Books: The Emotion Thesaurus

The Emotion Thesaurus 
My Verdict: Read It

Have you ever wanted a list of ways a character can express emotion so you can pick out what’s right for your character? The list exists. The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression by Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi is a catalog of over fifty different emotions. Each emotion is detailed on two pages consisting of: definition, physical signals, internal sensations, mental responses, cues of that emotion when acute or long-term (also what the emotion may escalate to), and cues of that emotion when suppressed.

Reading this book cover to cover is not helpful (but it is a little enlightening about which emotions have cues that overlap). You should use this book either:

Before you do the majority of your writing (while you are plotting out your character’s traits)

or

After you write (so you can fix all the clichés you had to leave in your first draft just so you could finish writing the whole story).

I do not suggest using this book while you are writing your first draft because it is more important to get the whole story written down instead of written beautifully (that’s what revision is for).

Maybe you’ve got your three main characters completely mapped out without this book, but what about your side characters? While you’re revising you should decide what motivation each side character has for being on stage. If they aren’t earning their keep, you’ll have to give them the hook. Skim through The Emotion Thesaurus’s Table of Contents as you consider each character. They’re a side character, so they have a life we don’t care about that happens off stage, but how does that affect them while they’re on stage? If your character is in the ER does the Reader care about a boring helpful doctor or one who is angry that his wife just left him? Side characters are an opportunity to up the tension of a scene, not just a means to getting to the next scene.

If you do read this book cover to cover I’d suggest reading one entry a day. Let the ideas for each emotion really sink in. As you read the suggested phrases you might be reminded of the last time you read/heard those words used. Take a moment to note now how you felt about them. Was the phrase used well or did it stick out like asparagus in chocolate pudding? If it was from a book, did you end up enjoying the book as a whole? Reviewing what works for you, and what doesn’t, is a great way to think about what will, and won’t, work for your readers.

As a separate activity set aside some time to flip to the end of each entry and review the Writer’s Tip in the grey box. They’re a good review.

After you try this book out, definitely consider owning it.

Homework: pick a chapter of your novel at random and identify what words or phrases you might be overusing. Spend time figuring out what you really want your character to display and think of alternative ways to say it.

Rating Scale: Keep on Desk, Own It, Read It, Skim It, Don’t Bother