- In a group conversation, how close do they stand to others? Are they off to the side just listening and occasionally speaking or are they right next to people?
- What do they do with their hands when speaking? Talk with their hands, cross their arms, put hands in pockets, prop up against the wall, etc
- Nonverbal greetings: do they wave, nod, hug, glare, punch, high five, something else?
- How do they get others' attention? Raise hand, clear throat, etc
Quirks are habits, attitudes, mannerisms, or behaviors that are unusual, unexpected, or strange.
People have quirks, and your characters and locations should too. Think obsessions, a silly or unusual laugh, habits like pacing around the room, knuckle cracking, or braiding or twisting hair while thinking. Someone could always be cold, even in the summer without AC. An old man could have the habit of checking his mailbox twice a day, so much so that there is a path of trampled grass leading to his mailbox.
Locations can have quirks. The front door might have to be pushed or pulled in a certain way to engage the lock. The sink faucets could be switched. The hot water tap could really be the cold water tap despite the label.
Think of somewhere you've lived or a person you knew. What stood out to you about them? What did you find bizarre, aggravating, or charming about them?
Quirks will serve as the little details that will make your characters and settings lifelike. These quirks will say a lot about what you are describing, and they can even be used to allude to something important in your plot. There could be significant explanations to the quirks you choose which can add a layer of depth to your story.
Personality Quirks:
Thorough planner
Never plans for anything
Lone wolf
Needs approval
Adventurous
High strung
Takes things seriously
Skeptical of everything
Loves to argue
Avoids people
Avoids touching people
Honest to a fault
Impulsive liar
The Martyr
Sensitive
Abrasive
Compulsive flirt
Ambitious but lazy
Behavioral Quirks:
Picks at nails
Smokes only certain brands
Drinks a homemade concoction of choice
Tops their food with a specific dressing or additional ingredient
Loud laugh
Subdued laugh
Whistles or hums when walking
Always misses the trash can
Touches their face when they talk
Gets a stomachache at tense moments
Stutters when talking to someone attractive
If they clean is always a deep clean
Avoids public restrooms
Collection of ducks
Collections in general
Very loud sneezes
Kitten sneezes
Hisses when thinking
Always sounds angry even when they aren't
Has a hard time articulating feelings or desires
Often gets cliches or common phrases wrong
Physical Quirks:
Twitchy eye
Twitchy foot
Extremely flexible
Extremely inflexible
Two colored eyes
Chipped nails
Long perfect nails
Distinctive weight distribution
Very short
Very tall
Distinctive marks like birth marks or scars
Clothes/accessories:
Wears new clothes but has an old beaten-up suitcase or bag
Fingers full of rings
Never seen without makeup
Never wears their hair down
Cracked glasses
Socks never match
Old people sweaters
One sock pulled up, the other falling down
Half tucked shirt
Always a pen in the shirt pocket
Wears only a specific color
Crooked pins or name tag
Wears anything with their favorite animal
Wears slippers out in public
Location Quirks:
Squeaky steps
Window that jams
Lot full of old trees
A popular place of business with limited, inconvenient hours
House locks that are hard to open
A front door without weather stripping
Plumbing that rattles when water runs
Whistling windows
Creaky couch
Wavy, uneven floors
Always windy
A yard where critters are always seen
A public place that seems to attract certain people or animals
Reader: Wow, you have really complex characters, you must be so intelligent with coming up with new personalities.
Writer: Jokes on you, I used that person *points* and that person *points* and that person I barely talk to and mostly just observe *points* and my Uncle Fred who drives me nuts *points* and mix it all together.
My McQueen diecast saw me and said: Francesco Bernoulli falls into the category of “Characters who act like they’re the best but are emotionally weak.”???
Let’s break down why he fits this archetype:
1. Overconfident Persona Covering Insecurity
Francesco’s entire brand is confidence. He talks about himself in third person, boasts constantly, and positions himself as McQueen’s superior. Lines like: “Francesco is the best!”, “Francesco always wins!”, “Francesco is triple speed!”
