Most writers are familiar with emotions like anger, happiness, or lust. But there are many emotions writers don’t use as often and thus can be very powerful when they do. I’m taking these from the awesome resource for writers called The Emotion Thesaurus. Do pick up a copy today!
1. Agitation:
Physical signals- hands moving in jerky motions, gaze darting from place to place, throat clearing, pacing
Internal sensations- excessive saliva, short & fast breaths, sweating
Mental responses- compounding mistakes, lying
Cues of suppressed agitation- making excuses, shifting attention to others
Agitation may escalate to- annoyance, frustration, anxiety, anger
2. Conflicted:
Physical signals- a smile that wavers, struggling to find the right words, soft head shaking
Internal sensations- tightness in the chest, sinking feeling in the stomach
Mental responses- seeking information, weighing pros and cons
Cues of suppressing the feeling of being conflicted- suggesting that a break is needed to regroup, making a joke to lighten the mood
Conflict may escalate to- confusion, overwhelmed, frustration, anxiety
3. Defeat:
Physical signals- chin lowering to one’s chest, becoming quiet or non-responsive, a long sigh
Internal sensations- heart thudding in the chest, lack of energy, a lump in the throat
Mental responses- a desire to be alone, feeling of shame, worrying that others will be disappointed
Cues of suppressed defeat- false bravado, using anger to feed strength
Defeat may escalate to- resignation, depression, shame, humilation
4. Eagerness:
Physical signals- speaking in a loud tone, rubbing the hands together, sitting on the edge of a chair
Internal sensations- fluttery stomach, increased heartbeat
Mental responses- focused listening, positive outlook
Cues of suppressed eagerness- forcing oneself to sit still, taking deep breaths
Eagerness may escalate to- excitement, impatience
5. Hopefulness:
Physical signals- squirming, straightening ones’ clothing, chattiness
Internal sensations- tingling limbs, a flutter in the body
Mental responses- a sense of calm, focusing on improving oneself
Cues of suppressed hopefulness- reminding oneself of obstacles, keeping one’s face blank
Hopefulness may escalate to- eagerness, excitement, disappointment
6. Indifference
Physical signals- leaning away, speaking in a flat voice, being unresponsive
Internal sensations- lack of energy, slow breaths
Mental responses- wandering thoughts, a lack of empathy
Cues of suppressed indifference- pretending to pay attention, asking token questions
Indifference may escalate to- irritation, annoyance, contempt, resignation
7. Loneliness:
Physical signals- slumped shoulders, doing nice things to curry favor, rambling in conversations with others
Internal sensations- Onset of tears, insomnia, fatigue
Mental responses- avoiding social situations, a desire to be included
Cues of suppressed loneliness- committing quickly to anyone who shows interest, coming across as desperate
Loneliness may escalate to- sadness, hurt, resignation, depression
8. Nostalgia:
Physical signals- unfocused gaze, small smile, eyes that fill with tears
Internal sensations- breathing slowing as memories take over, dulled awareness
Mental responses- losing track of time, satisfaction at having experienced the event even if it brought pain or loss
Cues of suppressed nostalgia- lack of mementos of the past, rejecting opportunities to revisit the past (not attending a reunion)
Nostalgia may escalate to- sadness, depression, happiness
9. Overwhelmed:
Physical signals- waving people away, a voice choked with tears, shaking, dropping things
Internal sensations- a need to sit down, difficulty breathing
Mental responses- retreating inward, wanting to be alone
Cues of suppressing being overwhelmed- verbal denial, false smiles, feigning a malady rather than admitting to weakness
Being overwhelmed may escalate to- anxiety, depression
10. Paranoia:
Physical signals- darting eye movements, flinching, pallid skin, looking over one’s shoulder
Internal sensations- heightened senses, tense muscles
Mental responses- irrational responses, sensation of being followed
Cues of suppressed paranoia- avoidance of social situations, a smile that is frozen or manic
Paranoia may escalate to- fear, anger, rage, hatred, desperation
11. Regret
Physical signals- bent posture, apologizing, squeezing one’s eyes shut
Internal sensations- a knotted belly, lack of appetite
Mental responses- self-loathing, reliving past events
Cues of suppressed regret- making life-altering decisions as a way to start over, putting on a happy face
Regret may escalate to- shame, frustration, depression
12. Scorn
Physical signals- a disgusted snort, sarcasm, eyebrow raised
Internal sensations- adrenaline rush, rising body temperature
Mental responses- elation at delivering a blow to an opponent, arrogance
Cues of suppressed scorn- tightening of the jaw, shaking head
Scorn may escalate to- anger, hatred, elation
13. Unease
Physical signals- shifting in one’s chair, pulling at clothing, shaking voice, throat clearing
Internal sensations- shivering, fluttery feeling in the stomach
Mental responses- feeling of being on the edge, heightened sense of awareness
Cues of suppressed unease- rolling the shoulders, keeping one’s distance, talking too fast
Unease may escalate to- nervousness, worry, fear
If you’re a writer, how do you portray these emotions? If you’re a reader, do you appreciate an author’s attempts to use less common emotions to tell their story?
To learn more about me or my books, check out my website at http://www.booksbycassandracarr.com.
Until next week…