Character Traits

Creating characters are some of the hardest things to do. You have to include little details, little traits that shape them and make them different from all the other characters floating around. It can be hard coming up with these traits, so I have an idea - what if we all generated lists of our own traits?

I'll start with my quirks, and then anyone who wants to do this as well can list theirs in the comments or link to a post. I hope a lot of people participate! Other people's traits - and even your own - can provide inspiration for your characters.

1. I always wear this one watch on my left wrist. It's black and silver, cheap, and digital, and even though it probably clashes with ninety percent of my clothes, I only take it off to shower or sleep. At first I wore it because it was handy to know what time it was, but now I'm not even sure why I wear it so much. There's even a strip of pale skin around my wrist, and I don't tan.

2. I'm awful at hiding my emotions. This is why I suck at poker.

3. Two or three years ago, I started spinning my pencil a lot. For a year, it was just a bunch of jerky movements, but over time, it became smoother and smoother until almost whenever I do it, someone comes over, stares, and then asks, "How do you do that?" It's difficult to describe, but basically I hold the pencil in the middle with my middle finger and thumb so that my middle finger is just a bit closer to the point than my thumb. I place my index finger about an inch closer to the eraser on the same side as my middle finger. Then I move my index finger to the other side of the pencil, and twist the pencil so that it's now being held by my middle finger and index finger. I twist the pencil further, using my thumb for support, and duck my index finger so that the pencil flies over it. The middle finger is used to stabilize it. I spin it really quickly so you can't see what my fingers are doing; they just look like they're ducking and moving a lot.

4. I almost always have a pencil in hand.

5. I think one of the best birthday gifts I've ever gotten were two stuffed dinosaurs that roar when you squeeze them. I got those for my fourteenth birthday from one of my friends.

Your turn! Post your quirks in the comments or link to a blog post with them!