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The Negative Trait Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Flaws
Crafting likable, interesting characters is a balancing act, and finding that perfect mix of strengths and weaknesses can be difficult. But the task has become easier thanks to The Negative Trait Thesaurus.
Through its flaw-centric exploration of character arc, motivation, emotional wounds, and basic needs, writers will learn which flaws make the most sense for their heroes, villains, and other members of the story’s cast. This book’s vast collection of flaws will help writers to explore the possible causes, attitudes, behaviors, thoughts, and related emotions behind their characters’ weaknesses so they can be written effectively and realistically. Common characterization pitfalls and methods to avoid them are also included, along with invaluable downloadable tools to aid in character creation.
Written in list format and fully indexed, this brainstorming resource is perfect for creating deep, flawed characters that readers will relate to.
“In these brilliantly conceived, superbly organized and astonishingly thorough volumes, Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi have created an invaluable resource for writers and storytellers. Whether you are searching for new and unique ways to add and define characters, or brainstorming methods for revealing those characters without resorting to clichés, it is hard to imagine two more powerful tools for adding depth and dimension to your screenplays, novels or plays.”
- Michael Hauge, Hollywood script consultant and story expert, author of Writing Screenplays That Sell and Selling Your Story in 60 Seconds: The Guaranteed Way to Get Your Screenplay or Novel Read
Through its flaw-centric exploration of character arc, motivation, emotional wounds, and basic needs, writers will learn which flaws make the most sense for their heroes, villains, and other members of the story’s cast. This book’s vast collection of flaws will help writers to explore the possible causes, attitudes, behaviors, thoughts, and related emotions behind their characters’ weaknesses so they can be written effectively and realistically. Common characterization pitfalls and methods to avoid them are also included, along with invaluable downloadable tools to aid in character creation.
Written in list format and fully indexed, this brainstorming resource is perfect for creating deep, flawed characters that readers will relate to.
“In these brilliantly conceived, superbly organized and astonishingly thorough volumes, Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi have created an invaluable resource for writers and storytellers. Whether you are searching for new and unique ways to add and define characters, or brainstorming methods for revealing those characters without resorting to clichés, it is hard to imagine two more powerful tools for adding depth and dimension to your screenplays, novels or plays.”
- Michael Hauge, Hollywood script consultant and story expert, author of Writing Screenplays That Sell and Selling Your Story in 60 Seconds: The Guaranteed Way to Get Your Screenplay or Novel Read
263 pages, Paperback
First published October 13, 2013
About the author
Angela Ackerman
20 books1,006 followersANGELA ACKERMAN is a writing coach, international speaker, and co-author of 11 bestselling books for writers, including The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression. Her books are available in 10 languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. Her home country is Canada.
Angela is also the co-founder of the popular site Writers Helping Writers®, as well as One Stop for Writers®, a portal to powerful tools and resources that help you think like a writing expert so you become a stronger storyteller. A strong believer in writers helping and supporting other writers, she tries to pay-it-forward however she is able to.
http://writershelpingwriters.net
http://onestopforwriters.com
Angela is also the co-founder of the popular site Writers Helping Writers®, as well as One Stop for Writers®, a portal to powerful tools and resources that help you think like a writing expert so you become a stronger storyteller. A strong believer in writers helping and supporting other writers, she tries to pay-it-forward however she is able to.
http://writershelpingwriters.net
http://onestopforwriters.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
January 18, 2014
This is definitely one of the most helpful writing guides I've come across in quite sometime. Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi did a remarkable job of presenting a narrative on how to weave character flaws within a story and what positive and negative traits each of those respective flaws could have in shaping the character. It not only delves into how critical presenting flaws within a story are for a character, but it also explains how it can go very wrong if the execution/presentation of these details is off. The introductory sections have a thorough expansion on the presentation of flaws in protagonists as well as villains in a tale. I found that section very helpful in terms of shaping character details. The rest of the book reads like a thesaurus, with a list of traits, examples of situations where these details may show up, positive and negative aspects of the trait, and then how a character can overcome it alongside any other personality types that the trait may clash with.
I would highly recommend any writer adding this to their collection of guides, because it's certainly a resource you can return to again and again with the stories you craft, regardless of your level of experience.
Overall score: 4.5/5 stars
I would highly recommend any writer adding this to their collection of guides, because it's certainly a resource you can return to again and again with the stories you craft, regardless of your level of experience.
Overall score: 4.5/5 stars
October 18, 2013
I turn to Ackerman and Puglisi's Emotion Thesaurus regularly when needing inspiration for character reactions and action beats. Their new additions to the series are shaping up to be just as valuable, if not more so. In the introductory material to this volume, they state that they view this book as a "brainstorming tool." This is spot-on.
As they explain in their insightful opening chapters, character flaws drive character arcs. Without a solid understanding of what major problem is at the crux of our character's personal dilemma, we will never have the knowledge to shape a powerful transformation over the course of our story.
