The Fear Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to What Holds Characters Back

Fear fuels every story. This guide breaks down the fears that psychologically hold characters back. Learn how fear shapes motivation and behavior, drives poor decisions, and creates meaningful and relatable internal conflict.

Releases April 2026.

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FEARS EXPLORED IN THIS BOOK

Show your character’s fear by how it hinders their goals, disrupts their life, and drives internal struggle. This database helps you explore possible behavior, choices, and inner conflict tied to 80+ psychological fears.

  • Death
    Discovering an Uncomfortable Truth
    Discrimination
    Divine Retribution
    Emotional Vulnerability
    Extinction
    Failure
    Government
    Growing Old
    Growing Up
    Having No Purpose
    Heartbreak
    Humiliation
    Inadequacy
    Infidelity
    Leading
    Leaving No Legacy

  • Letting People Down
    Loneliness
    Losing Autonomy
    Losing Financial Security
    Losing One's Heritage or Cultural Identity
    Losing One's Sanity
    Losing One's Social Standing
    Losing the Respect of Others
    Making the Wrong Decision
    Mediocrity
    Missing Out
    Never Finding Happiness
    Never Finding Love
    Not Being Believed
    Not Being Enough
    Not Being in Control

  • Not Fitting in
    One's Body Becoming a Prison
    One's Genetics
    Persecution
    Physical Isolation
    Physical Pain
    Putting Oneself Out There
    Regret
    Rejection
    Relationship Commitment
    Repeating a Cycle of Abuse
    Running Out of a Critical Resource
    Success
    The Past Being Discovered
    The Future
    The Unknown
    Trusting Others
SAMPLE COMING SOON

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