Male Funny Character Say What You Type

Part of the magic of great fiction is its ability to let you see their characters in your mind's eye. Think about Sherlock Holmes and you might picture him smoking a pipe, or stroking his chin in thought. Or Anne Shirley from Anne of the Green Gables, who might at any moment be gesturing enthusiastically and talking a mile a minute.

Much of this ability to conjure actors in this theatre of the mind comes from one simple trick in the book of character development: character mannerisms. A well-observed tic or recurring behavior can unlock your characters and bring them to life in your audience's imagination.

If you're wondering how to start going about it, you've come to the right spot on the Internet. We've split this post into three parts: what character mannerisms exactly are, how to write them into your story, and a list of 150+ mannerisms for you in case you're running short on inspiration.

What are character mannerisms?

A mannerism is a gesture, speech pattern, or way of conduct that is characteristic of an individual. These "micro-behaviors" might range from an everyday movement (i.e. clearing the throat) to a very specific tic (i.e. biting nails when nervous). In literature, writers use mannerisms to help enhance physical descriptions and put characters in motion on the page. Consider it another tool in your writer's toolbox when it comes to character development and depiction.

Character mannerisms are one way in which writers can show, not tell. (This is an old writing adage — if you'd to learn more about it, go here for a complete guide). Here's an example of the difference it might make:

Telling: "Why did you just stab me with a toothpick?" cried Matt, surprised.
Showing: "Why," cried Matt, blinking rapidly, "did you just stab me with a toothpick?"

However, it's important not to overdo it and bring up a certain quirk time and time again. Let's talk a bit about some best practices that may be helpful when it comes to writing character mannerisms into a story.

How to write mannerisms in a story

Pro-tip: Don't tell a reader that your character is stroking his mustache every four pages. Here's how to make your character's mannerisms slot seamlessly into a story.

Make the movement fit

Most importantly, a mannerism has to make sense in the context of the story. When you're thinking about your character's idiosyncrasy, consider:

The personality of the character;
The environment of the scene; and
The era in which the story takes place.

How does a character's background impact the way that they move? How might the era and setting influence their actions? An Iranian man, for instance, wouldn't use the thumbs-up gesture anywhere in the world — unless he wanted to insult someone. Then there's the hero from the 19th-century, who would fiddle with his pocket watch, as men didn't start regularly wearing wristwatches until the early 20th century.

If you get it right, a character's mannerisms can speak volumes. J.K. Rowling, for example, employed mannerisms to great effect with Newt Scamander from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. He hunches, tilts his head down, and goes out of his way to avoid eye contact — conveying to the audience that he's shy, awkward, and non-threatening. Meanwhile, Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean sways even when he's standing, stumbles over nothing, and slurs: in other words, he's a drunk pirate, through and through.

Make it add to the story, not distract

Don't tack on an odd behavior just to up your daily word count. Mannerisms should add to your story — not distract from it. You must be able to justify why you're writing them into a given scene: whether it's to reveal character, break up long sequences of dialogue, or advance the conflict.

Most of all, nobody wants to read about a common physical movement, flip the page, and then read about it again. You'll risk tiring or annoying your audience — not to mention that the forward thrust of your story will suffer as it's bogged down by irrelevant descriptions of gestures.

So if you notice a character twirling their hair in each chapter, it's probably time to hit the "Find" button and re-think it. As the adage probably goes, "Everything in moderation — including mannerisms."

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Don't get too cliché

How often do you really wring your hands? Or stroke your chin when you're deep in thought? Some mannerisms are generally overused in fiction. To go about it realistically, make sure that you don't rely too much on these cliché gestures and movements.

To think beyond the box, consider how you unconsciously act in certain situations. Yes, this might be tough, which is why we've also come up with a resource to help you out.

The Ultimate List of 150+ Character Mannerisms

If you're struggling to come up with mannerisms for your character, here are over 150 to give you a headstart.

Speech mannerisms

Or: how do your characters talk? What tics do they show in conversation or during a presentation?

While talking

Uses a falling inflection
Ends sentences with question marks
Speaks in a whisper
Always talks over others
Tendency to mumble
Slurs words, even when sober
Has a sing-song speech pattern
Shortness of breath from talking too fast
Unnecessary or exaggerated throat clearing
Deep breaths between every sentence
Constantly swallowing when nervous
Heavy reliance on buffer words: "Like," "Um," "Uh," "Totally," "Basically," "You know"

Characteristic noises

*Wall-E: All whistles and boops (image: Disney/Pixar)*

Whistling
Humming
Sighing
Stuttering
Coughing
Scoffing
Laughter to fill in uncomfortable silences
Muttering to oneself
Noisy breathing
"Sorry"
"Tsk"
"God"

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Physical mannerisms

Or: how do your characters move? What characteristic things do they do when they're sitting, standing, or walking?