But more than just power, we also want originality, and this is where the Negative Trait Thesaurus should prove especially helpful. Just in browsing a few entries, my imagination was immediately spurred to look beyond obvious, first-glance choices toward bigger and more unique possibilities. I look forward to using this wonderful tool (complete with some of the best "bonus goodies" I've ever seen in the appendices) in shaping my characters in my next work-in-progress.
As they explain in their insightful opening chapters, character flaws drive character arcs. Without a solid understanding of what major problem is at the crux of our character's personal dilemma, we will never have the knowledge to shape a powerful transformation over the course of our story.
But more than just power, we also want originality, and this is where the Negative Trait Thesaurus should prove especially helpful. Just in browsing a few entries, my imagination was immediately spurred to look beyond obvious, first-glance choices toward bigger and more unique possibilities. I look forward to using this wonderful tool (complete with some of the best "bonus goodies" I've ever seen in the appendices) in shaping my characters in my next work-in-progress.
May 25, 2017
Before the actual "thesaurus" part of the book begins, the author spends some time discussing how to encorporate character flaws into your writing and why they're important to creating believable characters. I found some of the tips to be really thought provoking and revealing in relation to the characters I'm working with.
The thesaurus part was interesting to look through and should be helpful once I identify what my characters main flaw is.
The thesaurus part was interesting to look through and should be helpful once I identify what my characters main flaw is.
November 27, 2013
I love Angela and Becca’s The Emotion Thesaurus, so I had high hopes for their new Trait books but didn't see how they could live up to the ET. I’m happy to say I was wrong. These two additions are fantastic resources for writers.
The Negative Trait Thesaurus opens with insights on how flaws make our characters believable and create the necessary journey and conflict for our characters' arcs. Additional tips help with making non-cardboard cutout villains and avoiding other issues when designing our characters' flaws. The appendices dig into our characters' needs and their false beliefs that come from their backstory wound.
That doesn't even count the trait entries themselves, with details on possible causes, associated behaviors, thoughts, and emotions for each, along with the good and bad aspects of that trait. Each trait also includes examples and suggestions on conflict. It's ALL here.
We can use these books during character creation, drafting, and revisions. If you want to see how to use this book, check out the tips co-author Becca shared with me.
The Negative Trait Thesaurus opens with insights on how flaws make our characters believable and create the necessary journey and conflict for our characters' arcs. Additional tips help with making non-cardboard cutout villains and avoiding other issues when designing our characters' flaws. The appendices dig into our characters' needs and their false beliefs that come from their backstory wound.
That doesn't even count the trait entries themselves, with details on possible causes, associated behaviors, thoughts, and emotions for each, along with the good and bad aspects of that trait. Each trait also includes examples and suggestions on conflict. It's ALL here.
We can use these books during character creation, drafting, and revisions. If you want to see how to use this book, check out the tips co-author Becca shared with me.
July 13, 2016
I read this along with its companion book, The Positive Trait Thesaurus. Both were insightful as far as giving examples in literature and film of the types of characters one can create. However, I don't know how practical it is to start off the creation of characters by pouring a list of traits into them. It's too paint-by-numbers.
Characters usually seem to evolve organically, and are more of an end result achieved when a character's voice, need, and arc meet a sort of kismet -- the character feels like a real person, not a "character." So the books might work better in hindsight, if used at all.
Interesting stuff though -- great when you see yourself in the "positive" character traits, not so much fun when you recognize yourself in the "negative" ones. Ha! Such is life.
Characters usually seem to evolve organically, and are more of an end result achieved when a character's voice, need, and arc meet a sort of kismet -- the character feels like a real person, not a "character." So the books might work better in hindsight, if used at all.
Interesting stuff though -- great when you see yourself in the "positive" character traits, not so much fun when you recognize yourself in the "negative" ones. Ha! Such is life.
October 8, 2013
Just like the Emotion Thesaurus, the Negative Trait Thesaurus is a must read for writers. One of the areas I loved most was choosing a negative character trait, then matching it with a trait in another character that would offer natural conflict. Reading through these traits has helped me dig deeper and create flawed--but real--characters.
April 7, 2014
Excellent reference book for writers. It helped me sort out a very serious case of writer's block. The tips on how to weave flaws into the characters, what to look out for to make sure that your flawed character doesn't turn into someone completely unlikeable and many others. It's a must-have in any writer's arsenal of reference books.
September 7, 2014
This book, and it's two mates, "Emotion Thesaurus", and "Positive Trait Thesaurus," also written by Ackerman, are extremely helpful to anyone whom wants to be a writer. It's pretty easy to create flat, boring characters. This book helps writers craft rounded, interesting ones instead. The first part of the book contains insights on human nature and the creation of flawed characters, while the other 90% contains a thesaurus of character flaws. I recommend it to everyone. My only problem with the book is that it is mostly a thesaurus. So, the writer needs to know the trait he/she is giving a character in order to find it. The only other option is too read the other 90%.
