Habits, Quirks, and Mannerisms for Characters

Since I’m making a list for my own purposes, I figured I can share these ideas with others as well to help them! Some a generic, just skimmed from books and other lists. Some I have observed from the people around me. I don’t have a whole lot of habits that are modern-based (like checking phones) because I tend to write fantasy.

Physical Mannerisms

1. Stands too close in conversation
2. Likes to touch the other person they converse with
3. Maintains space in conversation (moves away when someone comes nearer)
4. Grabs other people when laughing
5. Grabs other people when scared
6. Can’t stand still/paces
7. Fidgets with jewelry or clothes
8. Clasps hands behind or in front of self
9. Doesn’t maintain eye contact
10. Rubs hands
11. Rubs eyes or face frequently
12. Picks at lips
13. Bites lips
14. Keeps hands in pockets
15. Skips instead of walks
16. Touches everything
17. Slow walker
18. Taps foot
19. Gesticulates wildly when talking
20. Pulls at parts of clothing or rests hands on parts of clothing, like lapels or straps
21. Tongue goes to the roof of the mouth when thinking
22. “Writes” things in the air with their finger when trying to work things out
23. Pursing or puckering lips when thinking
24. Pointing when annoyed or angry
25. Puts a hand to their heart
26. Rubs fingers on palms of same hand

Speech Mannerisms

1. Interrupts people constantly
2. Talks constantly, but mumbles so that no one else hears them
3. Talks to themselves
4. Has verbal tics such as “um” or “like”
5. Laughs awkwardly, at things that aren’t funny
6. Mispronounces certain words
7. …And doesn’t care that they do
8. Coughs or sniffs a lot, but isn’t sick
9. Uses pet names
10. Starts many conversations with a disclaimer like: “you didn’t hear this from me” or “I’m not one to be ugly, but…”
11. Has a speech impediment such as a stutter or a lisp
12. …but only when nervous
13. Apologizes a lot
14. Misuses certain words
15. “Well, actually…”
16. Likes to give out fun facts
17. Has a very distinctive laugh (snorts, flails, etc.)
18. Bangs on objects near them to emphasize points
19. Points or gesticulates before forming the words to speak, trying to draw attention
20. Greets others in a different-than-normal fashion, such as pointing at them and saying “you!” or giving bear hugs
21. Has certain words or phrases that almost become catchphrases, “allonsy!”
22. Repeats words over and over while trying to get their point out. “Wait wait wait wait wait… hold on, just wait…”
23. Using several synonyms in a row to emphasize – ejudicate- highlight a point.
24. Overenuciation

Habits

1. Knuckle-cracking
2. Nail biting
3. Nail tapping/finger drumming
4. Checking watch
5. Foot tapping/leg jiggling
6. Plays with hair (tucks it behind ear)
7. Puts on chapstick frequently
8. Hums or whistles
9. Sings along to songs when they’re playing
10. Uses a toothpick often
11. Doodles
12. Compulsive eating habits (such as eating from the outside to the center or having to tear apart food and eating in small bits, etc.)
13. Fiddles with glasses, such as taking them off repeatedly or pushing them up your nose
14. Licking lips frequently

Random Traits

1. Can’t swim
2. Handed-ness (right, left, ambidextrous)
3. Always hot/cold
4. Superstitious
5. Forgetful
6. Always late/early
7. Collects useless things like rocks
8. Conspiracy theorist
9. Can/can’t cook
10. Hates/loves children
11. Phobias

I’m sure I’ll come up with more later.

Setting Differently: #3 Sukhothai and Si Satchanalai

Setting Differently #3: SUKHOTHAI AND SI SATCHANALAI

Setting Differently is a series that helps writers engage in atypical settings, particularly in fantasies. Too often, fantasy books are written based on a medieval European setting, but Setting Differently is here to help expand your mind.

What are good genres for Sukhothai?

Are you looking for a more serene, but still exciting setting? Maybe Angkor’s too big for you and Bagan is too dry. Sukhothai, my friends. Sukhothai was a much smaller and much more short-lived kingdom, but has all the same things as Angkor, just on a smaller scale. If you’re looking to set your fantasy in some place calmer with a spiritual feeling, take influence from Sukhothai. In my humble opinion, Sukhothai is good for more introspection – with plenty of space and nature for magic users in your fantasy to explore and a level of excitement to keep things interesting. In Sukhothai, you’re not always going to be shoulder to shoulder with people. This would be good for introspective or character-driven plots. It still has enough history and excitement, though, that you can use it for any number of genres, like historical drama.

