Character Traits from A to Z

Indie Author Resource #4

by Valerie Howard

Are your characters drab and dull?

Do you wish there was a way to make them come to life?

Then this book is for you!

Organized alphabetically by personality trait, this book gives you over 1,000 ideas to help you show what your characters are really like deep down inside.

Grab the book now!

A LIST OF 1,000 IDEAS TO SHOW CHARACTER TRAITS



Stubborn

Hard-headed, Inflexible, Persistent

Asks same question on repeat to change answer

Asks someone out repeatedly until they agree

Believes “where there's a will, there's a way”

Crosses arms/hold body in defensive position

Denies facts that don't line up with own opinion

Digs heels in when challenged

Enters through a window if doors are locked

Fears change

Feels the need to “win” every debate/argument

Goes to extreme lengths to accomplish a goal

Goes to extreme lengths to avoid change

May injure self by refusing to give up a task

Rarely admits to own wrong opinion/mistake

Rarely compromises

Refuses to accept help from others

Refuses to change mind, even if proven wrong

Refuses to physically move for hours/days

Refuses to take “no” for an answer

Remains loyal to a certain brand/team for life

Struggles to adjust when big life changes occur


Indie Author Resources Book 4

Also in this

Character Reactions from Head to ToeStrong Verbs for Fiction WritersHelpful Adjectives for Fiction Writers

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction

112 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 1, 2024

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads data base.

Reviews

[Katja Labonté · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars. This was such a great resource! I love the author’s opening remarks about paradoxical, 3-dimensional, realistic characters. The traits are listed alphabetically, with their likely or obvious characteristics and similar traits; and at the end there’s a list of the traits that are opposite to each other. I’d point out that there are some stereotypes given for a lot of the traits and writers should keep in mind that sometimes people can have a trait but exhibit it in very unstereotypical or even usual ways. But overall, a fantastic work by the author and a very useful book for writers.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.*

[nat · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you need help finding an outline of a character then this book is great.
It helped me get some basic ideas of how I wanted certain characters to be. It also gives you some good advice on how to bring a character to life.

[Jeanetta Chrystie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent resource for writers

This is an excellent resource to peruse when you want to show just the right character trait.
I found each of her other resource books to be well organized and very useful. I recommend them!

[Blair Hodgkinson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found some of the other volumes useful, but this one is not to my taste. Too many cliches and stereotypes.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for helping to generate ideas.

[Simona · Rating 5 out of 5]

This reference book offers an A-to-Z guide to character traits, providing definitions, nuances, and variations that writers can use to deepen and differentiate their characters. It’s designed as a practical tool rather than a book to read straight through.

I loved how useful this was. It’s the kind of resource I kept going back to while writing, and it consistently helped me think more clearly about motivation, behavior, and emotional depth. Clear, well-organized, and genuinely writer-friendly, this book did exactly what it promised.