December 6, 2016
This is an excellent book for writers who need help brainstorming ideas for conflict and character flaws. I can't wait to really buckle down and use this for my WIPs. :)
Includes: writing advice from the authors, a list of flaws (how they tend to develop; associated behaviors, thoughts, and emotions; positive and negative aspects of flaws; examples from film; ways to overcome the flaw; and traits in other characters that could cause conflict), Needs and Lies List, Reverse Backstory Tool, and Character Pyramid Tool.
+ an index for even faster searching of traits
Includes: writing advice from the authors, a list of flaws (how they tend to develop; associated behaviors, thoughts, and emotions; positive and negative aspects of flaws; examples from film; ways to overcome the flaw; and traits in other characters that could cause conflict), Needs and Lies List, Reverse Backstory Tool, and Character Pyramid Tool.
+ an index for even faster searching of traits
October 25, 2013
I already said this about their book on positive traits, but I feel that it should be reiterated here: These two authors continue to hit it out of the park with their wonderful writing ideas. They've helped me develop well-rounded characters with complex story lines, introduced me to new ways of writing, and have inspired me in so many ways. I hope they continue to publish more writing books--I'll buy every single one of them!
October 17, 2013
Once again, Angela and Becca have given writers a must-have writing tool! This book was instrumental in finding and creating flaws for an unruly antagonist in my current WIP. From now on, this is will be my FIRST stop in creation of characters--heroes, heroines, and villains alike.
March 3, 2022
Since this is a reference book, I didn’t read it cover to cover. But the opening discussions on developing character flaws were great, and the reverse backstory tool is coming in handy with my current WIP. The actual thesaurus portion is also super detailed—something I know I’ll flip through often!
December 12, 2017
This book is so helpful, from the planning stages of a new book, right through to fleshing out the story. Negative traits have so many more facets than what you first think and they're all contained in this reference book.
March 10, 2024
510-A Writer's Guide to Character Flaws-Angela Ackerman-Novel writing-2013
Barack
2024/03/10
"A Writer's Guide to Character Flaws", first published in 2013. It contains a large number of flaws that will help writers explore the possible reasons, attitudes, behaviors, thoughts, and related emotions behind the characters' flaws in order to write about them effectively and authentically. Also included are common characterization pitfalls and ways to avoid them, as well as valuable downloadable tools to aid in character creation. Written in list format and fully indexed, this brainstorming resource is perfect for creating deep, flawed characters that readers will resonate with.
Angela Ackerman is a Canadian writing coach and international speaker. Her books are available in 10 languages, purchased by American universities, and used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. She is also the co-founder of the popular websites Writers Helping Writers® and One Stop for Writers®, which provide powerful tools and resources to help you think like a writing pro so you can become a stronger storyteller.
Table of Contents
1. Abrasive
2. Addictive
3. Antisocial
4. Withdrawn
5. Workaholic
6. Worrywart
In this world, everyone makes mistakes, and this fact also applies to the characters created by novelists. Even for so-called positive characters, one should not only depict the character's strengths and ignore their flaws. What's more, I am less and less inclined to use simple "decent" and "villain" to divide people in real life or characters in novels, because such classifications are too superficial. In fact, conflicts between roles often stem from differences in positions, interest groups, and ideas. No matter which side you're on, everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, and these traits together make up a character's overall picture. Understanding a character's shortcomings and how these shortcomings should be reflected in their words, deeds, and psychological activities is an integral part of creation. In a sense, during the creative process, the author needs to have a deep understanding of the character's emotions and personality like a psychologist and find the connection between these inner qualities and external performance, so as to create a three-dimensional and full character image. Sometimes when we read novels, watch comics or movies, we feel that the character creation is too shallow and lacks depth. This feeling is often because the character description is too single, or the author only focuses on showing the so-called "good qualities" of the character and ignores Their complexity and authenticity. A real character should exist in the interplay of light and shadow, with both a bright side and his own shadow.
When I'm dining alone, I usually listen to some videos. I just recently heard the experience shared by cartoonist Mr. Cai Zhizhong in a speech. He told how he once sat at his desk for dozens of hours without rest in order to complete his work, and even went out for dozens of days to make a video. He also went to Japan to spend several years specifically to study. Angela talked about a negative trait - addiction. In fact, all of us are addicted to something to one degree or another. However, I have also seen some people who are indifferent to many things. They were playing games with great interest for one second, but they would not have much emotional fluctuations even if they were forced to stop the next moment. But some people, are willing to sacrifice everything else in order to continue doing something. I myself have many times become so absorbed in reading novels that I have neglected other matters. In my opinion, there is no essential difference between Mr. Cai Zhizhong's ability to paint for dozens of hours without sleep and the ability of some people to read novels or play games without sleep or food. They are both "addictions" in essence. The biggest difference between the two situations is that Mr. Cai Zhizhong creates as a creator and outputs results; while people like me play more of a consumer role and enjoy the creations of others. As a consumer, almost everyone can indulge in consumption, such as food, books, and games. However, being obsessed with creation as a producer, such as cooking food, writing books, and developing games, is not only rare, but it is also a major difference between those who have achieved remarkable achievements and ordinary people. Although the addictive quality is essentially the same, its manifestations and effects are quite different. I have always believed that "what we are born with will be useful". The key is that we need to discover our talents and personality traits, and what are the things that we can naturally do well with half the effort. As Michelangelo said, "David was originally inside this piece of marble. I just chipped away the stones that did not belong to David." ”Similarly, we also need to find the “statue” within ourselves.
