200+ Character Quirks to Make Your Characters Feel Real

Melody Emjay, Melody Emjay writes across genres including romance, erotica, and sci-fi, under various pen names. She loves creating content to help writers explore their own creative worlds and pursue their dreams.

When you’re writing fiction, you want your characters to stand out. Giving them character quirks is one effective (not to mention fun!) way to make them do just that.

Want to test out your quirky character in a real scene? Try it now in Sudowrite

What are character quirks?

A character quirk is a small oddity or unusual trait that makes your character different from others.

It could be a detail about their physical appearance, personality, or behavior, and it helps define who they are.

There’s such a thing as a quirky character—one person who’s full of strange idiosyncrasies and may be known as “the odd one” in the story. But every character can have quirks, even if they’re not altogether “quirky.” For example, if you have a super serious boss lady character, you can add intrigue by giving her an unexpected quirk, like an irrational fear of birds.

Not only will this make her stand out, it can also make readers want to know more, as they’ll want to know how something so innocuous could rattle someone so seemingly unflappable.

Want a shortcut to character inspiration? Try the Ultimate Character Name Generators

Why you should give your characters quirks

Imagine you’ve been working at a grocery store check-out line all day. Most of your customer interactions were ordinary, so you know which one you remember at the end of the day?

The one woman who insisted on ringing up her items in alphabetical order.

Her odd quirk made her stand out. Adding quirks can do the same for your characters, with these benefits for your story:

Quirks make your characters interesting. It’s hard to get into a story about a character who’s ordinary in every way. But a character with unusual quirks can attract readers, amuse readers, and otherwise get them interested in picking up your story and reading it to the end.

Quirks make your characters relatable. In real life, people are weirdos. We might not all keep our weirdness prominently on display, but secretly, each of us knows just how different we are from the people around us. When your characters also have quirks that make them different, your readers will feel like they can relate to them, and it’s a good feeling to see yourself reflected in a book.

Quirks make your characters memorable. Like the odd woman in your grocery store line, a character with quirks is going to stand out. Your readers may forget about other books they’ve read, but your books will stick with them, which can also lead to recommending your book to others and coming back to you to read more of your work.

Need help turning those quirks into unforgettable scenes? Jump into the editor and start writing

How to write character quirks

Using character quirks isn’t about simply giving your characters the most random traits you can think of. To be most effective, you have to use them right.

Try following these guidelines:

Observe real-life quirks. Do some people-watching at a local park or your next social event. Take note of how people’s quirks show up and grab ideas for your characters. Drawing from real life can help you come up with character traits that feel realistic and relatable.

Use quirks more than once in your story—but don’t overdo it. To really help define a character, a quirk has to show up more than once. This shows that it’s habitual, not just a one-time thing. Just make sure you’re not overdoing it by forcing the quirk to show up in every scene. Find points in the story where it’s natural to include the quirk, where it helps to move the story forward or develop the character’s arc.

Avoid clichés and stereotypes. There are some quirks that have been used since the beginning of time, it seems, and they still show up in stories all the time. Relying on overused quirks will just make your characters more boring, not more interesting. Try coming up with original ideas instead, or use tired old quirks in fresh, new ways to maintain intrigue.

Keep track of character quirks with a template. Your character’s quirks are just one of many distinctive traits of a well-rounded character. You’ll want to think through how the quirks fit (or clash) with the character’s other traits. It’s also a good idea to keep a record of your character’s traits to make sure you don’t lose track. You do this with a character profile. To get started, use this template, which already has a spot for unique quirks.

200+ ideas for character quirks

You can borrow these exactly, or you can take one and modify it to add quirks to your characters.

Appearance-Based Quirks

Always wears mismatched socks
Wears sunglasses indoors
Collects vintage sunglasses, but never wears the same pair twice
Only wears one color (e.g., everything they wear is green)
Obsessed with a certain pattern, like cow prints or polka dots
Obsessed with a certain fabric or material, like sequins or velvet
Keeps a lucky item, like a feather or a playing card, tucked into their hat
Refuses to wear clothing with logos
Has a signature accessory (like a red scarf or an inherited brooch)
Collects pins or buttons on their jacket
Always wears clothing a size too big
Won’t leave the house unless their outfit “feels right”
Dyes hair every full moon
Styles hair to mimic a favorite celebrity, every single day
Refuses to cut their hair, ever
Paints nails to match their mood
Refuses to ever wear shoes
Refuses to ever wear socks
Wears a cape for no reason
Always smells like a specific scent (lavender, smoke, pine)
Collects band T-shirts from fictional bands
Carries a backpack, but never opens it
Keeps an eye patch on even though they don’t need it
Wears costume jewelry they pretend is real
Wears rings on every finger, including thumbs
Has one “lucky” outfit they wear to all important events
Has a favorite pair of shoes for every mood
Insists on wearing hats indoors, no matter what