A Brief Overview of Sukhothai

Sukhothai started out under the power of Angkor (so you can have interesting conflicts and meshing of cultures here), but took its independence from Angkor around 1220 CE (at the beginning of its decline) and fell around 1350 CE. Sukhothai fell because constant battles weakened it and it was eventually absorbed by a more southern empire of Ayutthaya. Sukhothai was Theravada Buddhist throughout its reign, but as a Khmer-controlled area for a time, there are Hindu influences. Sukhothai also formed an alliance with the Mongolse. It allied them with one of the great powers while still a budding state and they were not a victim of Mongol raids like many other kingdoms at this time.

Selling points of Sukhothai

Other than it just being a beautiful and serene setting, Sukhothai has a rich mythology attached to it with hero-kings. The kings here were also considered much more approachable than in other Southeast Asian kingdoms – regarding them as fathers to their kingdoms and subjects. It was written about as an Eden, where there is fish in the water and rice in the fields.  If you want some sort of idyllic, Shangri-La type setting, Sukhothai claimed it was. If you’re interested in a tainted Eden, that’s a possibility depending on whether you believe this is propaganda or not. Or if you’re interested in including the Mongols, Sukhothai had trade agreements with them and sent them tribute. Sukhothai was a big city (for the time), but not an overwhelming megalopolis.

Best Settings at Sukhothai

Si Satchanalai was a sister site to Sukhothai and located to the north. I included some pictures of Si Satchanalai due to the nature of their closeness.  Take a look at Wat Sa Si, Wat Si Sawai, and Wat Mahathat. Saritphong Dam is also very impressive! It is quite a sight! There’s lots of water in the form of moats in this city.

Important Figures at Sukhothai

There can be no doubting Rama Khamheng, who is venerated as a hero. He is the best known and the most loved of Sukhothai kings, known for being extremely down to earth. He had a bell at the palace gate so that any ordinary citizen could summon him to hear their grievances. If you want a less benevolent king and more magical king, you can try Phra Ruang (this is also used as a general term for Sukhothai kings). He is attributed to founding Sukhothai and there are many legends about him – such as being the son of a naga and a king, with the supernatural ability to turn enemies to stone!

Music to Write Sukhothai

Over an hour of thai music!

Questions about Sukhothai?

There isn’t a lot of information about Sukhothai online. If you have access, Dawn Rooney’s book Ancient Sukhothai is an incredible resource!  If you want any suggestions on where to get information, just ask. Or if you have specific questions, my askbox is open!

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Setting Differently: #2 Bagan

Setting Differently #2: BAGAN

Setting Differently is a series that helps writers engage in atypical settings, particularly in fantasies. Too often, fantasy books are written based on a medieval European setting, but Setting Differently is here to help expand your mind.

What are good genres for Bagan?

Hey boys and girls and other! Are you looking for a perfect and unusual setting for your historical urban fantasy? Look no further! You have excitement! Class stratification! Corruption! GOOOOLD! Can you imagine running up the sides of these temples? A daring thief grasping at the spires? Bagan’s history is filled with allegations of corruption and tension between the monkhood and the king that was so bad it eventually was one of the reasons behind its demise.Try historical dystopian here! Can you imagine living here during the Mongol raids? When the economy was collapsing around you?

A Brief Overview of Bagan

Bagan (or Pagan) is located in Myanmar (Burma). It began around 802 CE until 1287 CE when it was attacked by Mongols. For all of Bagan’s run, it was a Buddhist kingdom, which is the reason it grew to such magnificence. Due to their practice of accumulation of merit (meaning one had to give resources and labor in this life to be born into a better life), religious structures grew to grand scales. There are over 10,000 Buddhist temples in Bagan (whhhhaaaat?!)! Merit was so prevalent that when the Mongols raided in 1287 it was said the palace was empty and the monasteries were overflowing with gold! Prior to its fall, Bagan experienced a fire that destroyed much of the city in 1225 and soothsayers predicted that after the Mingalazedi was built, Bagan would fall (it was finished in 1284).

Selling points of Bagan

Look at how gorgeous Bagan is. Gold temples and stupas are not uncommon at all and continue to be maintained to this day. You won’t find dilapidated buildings here. One of the fantastic things about Bagan is the corruption and the tension between the king and the  sangha (monkhood). When the monks grew too powerful, the king would accuse them of corruption and purge them. There was also a separation of the nobility and royals from the rest of the people by a city wall. Bagan synthesized indigenous religious beliefs with Buddhism to create a mixed and unique set of beliefs.