These exaggerated declarations of superiority often scream compensation. He needs the world to affirm his greatness—he's not grounded like someone who’s truly 100% secure in their talent. His ego is fragile, and the moment it’s challenged…Francesco's entire personality is built around this larger-than-life bravado. He’s constantly boasting about his speed, his looks, his fame, and how "the ladies love Francesco." On the outside, he’s flamboyant, loud, and cocky—but underneath all that?
He’s "deeply" insecure, especially when someone challenges his image.
2. Vulnerable Reaction to Criticism, Mel Dorado Scene – The Public Unmasking
This moment is probably one of the best examples of Francesco’s emotional weakness: This moment is huge. Francesco attacks McQueen with a jab meant to shake his pride (“tow trucks”):
“Francesco knows how good he is, he does not need to surround himself with tow trucks to prove it.” That line was meant to tear McQueen down—but when McQueen coolly counters with:
“Those are strong words from a car that is so fragile…”
Francesco immediately loses his cool. He takes it extremely personally, yelling, “Fragile!?” and going on a mini meltdown. It’s not just the insult—it’s the public nature of it. He’s on live television, with everyone watching, and he can't take the blow to his ego. He can dish it out, but he can’t take it.
His tantrum and flustered response: “Fragile!? He calls a Francesco, fragile!?” Then he says “Not-a so fast, McQueen!” All of his composture n ego finally falls apart because of McQueen's response.
...shows he’s not used to being challenged, especially not in public. There’s an ego bruise, not from physical competition, but from verbal exposure—And Francesco’s response is immature: defensive, explosive and insecure.
McQueen hits a nerve, not by yelling but by turning Francesco’s own confidence into a vulnerability. His voice goes up in pitch. Immediately gets defensive and flustered. His cool, cocky image is gone. He snaps and storms off.
That’s not how someone secure in themselves reacts. It’s classic emotional fragility: the mask of arrogance slipping the second someone pokes at the insecurity underneath. McQueen turning Francesco’s own words around—“fragile”—struck a nerve. In fact, that one word completely unraveled Francesco in front of a massive public audience.
3. Public Image Obsession
As I said before, he was on a live broadcast (Mel Dorado Show) with many other people watching at the Wheel Well Motel and many other media. And what does he do? He gets publicly flustered and then flees. That’s huge. He was embarrassed not just because McQueen got the better of him, but because others saw it.
Characters who are emotionally secure can laugh off a jab or hold their ground with dignity. Francesco couldn’t.
4. Tantrum = Emotional Immaturity
That little tantrum—“He calls Francesco, fragile!?”—isn’t just funny. It’s a sign of someone whose confidence is superficial. He sees McQueen’s comeback as a threat to his self-worth, not just his image.
Contrast Between Tokyo and Italy:
In Tokyo, Francesco is composed and grinning after his win. Why? He has control. He’s on top, and his ego is validated.
when McQueen keeps up with him—being beaten by McQueen in his hometown, in front of his fans, and especially his mama—it’s a massive ego blow. We see the cracks. His confident expression fades. His behavior shifts from playful taunting to desperate competitiveness. He’s tense. Before the race, he’s got flags, fans, full support… but when he loses, the “this is impossible!” tantrum shows how easily his mask of superiority cracks under pressure.
He’s a character who needs external validation. He thrives on praise and admiration—but when those things falter, so does he. And when he loses?
He reacts like a kid whose worldview just collapsed. He’s supposed to be the unbeatable one, especially in Italy. That loss isn’t just a defeat—it’s a personal humiliation. Francesco thrives on external validation, and the crowd being there amplifies his internal pressure.
📌In Summary:
That scenes are for me actually a brilliant (and funny) beat of characterization!!
Francesco Bernoulli is the perfect example of a “peacock” personality: all flash, little inner strength when things get serious. It’s not to say he’s a bad person. But his identity is fragile, and that makes him emotionally weak despite the bravado. Once you ruffle their feathers, they break. So yes, in my opinion he’s firmly in the trope of characters who act like they’re the best but are emotionally weak. All this from my point of view!!