Stuck on names for your quirky cast? Explore our Ultimate Character Name Generators

Food & Drink Quirks

Always drinks from a mug with a pun on it
Eats dessert before the main meal
Claims to be allergic to drinking water
Prefers to eat food in rainbow order
Hates fruit in savory dishes with a passion
Collects hot sauces and ranks them daily
Brings their own condiments to restaurants
Always orders the most obscure menu item
Eats very messily—or super neatly
Has a fear of spoons
Drinks coffee only after it’s gone cold
Eats the same breakfast every single day
Eats breakfast foods only during non-morning hours
Won’t eat if someone is watching
Refuses to eat in public places
Talks to their food before eating it
Believes microwaves ruin flavor and only eats stovetop meals
Believes microwave meals are the height of innovation and eats only them
Eats cereal dry, as a snack
Drinks pickle juice for fabricated health benefits
Eats food based on astrological compatibility
Only drinks out of glass bottles—never plastic or cans
Eats popcorn with chopsticks
Puts salt on absolutely everything, even sweet foods
Refuses to eat round foods (bagels, donuts, etc.)
Collects limited-edition flavors of snacks, but never opens them

Refers to themselves in third person
Greets people with a bow
Introduces themselves with a made-up title (“Professional Cake Tester”)
Hates small talk and asks deep questions within five minutes of meeting someone
Always uses someone’s full name, even with close friends
Calls everyone by the wrong name on purpose
Gives people animal-based nicknames
Laughs at inappropriate moments
Tells long-winded stories that go nowhere
Can’t tell a story without including every irrelevant detail
Ends every sentence with “you know what I mean?”
Constantly references obscure movie quotes
Makes up blatantly fake statistics on the spot
Won’t speak above a whisper
Interrupts with facts no one asked for
Finishes people’s sentences… incorrectly
Replies with an answer that rhymes with the question
Uses hand puppets during arguments
Avoids eye contact, but stares at people’s shoes
Has a different laugh depending on who they’re talking to
Apologizes for things they didn’t do
Apologizes to inanimate objects
Shares profound “quotes”... from their own words
Uses outdated slang
Uses slang from a specific past decade
Ends conversations by saying “Fare thee well”
Uses obscure metaphors no one else understands
Changes accents mid-conversation for fun
Asks people what they dreamed about before saying hello
Frequently forgets common words and substitutes odd ones (like “hand-shoes” for gloves)

Need a place to track quirks, flaws, and arcs all in one view? This character profile template has you covered.

Personality or Belief Quirks

Talks to plants like they’re people
Fears insects, but refuses to kill them
Thinks everything happens for a cosmic reason
Obsessed with their horoscope
Believes in lucky and unlucky numbers and avoids them
Believes everything is a government conspiracy
Thinks they were royalty in a past life
Refuses to make left turns
Refuses to step on sidewalk cracks
Carries a “mood rock” to make decisions
Thinks dreams predict the future
Has a deep fear of something seemingly random, like wind
Considers themselves a “doula” for something non-human, like sheep
Believes ghosts are real and lives accordingly
Follows a specific superstition, like avoiding touching metal on Tuesdays
Trusts fortune cookies more than actual advice
Obsessed with historical reenactments
Never uses modern slang, claiming it ruins language
Believes aliens invented an everyday item, like duct tape
Lives by an elaborate personal code no one else understands
Makes important decisions with a coin flip
Believes bad luck can be undone by singing a specific song—especially when everyone participates
Feels personally offended when someone dislikes their favorite season
Thinks sneezes are a sign someone is lying nearby

Collection or Hobby Quirks

Scrapbooks everything, including receipts
Makes scrapbooks of conversations
Collects rubber ducks and names each one
Knits sweaters for trees
Carves spoons out of driftwood
Reads the ends of a book before deciding if they want to read it
Builds miniature versions of local buildings
Builds ships inside light bulbs
Catalogs scents in a diary
Records every time they sneeze in a spreadsheet
Breeds butterflies in their apartment
Collects fortunes from cookies in a shoebox
Keeps a terrarium of rocks
Secretly photographs people’s shoes
Invents new languages as a hobby
Maintains a fictional family tree
Writes haikus about sandwiches
Collects rare stamps, but never mails anything
Draws doodles of clouds on every surface
Writes parody versions of nursery rhymes
Plants flowers in public spaces, guerrilla-style
Collects something they have no more room for, like cat trees
Builds birdhouses, but never puts them outside
Collects outdated instruction manuals
Sketches everyone they meet, but never tells them
Keeps detailed weather journals with commentary
Collects weird packaging (cereal boxes, tea labels) for inspiration
Keeps a mood diary using only emoji stickers
Ranks public benches by comfort and writes reviews

