartoons. i.e. Caillou is a champ at whining.) It's actually pretty fun adding quirks and bad habits to characters. Knock yourself out.


What comes to mind when you think of mannerisms? Who do you see and what are they doing?


• Biting fingernails
• Jiggling leg up and down
• Tapping foot
• Twirling hair
• Running fingers through hair
• Smacking gum

• Whistling
• Slurping

• Burping

• Yawning

• Glancing at watch

• Talking with a full mouth

• Potty mouth

• Eye-rolling

• Constantly apologizing

• Snapping fingers

• Cracking knuckles (cliche)

• Humming

• Stuttering

• Licking lips

• Sniffing
• Squinting

• Applying Chap Stick to lips

• Picking at nail polish

• Raising eyebrows as they speak

• Winking

• Pulling at bottom lip

• Pinching skin

• Rubbing hands together

• Pointing
• Rubbing eyes/chin
• Twirling a ring around finger

• Picking at facial hair—eyebrows/eye lashes/moustache

• Excessive eye blinking

• Shifts in their seat when nervous

• Cross/uncross legs

• Clicking or tapping teeth with a nail

• Shrugging

• Slapping people on the back

• Jaw clenching/jaw muscle jerking (mainly a male attribute)

• Gesturing a lot when speaking

• Slouching

• Putting their feet on a desk or table

• Toying with objects before them

• Chewing on their pencil

• Chewing bottom lip

• Speech patterns

• Nervous cough

• Picking at teeth

• Saluting

• Constantly touching up makeup using a compact mirror

• Constantly checking cell phone for messages (text or voice)

• High pitch/low raspy voice depending on mood

• Sliding the tip of one's index fingernail up and down along the side of the thumb beside it

 • Playing with their glasses (spectacles) either pushing them up their nose or taking them off and twirling then by one of the arms.