Head

Tilting head in thought
Hair tossing
Hair playing or twirling when flirting
Head bobbing while listening to music
Grinding teeth
Scratching the head
Flaring nostrils
Rubbing the neck when embarrassed
Raised eyebrows
Head on the chin in resting position
Jaw clenching in moments of tension
Sweating excessively
Quivering chin
Jutted chin
Nose twitching or wrinkling

Mouth

Smacking lips in satisfaction
Mouthing the lyrics of a song
Licking the lips when nervous
Sticking out the tongue while thinking
Counting teeth with the tongue when distracted
Biting the bottom lip
Pulling at the bottom lip
Biting the inside of the cheek
Movement of the mouth: quivering, curling, pursed, twitching, tensed

Eyes

Sideways glance
Likes to wink
Fluttering eyelids
Tendency to look down one's nose
Eyes that dart everywhere
Tendency to avoid eye contact
Always breaking eye contact
Prolonged eye contact in conversation
Looking down at feet while walking
Rapid blinking when lying
Frequently gazes off into space
Has a thousand-yard stare
Furrowed or knitted brows
Movement of the eyes: rolling, squinting, twitching
Description of the eyes: wide, glassy, crossed, dilated, narrowed

Hands

*President Clinton's trademark 'thumb-point'*

Movement of the index finger: pointing, jabbing downwards, stabbing in the air
Snapping fingers
Arms crossed over chest
Pinching the bridge of the nose
Rubbing the temple
Steepled hands
Standing with hands clasped behind back
Biting fingernails
Doodling absently
Wiping clammy hands
Tightly clenched hands
Running a hand through the hair
Rubbing the eyes
Touching the nose
Stroking chin in thought
Standing with hands in pocket
Picking or pinching at the flesh
Tugging at ear
Tracing scars without thinking
Covering mouth with a hand when smiling
Rubbing the tips of fingers together
Hooking a thumb in pockets while standing
Braiding hair automatically
Covering mouth while chewing or laughing
Passing a hand over the face when tired
Flexing fingers
Cracking knuckles
Drumming fingers on a surface
Wild gesturing while talking
Twiddling thumbs
Swinging arms back and forth when walking

Upper body

Shrugging shoulders
Dropping shoulders
Swaying while standing
Slouching, slumping posture
Tight, drawn-in shoulders when sitting
Broad stance when standing

Legs

Crossing legs when sitting
Foot drags while walking
Foot stamping
Foot tapping
Legs will uncontrollably shake
Strides quickly when walking
Stands too close to others when talking
Knees knocking against each other
Rocking back and forth on heels
Shifting weight from one foot to the other
Pacing back and forth in a room
Sitting, legs apart
Bouncing leg up and down in a chair

Interactive mannerisms

*Bogart 'bogarting' his cigarette (image: Warner Bros)*

Or: how does your character interact with their surroundings and external objects?

Taking glasses off and cleaning them
Peering over glasses
Adjusting or pushing up glasses
Putting earpiece of glasses in mouth
Has a cigarette perpetually dangling out of mouth
Buttoning and unbuttoning coat with no purpose
Always sitting on the very edge of chair
Hands habitually on coat lapels
Chewing the tip of a pen or pencil
Jingling money in pockets
Playing with the marker
Tugging at pants before sitting
Tearing at a napkin at the table
Checking watch repeatedly
Using a toothpick at all times
Touching up makeup constantly
Repeatedly checking cell phone
Twirling a pencil at a desk
Clicking a ballpoint pen open and close
Playing with a Rubix Cube when bored
Fiddling with earrings
Shredding paper without thinking
Peeling labels from bottles
Bending paperclips in half
Twisting the rings on fingers
Tipping chair back
Leaning against the wall while talking
Tugging at collar of shirt when nervous
Smacking gum

Mannerisms are here to help

Ultimately, character mannerisms are only a small part of the bigger picture of character development. They should help reveal who your character is and that in and of itself will take some more work on your part. To understand your character on a deeper level, you can go here to download a free character profile template. Or if you'd like some character development exercises, here are eight of the best ones that you can use.

So whatever mannerisms you choose in the end, remember that it should tie into your character's personality, background, and upbringing. If you follow that route, you won't stray far from reaching your ultimate goal: the creation of a memorable character.

What memorable mannerisms and tics should be added to this list? Let us know in the comments below

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Source: https://blog.reedsy.com/characters-mannerisms/