Cheat Sheet for Writing Emotion
Anger:
- Grinding teeth
- Narrowing eyes
- Yelling
- A burning feeling in the chest
- Heavy breathing
- Unjustified or justified accusations towards other characters
- Jerky movements
- Glaring
- Violence
- Stomping
- Face reddening
- Snapping at people
Sadness:
- Lack of motivation
- Messy appearance
- Quiet
- Slow movements
- Crying
- Inability to sleep
- Frowning
- Red eyes
- Isolating oneself
- Fatigue
- Not concentrating
Love:
- Thinking about someone
- Good communication
- Not forcing a friend/lover into something
- Smiling randomly
- Making eye contact with loved one
- Nervous behaviors (fiddling hands, biting lip)
- Cuddling
- Flirting
- Inside jokes
- Holding hands
- Kissing
- Offering gifts
- Fluttering stomach
- Racing heart
- Losing track of time while with loved one
- Daydreaming
Denial:
- Disagreement with someone
- Shaking head frantically
- Backing away
- Putting hand on one’s chest
- Rapid speaking
- Rationalization or justifying something
- Dismissing someone or something
Embarrassment:
- Blushing
- Avoiding eye contact
- Grimacing
- Looking down
- Changing the conversation
- Rubbing back of neck
- Shoulders slumping
- A weak voice
- Tightening chest
- Panicked thoughts
- Running away
- Getting quiet
- Concentrating on something else
Happiness
- Smiling
- Laughing
- Squealing
- Bouncing on toes
- Warmth in chest
- Fast pulse
- A sense of contentment
- Relaxed posture
- Quick movements
- Breathlessness
- Desire to help
Fear:
- Face going pale
- Panicked thoughts
- Jerky movements
- Mind racing for a solution
- Running
- Freezing
- Fighting
- Fawning (doing what people tell you to do)
Side note: flight, fight, freeze, and fawn are all reactions to adrenaline. Aka the fight or flight response
- Thinking of survival
- Rapid breathing
- A panicked feeling
Guilt:
- Feeling horrible about oneself
- Lying
- Grimacing
- Trying to redeem themselves
- Asking for forgiveness
- Anxious thoughts
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