As this book explains, antisocial is a broad term that, depending on its severity, can range from criminal behavior to self-centeredness and denial that all of us exhibit to some degree. Tendency to the opinions of others. Understanding and tracing the root causes of this personality or tendency is the key to analyzing this issue. Typically, we think of antisocial traits as stemming from negative experiences an individual has had with others in the past. These experiences may include active forms of rejection, scolding, and abuse, or more passive forms of neglect, indifference, and alienation. This negative impact, whether it is direct or indirect "cold violence", will have a more profound impact if it comes from a close person. Buddhism teaches the law of cause and effect. Good character usually originates from good factors, while so-called bad character is caused by bad factors. It is worth noting that these key factors that influence our personality are often formed in the 18 years before we reach adulthood, which is difficult for us to control. This reflects a kind of helplessness in life - bad "seeds" have been planted in our childhood, and it often requires huge efforts and costs to remove them in adulthood.
In discussing the so-called "apathetic" personality, the authors describe how this attitude can be directed toward both people and things. Indifference toward people may manifest as active alienation from others, lack of empathy for others' emotional reactions, or even complete indifference; while indifference toward things may manifest as unwillingness to take action on important or urgent matters. There may be a connection between this apathy and an "addictive" personality. People are often addicted to something, not because they love it itself, but because they use it to escape other things. Typical examples include staying up late, not necessarily because you like what you are doing while staying up late, but to avoid the end of the day and the pain of difficulty falling asleep; similarly, skipping work at work may not be because you like those "drift" so much. ”, but it may be due to fear of the difficulty of the current job, anxiety about the future, or dissatisfaction with the job and lack of meaning. I believe that human health includes both physical and psychological dimensions, that is, physical and mental health. Mental health relies heavily on our relationships with the outside world, especially with other people. If there are psychological problems, it is likely to be related to problems in interpersonal relationships. This problem manifests itself in various forms. For example, indifference to others may be just a superficial phenomenon. Some people may be unable to control their emotions, show aggression, or have strong malice toward others. Recently, our student team held a team-building activity where many issues were discussed, including the recent passing of a fashion icon, Iris Apfel. Everyone lamented that her life was so wonderful and rich. Even when she was 100 years old, she was still able to live according to her own wishes regardless of other people's eyes. I'm actually not very envious. On the contrary, in the past, I always went my own way and didn't care what others thought of me or whether I hurt other people's feelings; now my views have changed and I hope to become more considerate. and understanding others.
When I was growing up, the family education I experienced had relatively little or even no discussion of love. My parents often tried to get me to live up to their expectations through coercion, intimidation, and belittling, such as by accusing me of being incompetent or accusing me of failing to reflect on my failures. As an adult, I came to realize that I did not agree with this approach to education, but I did not hold any resentment for it. An individual's speech and behavior are limited by their cognition, just like a sparrow cannot understand the joy of a swan flying for nine days, and it is unfair for the swan to blame the sparrow. Regardless of whether they are swans or sparrows, they are both right. Likewise, they are not qualified to belittle the other party. It’s just a different worldview. Thinking of "callous" as a negative personality often comes from the fact that we are taking the position of the person being treated. But if you look at it from another perspective, this personality trait is not necessarily negative. In fact, there are many people in life who exhibit this personality trait, but to varying degrees. They are also still able to live comfortably, showing that under the right circumstances, even personality traits considered negative may be a way of adapting to or coping with circumstances. Therefore, we should be more cautious when labeling someone negatively. This applies not only to interpersonal interactions in real life but also to characterization in novels. Even the so-called "evil people" have complexity and multi-dimensionality behind their characters, which deserve our deeper understanding and discussion.
