Phobia ~ an irrational fear of a particular person, place or thing.
1. Ailurophobia - fear of cats.
2. Nyctophobia - fear of the dark.
3. Demophobia - fear of crowds.
4. Erythrophobia - fear of blushing.
5. Gephyrophobia - fear of bridges.
6. Gamophobia - fear of marriage.
7. Kakorrhaphiophobia - fear of failure.
8. Phasmophobia - fear of ghosts.
9. Triskaidekaphobia - fear of number 13.
10. Hypengyophobia - fear of responsibility.
11. Musophobia - fear of mice.
12. Ergophobia - fear of work.
13. Lalophobia - fear of speaking.
After typing all these I’ve developed a fear of spelling one of them wrong! I thought I could inflict a phobia on one of my characters. Which one sounds interesting to you? I thought fear of blushing of was an interesting phobia and wondered how the person was going to stop blushing or avoid those who blushed.
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The obvious phobia for romance is fear of marriage but I say go for fear of bridges. Depending on where you live it could lead to some interesting problems!!
by Jenyfer Matthews January 10th, 2008 at 12:51 amWhat a nifty TT. Umm Thursday Thirteen that is. I didn’t mean your ta-tas, although I image they are spectacular. :P
I was tagged, Shelley, so you are too. LOL Go to my website’s blog and you’ll see I’ve changed the rules a bit. Oh…and bring all your characters. Hee, hee…
http://cassandracurtis.com/blog
by Cass January 10th, 2008 at 2:20 amFear of work…ROFL! Most of the latest generation of workers have that, don’t they. *g* There I go being very unPC again. Shoot! I’ll never get the hang of it.
by Nicole Austin January 10th, 2008 at 4:21 amI just finished reading a story with a heroine who’s terrified of the dark. I’ll be coming back to check this list later. What a great idea!
by Gina Ardito January 10th, 2008 at 4:34 amHa! Doesn’t every Hero have #6 in a romance novel. LOL!
I really like the idea of giving a character #3.
by Jennifer Shirk January 10th, 2008 at 5:30 amPretty cool list. :)
Gamophobic and proud of it
by Adelle Laudan January 10th, 2008 at 6:04 amI definitely have Kakorrhaphiophobia but I don’t know if that makes me an interesting character. LOL.
by Jennifer McKenzie January 10th, 2008 at 6:28 amYou’re a brave woman to attempt to spell all those phobias! (Not that I’d have a clue if you’d missed a letter or two *lol*)
Great List!
http://debbie-mumford.blogspot.com/
by Debbie Mumford January 10th, 2008 at 7:37 amwell i should have a fear of posting now since the first one was eaten by gremlins in cyber space. I was going to lend you my three pound yorkie kirby who gets rid of all phobias but the site here saw him and decided i shouldnt post, he must be really scary… though he suffers from Ergophobia. LOL
by Tina brunelle January 10th, 2008 at 7:43 amInteresting list. I personally have 4 of them
I wonder if there’s a classified phobia for those of us scared to begin writing chapter one
by Wylie January 10th, 2008 at 7:49 amFear of speaking? I know some people I wish had that phobia. ;)
by Jennifer Bianco January 10th, 2008 at 8:10 amThis is a great list. I’ll have to come back to it next time I’m outlining. Very inspiring.
Hmmm, which character will I torture?
Oooo I like 4. 6 is overdone.
by Alice Audrey January 10th, 2008 at 9:00 amErythrophobia - fear of blushing-
I think I have that! And I can blush beeeeet beeet red!
Great list today!
by SavvyONE January 10th, 2008 at 9:27 amCool list!
*hugs*
by Paige Tyler January 10th, 2008 at 9:45 amPaige
I have a phobia of thunder and lightining…
by Savannah Chase January 10th, 2008 at 10:24 amFear of blushing? I’ve never heard of that one!!!
I sometimes think I have Demophobia - the mall can freak me out. I’ve turned into a hermit!
by Karen Erickson January 10th, 2008 at 10:42 amA friend used to say I had circumvenaterraphobia: The fear of being landlocked! (I grew up by a big lake, and can’t imagine not being within driving distance of a very large body of water. I live about 2 miles from the ocean now!)
by Dayle January 10th, 2008 at 12:24 pmGreat list, Shelley!
I’d say whichever phobia your character has should depend on the plot. If she’s afraid of cats, then have her interested in a vet, or assigned to do community service at an animal shelter. If she’s afraid of bridges, have her overcome that fear by crossing a high, spindly bridge. Afraid of the darK? Power goes out at dusk.
by Heather January 10th, 2008 at 12:42 pmI’d imagine that whichever of these you pick will color the character entirely. Fear of blushing, for example. Does it turn the heroine into a wallflower who’s afraid to attract attention?
If she’s afraid of bridges, how does she get about (okay, you need to understand I live in Pittsburgh, which has more bridges than any city other than Venice)?
It’s going to be a defining characteristic, so play with them all and see what works most naturally.
Good luck!
by Susan Helene Gottfried January 10th, 2008 at 1:01 pmWhat a great idea to get a jumping off point for a story. Fears always make great motivations and these were some I had never thought of. Thanks for posting it.
by AJ January 10th, 2008 at 1:27 pmWhat about sharks. Big fear of those suckers to the point I won’t fly over water. It’s sad …
by Amy Ruttan January 10th, 2008 at 2:23 pmI’m busy developing a fear of writing short stories. I can’t get the damn sucker to work, and it’s due Jan 15.
by Gabriele January 10th, 2008 at 3:08 pmOh I’m writing some of these down. Having a fear of blushing sounds like an awesome idea. Especially if it’s the hero.
I have a terrible fear of heights. I can’t go up step ladders. I’m working on it.
by Christine d'Abo January 10th, 2008 at 5:28 pmThursday Thirteens is cute idea.
by Connie January 12th, 2008 at 7:34 pm