What Holds Your Character Back? How to Deepen Characterization in Fiction
- Fiction Yogi
- Jul 14
- 5 min read
Updated: Aug 27
In this article we'll consider:
How internal obstacles deepen characterization
Physical barriers
Mental barriers
Emotional barriers
Why these barriers matter
How to use them in your own writing
In fiction, compelling, believable characters are driven by internal and external forces that define who they are and what they want—and it's this hotbed of inner personality versus outer friction that influences how they'll respond to, and move, the plot.
But what your character wants, or even needs, is only half the story. To effect a successful outcome of the plot events, your protagonist will need to do more than overcome the obstacles standing in their path. They'll need to overcome themselves.
Just as in real life, your protagonist is their own worst enemy. But whereas in real life this causes us all kinds of problems we'd rather not have, in fiction it allows us to deepen our character's complexity, and provides space for character development and the all-important character arc. Specifically, we're talking of course about what holds your character back.
Whether physically, mentally, emotionally, or a combination, the barrier that prevents your character from progressing is the secret ingredient to transforming a flat protagonist into a layered, intriguing, memorable figure.
In this post, we’ll break down the three major types of barriers characters face, provide examples from bestselling novels, and explain how you can use them in your own writing to deepen characterization.
1. Physical barriers: When the body limits the journey
Physical limitations are tangible and often visible, but their narrative power comes from how they affect a character’s goals, sense of identity, and relationships.
Example: Tyrion Lannister – A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin
Tyrion's dwarfism isolates him from family and society. Though intelligent and witty, he’s constantly underestimated or reviled. His physical form isn’t just a character trait—it shapes his defensive wit, self-loathing, and need to prove his value. Martin doesn’t let Tyrion's stature be a gimmick; it informs his political cunning and emotional armour.
Tip for writers: Use physical limitations not just as plot devices but as psychological levers that reveal your character’s internal world. Ask:
How does this limitation affect their self-image?
How do others react to them, and how does that shape the character's behaviour?
2. Mental barriers: Beliefs that sabotage
These are the invisible prisons: the belief systems, conditioning, worldviews, or cognitive biases that keep characters from changing, growing, or achieving their goals.
Example: Jay Gatsby – The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Gatsby is trapped by a romantic ideal: that he can recreate the past and win Daisy’s love. His belief in this dream drives everything he does, but it also blinds him to reality. This mental fixation leads him to tragedy—not because he’s evil, but because he’s unable to accept that time and people change.
Tip for writers: Identify your character’s core beliefs—especially the flawed ones. Ask:
What false idea does your character cling to?
How does this belief distort their choices?
This is essential for internal conflict that then leads to external friction, the beating heart of great fiction.
3. Emotional barriers: Feelings that chain or propel
Emotionally held-back characters are often the most relatable. They carry trauma, fear, guilt, shame, grief, or unresolved anger, which can make them sympathetic or frustrating, or both.
Example: Harry Potter – Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
In the fifth book, Harry is consumed by grief and isolation after Cedric’s death and the return of Voldemort. His emotional volatility causes rifts with friends and mentors. This anger isn’t random—it’s the manifestation of trauma and the burden of a world that won't believe the truth.
Rowling uses emotional barriers to make Harry real: he’s not always heroic. He lashes out. He doubts himself. But these moments of inner turmoil deepen his complexity and our connection to him.
Tip for writers: Emotional barriers can be either subtle or explosive. Ask:
What pain is your character trying to avoid?
What emotion do they suppress—and why?
Let that emotional barrier affect their decisions, dialogue, and development arc.
Bonus: The compound barrier
Often, the most memorable characters are limited on multiple fronts. Their physical reality feeds into mental beliefs, which spark emotional responses.
Example: Katniss Everdeen – The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Katniss is a survivalist. Physically capable, yes—but emotionally guarded and mentally cynical. Her traumatic past (emotional), distrust of institutions (mental), and the harshness of District 12 (physical) combine to create a protagonist who is fierce yet deeply conflicted.
Why these barriers matter in characterization
The obstacles that hold your character back are more than just “flaws”—they are the resistance against which the character’s arc is forged. They create tension, fuel motivation, and ensure that the stakes are personal.
Well-crafted barriers:
Make characters relatable
Create natural plot tension
Allow room for transformation (or tragic downfall)
By defining what holds your character back, you shape what they can become—and why readers will care.
How to use this in your own writing
Here’s a quick framework:
Type | Examples | Questions to Ask |
Physical | Disability, illness, social status, appearance | How does this affect their agency? How do others treat them? |
Mental | False beliefs, obsessions, denial, naivety | What do they believe that isn’t true? How does it steer their actions? |
Emotional | Guilt, fear, grief, trauma | What do they feel but refuse to face? How does this create tension? |
Exercise:
Pick a character you’re working on and write one paragraph for each type of barrier. Then brainstorm how those barriers could:
Block their goal
Affect a relationship
Cause conflict with allies or enemies
👤 Struggling with characterization?
My Character Analysis service is an affordable way to get feedback and actionable guidance on how to make your characters complex, clear, authentic, and compelling.
Finally...
If you want to write believable, emotionally resonant characters, don’t just give them goals—give them obstacles rooted in who they are. The more specific and personal the barrier, the more complex they become and the more powerful their response to your story's plot.
So ask yourself not just what your character wants, but “What’s holding them back?” When you know that, you’re not just writing a character—you’re writing a transformation.
Tina Williams of Fiction Yogi is an editor who works with writers at all stages, giving them the tools to improve their manuscript and level up their writing so they can meet their publishing goals.
