Facts are facts: writers throw a lot of rocks at characters. Enemies. Obstacles. Maybe a rabid zombie or two. And we aren’t nice about it, spacing out each projectile, no. We like to line up our canons and see just how many hits a character can take…all in the name of character arc … [Read more...] about How to Show Emotional Volatility
Search Results for: how to show emotion
How to Show Emotion for Non-Viewpoint Characters
Those of you who are familiar with me know that Angela Ackerman and I talk a lot about emotion. A LOT. That’s because we believe that clearly conveying emotion—particularly that of the protagonist or viewpoint character—plays an important role in building reader empathy. If we … [Read more...] about How to Show Emotion for Non-Viewpoint Characters
Using Vocal Cues to Show Hidden Emotion
By Becca Puglisi Any Tolkien fans in the house? I remember, as a teen, reading The Hobbit by the fire on a rare cold evening in Florida. It became a favorite that I would re-read until my copy literally fell to pieces. One of my favorite scenes comes right at the beginning: the … [Read more...] about Using Vocal Cues to Show Hidden Emotion
Dropping Breadcrumbs: How to Show a Character’s Emotional Wound Through Behavior
Emotional wounds are transformative and have the power to re-shape a character in many negative ways, impacting their happiness, their self-worth, and causing mistrust and disillusionment to skew their worldview. This critical piece of backstory is key to understanding their motivations, and will … [Read more...] about Dropping Breadcrumbs: How to Show a Character’s Emotional Wound Through Behavior
When Telling, Not Showing, Emotion is the Right Choice
Hi everyone! A past resident writing coach is visiting us with an excerpt on a new course she's teaching on mastering emotions: C.S. Lakin. This post is a touch longer than usual but it will give you a good window into some of the things you'll learn. Please read on! Many amateur writers tend to … [Read more...] about When Telling, Not Showing, Emotion is the Right Choice
Keep It Fresh: 10 Ways To Show Your Character’s Emotions
Years ago, Becca and I grumbled about how our characters always expressed emotion the same way. My big thing? Frowning. Did my characters EVER know how to frown. They were savage at it. Becca’s characters? Smilers, all of them. SO HAPPY. Unfortunately, our inability to express emotion in a … [Read more...] about Keep It Fresh: 10 Ways To Show Your Character’s Emotions
Showing Character Emotion: Why Moving Beyond the Face
The face is the first thing we notice in real life, and the focal point during any conversation. We connect to a person’s gaze, paying attention to how their eyes widen, squint, focus inward or dart. We also watch their mouth, noting lip presses, teeth flashes, frowns, smiles and pursed lips. … [Read more...] about Showing Character Emotion: Why Moving Beyond the Face
Show, Don’t Tell: Revealing True Emotion In Dialogue
Very few things pull people in like conversation. After all, when someone speaks, they are making themselves vulnerable to others. How? Because words are steeped in thoughts, beliefs and emotions. They have meaning. Power. When we talk to someone, what we're really doing is sharing a piece of … [Read more...] about Show, Don’t Tell: Revealing True Emotion In Dialogue
Emotional Description: 3 Common Problems with Show & Tell
Writing compelling emotional moments is the lifeblood of any story and the key to building a relationship between characters and readers. Yet steering clear of the show-don’t-tell pitfalls requires practice and skill. Here are three scenarios that can challenge writers as they search for the right … [Read more...] about Emotional Description: 3 Common Problems with Show & Tell
Hidden Emotions: How To Tell Readers What Characters Don’t Want To Show
One of the struggles that comes with writing is when a character feels vulnerable and so tries to hide their emotions as a result. Fear of emotional pain, a lack of trust in others, instinct, or protecting one's reputation are all reasons he or she might repress what’s going on inside … [Read more...] about Hidden Emotions: How To Tell Readers What Characters Don’t Want To Show
How to Use Show, Don’t Tell to Strengthen Your Story
Writers hear it all the time: Show, don’t tell. This advice is so iconic that I wouldn’t be surprised if a few tattoos are kicking around the community. After all, our job as writers isn’t to explain what’s happening to readers, it’s to help them experience the story themselves. And show, don’t tell … [Read more...] about How to Use Show, Don’t Tell to Strengthen Your Story
How to Use Amplifiers to Motivate Emotionally Challenging Characters
Like many other kids, I got my first job as a babysitter. You’re probably picturing me as a competent, CPR-trained teenager armed with craft supplies and a boatload of determination. But this was 1981, which means I was a whopping nine years old when someone put me in charge of their kids. Who … [Read more...] about How to Use Amplifiers to Motivate Emotionally Challenging Characters