Catty is a personality trait that we can summarize as being sarcastic or vicious in speech. Anger, as an extreme emotion, often drives people to say vicious things to express and vent their feelings. Words in this situation are like a flood, reducing your own anger by hurting others. This is a common reaction many people have when they are angry. However, some people may display habitual sarcastic speech traits in daily life. This kind of character expression is not static. Some of them are sharp on the outside but soft on the inside, and are described as "sharp-tongued", while some people are both harsh and ruthless in their words, and can be called "sharp-mouthed". Knife Heart". We won't discuss too much about people who are "a sharp mouth but a sharp heart". And for people who are "cut-mouthed and mean-spirited", there are often more complex psychological and emotional aspects hidden behind them. Their acrimony may be a defense mechanism to mask an inner vulnerability or insecurity. Perhaps only the truly strong can achieve the goal of "bean curd mouth and bean curd heart"?
"Childish" is often seen as a shortcoming, the core of which lies in unreliability and the inability to assume corresponding responsibilities. The opposite is "Innocence", which is a complimentary term that refers to the ability to maintain the innocence and purity of childhood even after becoming an adult. We often want people to grow up free of the negative influences of childishness, such as irresponsibility and unreliability, while retaining that innocence. This ideal state is also known as maintaining an "innocent heart." However, achieving this balance has proven to be quite difficult for many people. Part of the transition from childishness to maturity during growth is the development and refinement of the brain. Of course, external factors also play an important role, such as personal experiences and encounters. For example, college freshmen need time to adapt to the rules of college life, newcomers to the workplace need time to adapt to the rules of the workplace, and it also takes time to adapt to a new cultural background in a new country. Regardless of our age, when we first enter a new environment we tend to look a bit "childish". Therefore, maybe the "childishness" is just because life comes into this world and is not used to it for the first time.
December 11, 2019
This is very useful. The part where I mess up is me forgetting that my character’s flaw is ‘humorless’ and they aren’t humorless.
March 24, 2020
I have a lot of thoughts about this book. First, it was super useful to me and it’s going to stay on my desk as reference for a long time; it lays out whatever trait and gives a laundry list of associated behaviors, possible causes, and example characters to look at. In such a simplistic format, it’s really easy to browse and get inspiration or find what you’re looking for. It covers a lot of ground (106 discrete traits, if I counted right), and each one contains a small list of conflicting traits that guarantee drama when you put characters that exhibit them together in a scene.
Now, the bad. There’s no discussion of theme or Doylist readings of content; in the entry for a trait, there is no critical analysis of whether it is truly “positive” or “negative” or whether such a thing exists, no words on the messages that your characters and the way you portray them send to your readers. If you’re hoping for wisdom on exactly how to develop or redeem a character, especially one who’s “evil” or “violent,” you’re going to be disappointed. I would question the choice of many of the examples, as well; it would be nice if any of them were from media made in the last two decades, and not just from things I as a twenty-something only know from being referenced on the Simpsons.
A final critique: much of the content in this book is ablist as hell. That’s pretty standard in a society that produces “Me Before You” and “Million Dollar Baby,” but that doesn’t make it any less disappointing. “Mental disorders” (quote) are used as possible causes for traits, characters that are outdated stereotypes from 90s movies are used as examples, and a number of associated behaviors for traits are offensive tropes for disabled and chronically ill people (for example, “Health issues (irritable bowel syndrome, migraines, nausea, etc)” under “worrywart”). There is an overall impression that should a trait be because of mental illness or neurodivergence, this can be solved through a character arc like any other “flaw.”
This is troubling for me because this isn’t just some ablist novel, it’s a guide for writers. It’s supposed to teach aspiring authors how to sculpt characters, how to develop three-dimensional characters and develop them into better people, and it has no differentiation between traits like “evil” and “verbose,” or “promiscuous” and “manipulative.” When you list autism as a possible explanation for a character being “humorless,” you are not only alienating all of your autistic and disabled readers, you’re teaching other writers that this is acceptable. When you include the phrase “mental deficiency” in any context, regardless of intent, you are saying that there are people who are less person than others, which is a slope that very quickly leads into eugenics. Obviously this wasn’t intended, but it doesn’t matter; writers always send messages that they don’t plan to, and when those messages are prejudiced they cause real harm.
I’m frustrated because this book has been very helpful to me in visualizing behaviors and character arcs, and I’m going to continue to reference it for the foreseeable future. But I’m also going to cringe whenever I turn a page and see ”mental handicaps” as a reason for a character to be “unintelligent.”
Hope this wasn’t too “oversensitive” of me. After all, I’m autistic.
Now, the bad. There’s no discussion of theme or Doylist readings of content; in the entry for a trait, there is no critical analysis of whether it is truly “positive” or “negative” or whether such a thing exists, no words on the messages that your characters and the way you portray them send to your readers. If you’re hoping for wisdom on exactly how to develop or redeem a character, especially one who’s “evil” or “violent,” you’re going to be disappointed. I would question the choice of many of the examples, as well; it would be nice if any of them were from media made in the last two decades, and not just from things I as a twenty-something only know from being referenced on the Simpsons.
