The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression (Paperback)

Do your characters smile too much? Are their hearts always racing, their breath rushing, or worse, do they stand there, doing nothing at all? It’s okay, you aren’t alone. Writing powerful, fresh emotional descriptions can be a challenge…or rather, it used to be before The Emotion Thesaurus came along.

Part how-to, part brainstorming tool, this writing guide will help you find the right words to show (not tell) what your character feels.

• Master the Art of Emotion. Avoid overused expressions like nodding, sighing, and frowning with brainstorming lists that help you envision how your character might think, act, and behave in the moment. 
• Create a Compelling, Relatable Story Cast. Bring readers in close by having characters process feelings the way real people do. Our profiles contain the cues you need to identify the body language, thoughts, and visceral reactions associated with 130 emotions.
• Easily Spot and Fix Emotion Issues. Identify common emotion-writing pitfalls and get practical advice for solving them. This guide tackles confusing emotional shifts, inconsistent expressions, and more, so you can polish your story and keep readers engaged.
• Reveal Hidden Feelings with Subtext. Use dialogue and nonverbal cues to show your characters' unspoken emotions and add depth to conversations. Readers will love piecing together what’s left unsaid, and their connection to your story will be heightened.
• Bust Through Writer's Block. With its simple list format, this book is built to trigger ideas and keep you in the writing flow. Whether you’re drafting or revising, it’s an easy reference for writing emotions that leap off the page.
• Wield Show-Don't-Tell Like a Pro. Create immersive stories by focusing on engaging descriptions. When readers become invested in your characters, it not only hooks them all the way to the final page...it primes them to come back for your next book!

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View the list of emotions in this book
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Looking for the digital version? This book is also available as a PDF and ebook.