Best Settings at Bagan

If you want a setting similar to Angkor, but want some place drier and colder, Bagan is your place! Mt. Popa is absolutely picturesque and is home to a protective nat spirit. There is a palace within the city walls that is nothing more than rubble and foundations now, but would have been a good central hub. Really, anywhere in the area around Bagan is littered with gorgeous temples. Ananda and Dhammayazika are among my favorites.

Important Figures at Bagan

King Anawratha was the first king to make Bagan a power in the region – importing artisans from all over to make Bagan a cultural center. The Buddhist clergy, the sangha, would be interesting to focus on. Were they really corrupt? Or was the king lying because he feared their power? Women also had significantly more power here than they did in contemporaneous China or India. The held and inherited property and could take people to court (it wasn’t an idyllic feminist setting by any means, but had a few better conditions.)

Music to Write Bagan

Nearly an hour of traditional Burmese music

Questions about Bagan?

See the wikipedia page of the “Pagan Kingdom” for more information – it’s pretty accurate. If you want any suggestions on where to get information, just ask. Or if you have specific questions, my askbox is open!

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Setting Differently: #1 Angkor

Setting Differently #1: ANGKOR

Setting Differently is a series that helps writers engage in atypical settings, particularly in fantasies. Too often, fantasy books are written based on a medieval European setting, but Setting Differently is here to help expand your mind.

What are good genres for Angkor?

My favorite genres for Angkor are historical fiction, fantasy, and dystopian novels. The ruined impression of many of the structures, particularly at places like Beng Mealea, would be a perfect inspiration for a dystopian novel. Angkor’s deep connection with religion and the god-kings who ruled would be a perfect backdrop for fantasy. Royalty, drama, gorgeous architecture… what more would a fantasy writer want?

A Brief Overview of Angkor

Angkor’s period as the center of the Khmer Empire lasted from 849 – 1431 CE (1431 is the date of abandonment, but it is generally agreed the decline began around 1219 CE, when building projects were ceased.) The kings at Angkor were mostly Hindu, establishing their right to rule by connecting themselves with the gods. All standing structures at Angkor are deeply rooted in the religion of the king. The structures were made as a show of power – some of them were not entirely functional, but created an impressive façade. Some of these structures took anywhere from 75,000 to 300,000 laborers!

Selling points of Angkor

You’ve got some very different, but very interesting practices at Angkor. The laborers who made the buildings were not necessarily slaves in the way we understand them. The laborers believed that they would accumulate merit to be born into a better life by working on the temples or providing supplies. So their payment was spiritual, rather than tangible. Angkor’s religion changed during its peak. What began as a Hindu center with a tolerance of Buddhism, changed into Buddhism as the driving force due to the religion of the king at the time. However, when the Buddhist kings left, there was severe anti-Buddhist backlash, which led to defacing many precious depictions of the Buddha. Chinese ambassadors lamented about the apparently sexuality-liberated women (to an extent) and the “wandering homosexual perverts” (no lie – direct quote from a book). At Angkor, during Jayavarman VII’s reign, he sat out on the Elephant Terrace and watched things like polo matches! They also played chess at Angkor! And Angkor had elephants. Need I say more?

Best Settings at Angkor

While I do like Angkor Wat, take some time to look at pictures of Beng Mealea, Ta Prohm, or Preah Khan. These temples are slightly more subdued, but absolutely gorgeous and evocative of the imagination.

Important Figures at Angkor

If you’re interested in historical figures, the two best people to write about (in my opinion) are Suryavarman II (builder of Angkor Wat) and Jayavarman VII (builder of just about everything else.) Suryavarman is a very good figure to use as a typical Angkor king – one of the most powerful. Jayavarman is particularly interesting because he was a Buddhist king in a long tradition of Hindu kings. There has been some speculation he had leprosy, which is what motivated him to build many hospitals during his reign (this is due to some depictions of him, but it’s very debated.)

Music to Write Angkor

Nearly an hour of traditional Khmer music

A half an hour of folk music

Questions about Angkor?

There are, of course, plenty of resources online about Angkor! I find that the wikipedia page is fairly accurate (considering it’s wikipedia). The UNESCO site is accurate. If you want any suggestions on where to get information, just ask. Or if you have specific questions, my askbox is open!

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