How many times do you have to read “[Character] nodded” before you realize your story is just a bunch of people with bobble heads?
I am deep in the trenches of draft two. Everyone’s writing process is different, but draft two for me is a complete rewrite. On Scrivener, I split-screen my first draft and a blank page, then proceed to rewrite the whole scene. My first draft becomes a launch point or a guideline—it gives me momentum and structure. But I really use this second draft as way to step back and look at the world around my characters. I will add scenery, all five senses, a little introspection, and, of course, blocking.
All About Blocking
Blocking is where your characters are in relation to each other and their movement in the scene. I also think of this as anchoring, especially in a first person narrative, because where your Main Character/Narrator is in any given space gives your reader a point of reference. Often, a writer can find their first draft is just a bunch of talking heads. But blocking gives the story movement, it gives the reader direction, and it engages the mind’s eye. When you hear a reader say “I could see the story almost like it was a movie!”—that’s a sign the author nailed their blocking.
A sub-category of blocking? Mannerisms.
Character Mannerisms
Character mannerisms are those little quirks or tics that set the characters apart—not just in a scene, but in life. Your characters shouldn’t just sound different; they need to move differently.
Think of blocking as: Character A walked to Character B.
Now think of mannerisms as: how they walked.
And the how should be different from character to character.
While I was editing Book Two of The Prometheus Project, I struggled to differentiate my two main female characters. Both have military backgrounds, both were strong willed and independent, and both had super strength. As they moved through scenes, they started to blur together. It made the writing boring, and confusing—for me, let alone the reader.
That’s when I took a step back and reevaluated them.
Refining Your Characters
When refining (or creating) characters, I recommend using a personality framework: Myers-Briggs, Enneagram, or Astrology (my least favorite, but it works). Don’t know them well? That’s why we have the internet! You can research, or even take the quizzes as your character and see what results they get.
My favorite tool is Myers-Briggs, specifically through 16Personalities. They make the psychology accessible and fun.
Using their platform, I found:
Rowyn Darrow is an ISFJ (Introverted-Sensing-Feeling-Judging)
Callum Osouf is an INFJ (Introverted-Intuitive-Feeling-Judging)
Bellona Anderson is an ISTJ (Introverted-Sensing-Thinking-Judging)
Notice Rowyn and Bellona are nearly identical types. Their difference? Rowyn leads with Feeling (exploratory, adaptable, acts before thinking), while Bellona leads with Thinking (structured, decisive, thinks before acting). That tiny difference creates two distinct personalities—but in practice, they get blurred easily on the page.
Pinpointing that difference helped me see how to separate their voices.
Mannerisms
Once I identified their differences, it was time to flush out their mannerisms—their quirks and tics.
Mannerisms are a perfect way to show instead of tell. Don’t just say: [Character A] walked to [Character B]. Show how they walked. How they talked.
To get there, I asked myself:
How does [Character] react when they’re angry? Annoyed? Afraid? Happy? Uncomfortable?
How does [Character] walk?
How does [Character] sit or stand?
How has their training/profession shaped how they move?
What do they do when they think no one is watching?
It ooks like a lot. And it kind of is. It took me a solid afternoon to brainstorm these for all my main characters. Some came straight from The Flame of Prometheus, others were brand new. Luckily, the internet is full of character tic lists. One helpful resource: Shiny Words.
Here’s a sampling of mannerisms you might use:
runs hand through hair
cracks knuckles
bounces on feet
taps incessantly
clenches jaw
double checks zippers/locks
scrunches nose
eye roll
excessive blinking
twirls hair
bites nails
picks at nails
slouches
paces
drags feet
avoids physical contact (backs way if someone enters personal space)
stands too close
Mumbles
talks too fast
nervous laughter
How do you know if a mannerism fits your character? Honestly—you’ll feel it. Just like you know when something feels off. (And thank God for editors.)
Keeping Track
But how do you keep all the mannerisms straight?
This is where my spreadsheet comes in. Next week, I’ll share the Character Mannerism Tacker I built to keep mine organized. It’s simple, flexible, and—dare I say—kind of fun.
Get ready. It’s gonna be wild.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, mannerisms aren’t just quirks—they’re the heartbeat of how your characters exist in your world. Nail them, and your story won’t just be read, it will be watched, felt, and remembered.
Hi, I’m Taryn L. Davidson, author of The Flame of Prometheus, a dystopian romance for fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent who grew up but never lost their love for rebellion, survival, and star-crossed love. Here at The Exo-Taryn Rift, I explore the spaces between worlds—diving deep into speculative fiction, dystopian worlds, and magical realms to ask the hard questions and challenge the norm. Thanks for stepping through the Rift with me.