A final critique: much of the content in this book is ablist as hell. That’s pretty standard in a society that produces “Me Before You” and “Million Dollar Baby,” but that doesn’t make it any less disappointing. “Mental disorders” (quote) are used as possible causes for traits, characters that are outdated stereotypes from 90s movies are used as examples, and a number of associated behaviors for traits are offensive tropes for disabled and chronically ill people (for example, “Health issues (irritable bowel syndrome, migraines, nausea, etc)” under “worrywart”). There is an overall impression that should a trait be because of mental illness or neurodivergence, this can be solved through a character arc like any other “flaw.”
This is troubling for me because this isn’t just some ablist novel, it’s a guide for writers. It’s supposed to teach aspiring authors how to sculpt characters, how to develop three-dimensional characters and develop them into better people, and it has no differentiation between traits like “evil” and “verbose,” or “promiscuous” and “manipulative.” When you list autism as a possible explanation for a character being “humorless,” you are not only alienating all of your autistic and disabled readers, you’re teaching other writers that this is acceptable. When you include the phrase “mental deficiency” in any context, regardless of intent, you are saying that there are people who are less person than others, which is a slope that very quickly leads into eugenics. Obviously this wasn’t intended, but it doesn’t matter; writers always send messages that they don’t plan to, and when those messages are prejudiced they cause real harm.
I’m frustrated because this book has been very helpful to me in visualizing behaviors and character arcs, and I’m going to continue to reference it for the foreseeable future. But I’m also going to cringe whenever I turn a page and see ”mental handicaps” as a reason for a character to be “unintelligent.”
Hope this wasn’t too “oversensitive” of me. After all, I’m autistic.
December 24, 2017
The Negative Trait Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Flaws by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi is one of six writers' thesauri books by the two authors and the first of the three I have.
I figured I'd start with The Negative Trait Thesaurus because I always have difficulty giving my characters, especially the main ones, negative attributes. So, it was a good start that opened my eyes to certain negatives that I had not considered before.
I must say one of the reasons this book took a long time for me to read was the fact that I was intimidated to start it. I've been kind of scared that I would not remember all of the content of the book and that it would house too much information, which was true.
The best way I would recommend for handling this book would be to read two or three traits per sitting. More than that, your mind will overflow.
“Flaws are traits that damage or minimise relationships and do not take into account the well-being of others. They also tend to be self-focused rather than other-focused.”
I enjoyed the intro and the writing tips at the beginning of The Negative Trait Thesaurus, which tackle the flaws needed for both the protagonist and the antagonist.
Each trait is accompanied by a definition, similar flaws, possible causes, associated behaviours and attitudes (often quite similar to the possible causes but are more varied), associated thoughts, associated emotions, positive and negative aspects (of the trait), examples from film, how to overcome this flaw in writing, and traits in supporting characters that may cause conflict.
Associated emotions are those that accompany each negative trait. For example, amusement and curiosity may accompany a childish character.
I often felt that the “Associated Thoughts” sections were too general. They are ideas that come in the character's mind.
The best parts in The Negative Trait Thesaurus are the examples from film and literature as there are many movies you can relate to or consider watching to see the negative trait in the characters, and the how your character can overcome their flaws section.
“Characters are all about self-discovery, finding meaning, and achieving goals…. Their flaws sabotage them, blocking them from gaining what they want both on a conscious and subconscious level.”
While reading, I could not help but pinpoint certain flaws in my character – me the blogger – and in friends and family, which was cool, entertaining, and sometimes a little scary.
Overall, The Negative Trait Thesaurus is an excellent writer’s resource and reference. There are many traits in the book that many would not think are negative but put in extremes, they can be quite disconcerting.
“To be worthy of challenging the hero, the villain must be as rich and complex as the protagonist himself.”
Overall rating: 4.5 stars.
I figured I'd start with The Negative Trait Thesaurus because I always have difficulty giving my characters, especially the main ones, negative attributes. So, it was a good start that opened my eyes to certain negatives that I had not considered before.
I must say one of the reasons this book took a long time for me to read was the fact that I was intimidated to start it. I've been kind of scared that I would not remember all of the content of the book and that it would house too much information, which was true.
The best way I would recommend for handling this book would be to read two or three traits per sitting. More than that, your mind will overflow.
“Flaws are traits that damage or minimise relationships and do not take into account the well-being of others. They also tend to be self-focused rather than other-focused.”
I enjoyed the intro and the writing tips at the beginning of The Negative Trait Thesaurus, which tackle the flaws needed for both the protagonist and the antagonist.
Each trait is accompanied by a definition, similar flaws, possible causes, associated behaviours and attitudes (often quite similar to the possible causes but are more varied), associated thoughts, associated emotions, positive and negative aspects (of the trait), examples from film, how to overcome this flaw in writing, and traits in supporting characters that may cause conflict.
Associated emotions are those that accompany each negative trait. For example, amusement and curiosity may accompany a childish character.
I often felt that the “Associated Thoughts” sections were too general. They are ideas that come in the character's mind.