Technology or Routine Quirks

Still proudly uses a flip phone
Keeps every old phone they’ve ever owned, displayed like a museum
Refuses to use autocorrect
Backs up files three times a day
Turns off Wi-Fi during storms for “safety”
Names all electronic devices, like pets
Refers to emails as “electronic letters”
Keeps an analog clock in every room
Has a personal ringtone for every person in their life
Tracks everything they eat or dream with a spreadsheet
Only types in lowercase letters
Deletes all texts as soon as they’re read
Uses voice notes instead of texting
Never charges their phone past 50%
Changes passwords weekly based on mood
Still prints directions from MapQuest
Unplugs all electronics at night
Uses a digital calendar, but never trusts it
Calls their GPS a nickname, like “The Oracle”
Narrates their to-do list aloud each morning
Refuses to use headphones in public
Writes out emails by hand first before typing them
Refuses to use abbreviations in text messages
Will only set alarms ending in “7” (e.g., 6:07, 7:47)
Talks to their voice assistant like it’s a roommate
Uses a fax machine for personal correspondence
Has a ritual of saying “beep beep” before opening any app
Writes text messages using only voice-to-text, even in quiet rooms
Refuses to use any technology that “speaks,” like Alexa or Siri

Relationship or Emotional Quirks

Becomes aggressively protective over friends, even brand new ones
Celebrates obscure friendaversaries
Gives overly elaborate gifts
Gives incredibly poignant gifts, even to people they’ve only just met
Breaks up with people by gifting a specific item, like a copy of the same book
Maintains a spreadsheet of bad dates
Collects keepsakes from failed dates
Writes love letters and never sends them
Writes elaborate goodbye letters for temporary goodbyes
Confesses feelings through limericks
Falls in love with people’s voices
Falls in love without ever hearing a person’s voice
Falls in love with people’s smiles
Becomes pen pals with every ex
Refuses to delete exes’ photos from phone
Refuses to discard anything from past relationships
Overanalyzes every text message
Makes playlists for arguments
Bakes apology cookies for minor mistakes
Has rules for hugs—like side hugs only, 2.5 seconds max
Creates “emergency compliments” for sad friends
Compiles “breakup survival kits” for heartbroken friends
Feels deeply offended when someone forgets their birthday
Gets emotionally attached to strangers on public transport
Needs verbal affirmations multiple times a day
Writes short poems about everyone they meet, without telling them
Refuses to say “I love you,” even to family
Has a theory that all relationships hinge on one song
Leaves surprise notes in random library books for strangers
Uses fictional character quotes to express personal feelings

Environmental or Situational Quirks

Gets extremely anxious in elevators
Brings their own utensils to restaurants
Always sits facing the exit in any room
Has to sit in the same seat every day (on the bus, in class, at the office)
Turns into a neat freak only when angry
Refuses to gossip when it's raining
Gets energized by thunderstorms
Can’t function in messy environments
Can’t concentrate without a specific kind of lighting
Needs white noise to sleep, no matter what
Rearranges hotel furniture to match home setup
Talks to the moon like it’s an old friend
Keeps windows open no matter the season
Always checks closets and under beds in unfamiliar places
Refuses to talk while eating
Avoids crowds, but thrives in packed concert halls
Dresses up to watch awards shows on TV
Won’t start a task until the clock hits a “round” number, like 10:00 or 10:30
Follows a specific routine to help their favorite sports team win
Won’t walk through automatic doors
Can’t bring themselves to talk above a whisper in a library, even when allowed
Has a different “thinking spot” for each day of the week
Changes walking pace depending on music playing—even in public
Holds their breath as they cross a bridge, every time
Always visits the same tree before making a big decision
Talks to the shower like it’s a therapist
Faces away from mirrors when brushing teeth
Picks up a new pebble on every walk and names each one

These quirks are made for writing

Now that you’re full of ideas for character quirks, it’s time to go apply them to your writing. Make these quirks your own, shaping them for your story to make unique, dynamic characters. This can be a fun way to remember what you love about writing, and help your readers have a great time, too.

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