The Emotion Thesaurus—A Writer’s Best Friend

As a new fiction writer, one of my biggest challenges to mastering the craft has been how to convey emotion in a unique, compelling, and believable way. Readers want to be sucked into the story to feel what the main characters are experiencing and not standing on the sidelines watching robots cross their arms or tap their feet for the hundredth time. We can only have them smile, nod, or grimace so many times before our readers throw the book across the room. (Which, for the record, is NOT the emotional response we want our readers to have.)

If you struggle with this aspect then let me introduce you to your new best friend—The Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi. This handy resource contains 130 emotions, ranging from adoration to wariness. I appreciate how The Emotion Thesaurus breaks down each emotion in an easy-to-navigate format. The authors provide each emotion with a clear definition, physical signals and behaviors, internal sensations, and mental responses. Each entry also provides long-term responses for the emotion, signs of suppressed emotions, and the potential escalation or de-escalation towards another emotion. Then, the emotion ends with a list of power verbs that may help you get unstuck as you write.

However, once you have this book in your hands, don’t skip straight to the 130 emotions. Make sure you take some time to sit down and read the first twenty-six pages. This section contains a wealth of instructional material on how to use this book and write realistically and consistently using effective dialog and showing, instead of telling.

Of course, to utilize this resource effectively, you need to know the emotions your characters are feeling in their scenes. There is a big difference between an anxious character and an impatient character—some of the action beats may be the same, but the emotions are completely different. Take the time to study the different emotions in this book so you can convey them clearly on the page to create evocative emotional moments. You might find yourself inspired to have your characters emote in a new and creative way.

I’m not the only fan of this resource book, as other Storyteller Squad writers added this book to their “must-have” writing tool lists. Check out Laurie’s list HERE and Victoria’s list HERE.

In closing, I’m thankful for successful writers who have done the extensive work to provide us aspiring writers with resources to help us on our writer journey. If you find you benefit from The Emotion Thesaurus—be sure to check out the other Writer’s Helping Writers resources, which includes the Emotion Amplifiers: A Companion to the Emotion Thesaurus. I know I’ve added this book to my Christmas wish-list!

On behalf of the Storyteller Squad, I want to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving. We are thankful you are here and we appreciate your support.