The best parts in The Negative Trait Thesaurus are the examples from film and literature as there are many movies you can relate to or consider watching to see the negative trait in the characters, and the how your character can overcome their flaws section.
“Characters are all about self-discovery, finding meaning, and achieving goals…. Their flaws sabotage them, blocking them from gaining what they want both on a conscious and subconscious level.”
While reading, I could not help but pinpoint certain flaws in my character – me the blogger – and in friends and family, which was cool, entertaining, and sometimes a little scary.
Overall, The Negative Trait Thesaurus is an excellent writer’s resource and reference. There are many traits in the book that many would not think are negative but put in extremes, they can be quite disconcerting.
“To be worthy of challenging the hero, the villain must be as rich and complex as the protagonist himself.”
Overall rating: 4.5 stars.
February 9, 2016
Very nice book with lots of lists that help prompt research into characterization. I really enjoyed the book, learned a lot, and it raised some questions for me. Loved the Reverse Backstory Tool, which I am now using. Basically you have to want to write a rounded character to do this kind of research. This book acts as a thoughtful guide and aide. I've read though it several times, using it for two of my characters, have made notes in it and have at least a hundred posts marking pages. Of the four guides, this is my favorite.
May 26, 2014
Ah! An excellent resource for a problem I struggle with.
There are helpful essays in the beginning full of writing tips. The reference itself gives a great overview of negative traits from "abrasive" to "worry wart."
I love the Appendix items, too:
Needs and Lies Chart
Reverse Backstory Tool
The Character Pyramid
So useful.
There are helpful essays in the beginning full of writing tips. The reference itself gives a great overview of negative traits from "abrasive" to "worry wart."
I love the Appendix items, too:
Needs and Lies Chart
Reverse Backstory Tool
The Character Pyramid
So useful.
May 24, 2015
The team of Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi reference book for all levels of writers sits on my desk. It has become a valuable tool during my revision process. Thank you both for this fantastic addition to my writing shelf.
April 22, 2018
This is a really handy reference for writers. Worth the few bucks to get it!
June 6, 2024
One of the best references a writer could hope for.
December 11, 2018
This is the fourth book I've purchased in this writing craft series, and I'd highly recommend adding it to your shelf if you are a writer. It is a great tool for adding depth and variety to your characters.
Heroes versus villains. Good guys should have good traits and bad guys should have bad ones, right? But people aren't all good or all bad. Every character needs to have both positive and negative traits to be believable, but it's a tricky balance. It's all a matter of degree.
One of my favorite articles prefacing the thesaurus itself (each of these books comes with a section of short, informative articles) is about the different degrees to which a negative trait can complicate a character's life. They call them Sparks, Fireworks, and Explosions. For example, a character can have a negative trait like "stubborn." That might result in butting heads with a coworker if it's a spark level trait, but if it's the character's major flaw it could also mean a leader letting his men die because he refuses to admit he was wrong.
There's also the fact that all traits can be seen as both negative and positive depending on the situation. The general who wouldn't let his troops retreat because he was too stubborn to admit he was wrong could be the same general who gets a medal because he held his ground against hostile forces until reinforcements arrived, thereby turning the tide of battle. In that case, we might replace the word stubborn with determined, unwavering, or stalwart. As such, each entry in this thesaurus includes a sections on the "positive aspects" of the trait.
Obviously the authors couldn't fit every possible trait into a single book, but there are enough, and enough variety, that you should be able to find something close to your character's flaws and get some good ideas about how to portray them realistically, and how your character can overcome them.
For more information on this and other books in the series, check out the Writers Helping Writers website.
Heroes versus villains. Good guys should have good traits and bad guys should have bad ones, right? But people aren't all good or all bad. Every character needs to have both positive and negative traits to be believable, but it's a tricky balance. It's all a matter of degree.
One of my favorite articles prefacing the thesaurus itself (each of these books comes with a section of short, informative articles) is about the different degrees to which a negative trait can complicate a character's life. They call them Sparks, Fireworks, and Explosions. For example, a character can have a negative trait like "stubborn." That might result in butting heads with a coworker if it's a spark level trait, but if it's the character's major flaw it could also mean a leader letting his men die because he refuses to admit he was wrong.
There's also the fact that all traits can be seen as both negative and positive depending on the situation. The general who wouldn't let his troops retreat because he was too stubborn to admit he was wrong could be the same general who gets a medal because he held his ground against hostile forces until reinforcements arrived, thereby turning the tide of battle. In that case, we might replace the word stubborn with determined, unwavering, or stalwart. As such, each entry in this thesaurus includes a sections on the "positive aspects" of the trait.
Obviously the authors couldn't fit every possible trait into a single book, but there are enough, and enough variety, that you should be able to find something close to your character's flaws and get some good ideas about how to portray them realistically, and how your character can overcome them.
For more information on this and other books in the series, check out the Writers Helping Writers website.
October 7, 2019
A good resource, but of more use in conjunction with Ackerman & Puglisi's other writing help book, The Emotional Wound Thesaurus.
I've experienced some disconnect due to the book's definition of some traits don't always match my understanding/association of the trait/name, which can make it frustrating to find what you're looking for at times, especially if led there from the Wound Thesaurus. Of course there's a limit to how many traits can be included in one book, but several times I've been unable to find a trait I'm looking for and the 'close' traits included just don't seem close enough. There's also some debate to whether certain traits should be in Positive or Negative Thesaurus, especially when the authors spin all traits in both books into both positive and negative uses/outcomes. Maybe a single Trait Thesaurus would have been best, so readers don't have to search two different books to wonder if they want the positive use of a Negative-classified trait or the negative use of Positive-classified trait.
A good reference, but not a must-have due to its limitations and confusions.
I've experienced some disconnect due to the book's definition of some traits don't always match my understanding/association of the trait/name, which can make it frustrating to find what you're looking for at times, especially if led there from the Wound Thesaurus. Of course there's a limit to how many traits can be included in one book, but several times I've been unable to find a trait I'm looking for and the 'close' traits included just don't seem close enough. There's also some debate to whether certain traits should be in Positive or Negative Thesaurus, especially when the authors spin all traits in both books into both positive and negative uses/outcomes. Maybe a single Trait Thesaurus would have been best, so readers don't have to search two different books to wonder if they want the positive use of a Negative-classified trait or the negative use of Positive-classified trait.
A good reference, but not a must-have due to its limitations and confusions.
November 15, 2019
As with the rest of the books in this series, THE NEGATIVE TRAIT THESAURUS is a must-read for all fiction writers. A brief introduction covers how negative traits help develop well-rounded characters. No one has only positive traits, so weaving in negative traits allows us to create lifelike fictional beings that will take shape in believable ways, allowing readers to identify with them. After that, the book again provides a large number of negative traits, including a brief description and possible influences that could be responsible for them within your character. Each entry dives deeper with similar attributes, associated behaviors and thoughts, possible emotional responses, and what traits in supporting characters may cause conflict. Also included are example characters from literature to really drive the point home.
If you’re looking to develop in-depth characters who come across as authentic, add this to your arsenal, along with THE POSITIVE TRAIT THESAURUS.
Bottom Line
If you want to create deep, realistic characters, look no further than the Writer’s Guide series.
If you’re looking to develop in-depth characters who come across as authentic, add this to your arsenal, along with THE POSITIVE TRAIT THESAURUS.
Bottom Line
If you want to create deep, realistic characters, look no further than the Writer’s Guide series.
January 8, 2018
The Positive and Negative Trait Thesaurus’s talk about using traits to deepen your characterization to help your reader become emotionally invested in them. They use a similar format as the Emotion Thesaurus by defining the characteristic, listing similar attributes, possible causes and associated behaviors. I haven’t used these as thoroughly as I should, mostly because when I bought them I was in the middle of writing something I’d already developed characters for, but I’m in the beginning of a new project and I intend to make full use of it.
Buy them both
Buy them both
November 16, 2017
The Negative Trait Thesaurus is a solid desktop reference book for any fiction author's professional library. I'm very glad I got this book, though I was hesitant at first.
This book will not only help authors while brainstorming ideas for character weaknesses, but it also: provides insights into the kinds of background events that might cause such flaws; how the flaw impacts their view of the events around them; and solid ideas for what it takes to resolve those flaws at the character arc conclusion.
This book will not only help authors while brainstorming ideas for character weaknesses, but it also: provides insights into the kinds of background events that might cause such flaws; how the flaw impacts their view of the events around them; and solid ideas for what it takes to resolve those flaws at the character arc conclusion.
January 8, 2018
The Negative Trait Thesaurus talks about using traits to deepen your characterization to help your reader become emotionally invested in them. They use a similar format as the Emotion Thesaurus by defining the characteristic, listing similar attributes, possible causes and associated behaviors. I haven’t used these as thoroughly as I should, mostly because when I bought them I was in the middle of writing something I’d already developed characters for, but I’m in the beginning of a new project and I intend to make full use of it.
May 21, 2018
Didn't read this one front to back either, just looked through the kind of traits it contained. Unlike the emotion thesaurus, this one contains some useful information in the front about how to use negative traits to make believable characters. Each thesaurus entry shows the positive and negative side of the trait, similar personality aspects, actions, even causes. Useful for when you want to show something bad about your character without outright saying it, but for me personally I found the emotion thesaurus a bit more useful.
January 12, 2018
I have three in this series; this one along with the Guide to Character attributes and the writers guide to character expression. Not a book to read end to end, in the same way you wouldn't read any thesaurus. The introduction provides some great insights and in sections themselves, provide much food for thought. Great companion books which have a well-deserved place on my desk where I write so they're nice and handy.
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