The bestselling Emotion Thesaurus, often hailed as “the gold standard for writers” and credited with transforming how writers craft emotion, has now been expanded to include 55 new entries!One of the biggest struggles for writers is how to convey emotion to readers in a unique and compelling way. When showing our characters’ feelings, we often use the first idea that comes to mind, and they end … mind, and they end up smiling, nodding, and frowning too much.
If you need inspiration for creating characters’ emotional responses that are personalized and evocative, this ultimate show-don’t-tell guide for emotion can help. It includes:
- Body language cues, thoughts, and visceral responses for 130 emotions that cover a range of intensity from mild to severe, providing innumerable options for individualizing a character’s reactions
- A breakdown of the biggest emotion-related writing problems and how to overcome them
- Advice on what should be done beforedrafting to make sure your characters’ emotions will be realistic and consistent
- Instruction for how to show hidden feelings and emotional subtext through dialogue and nonverbal cues
- And much more!
The Emotion Thesaurus, in its easy-to-navigate list format, will inspire you to create stronger, fresher character expressions and engage readers from your first page to your last.
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It is not an overstatement to say what a treasure this series is, and how indispensable this book in particular is. it might just be the secret weapon for good writing. i give it my highest recommendation.
Show, don’t tell. It’s the phrase most often heard by writers, and one the Emotion Thesaurus addresses with concrete examples and countless suggestions. As an owner/user of the original Emotion Thesaurus (a well-used copy, I might add), I jumped to update with this new and expanded version.
The book does not disappoint, with the addition of 130 more categories and substantially greater heft than before. I’m delighted with my purchase, and highly recommend The Emotion Thesaurus for any writer interested in improving their technique.
Angela and Becca’s updated edition of the Emotion Thesaurus has just been released. I bought the original thesaurus about five years ago and as a writers resource it is invaluable. I highly recommend the Emotion Thesaurus.
Somehow They Topped the First One
I bought the original version of The Emotion Thesaurus in 2012 and was so delighted with the purchase, I selected other Thesaurus products as the authors released them. When I learned there was a new, expanded edition of The Emotion Thesaurus, I didn’t hesitate. I snatched it right up.
If you’re like me, you haven’t looked at the opening pages since you first bought the book. Trust me—look at them again. The lessons and examples are invaluable. Ackerman and Puglisi have provided an excellent primer on what to do and what not to do. The beginning offers five vehicles for portraying emotions, ways to make emotions authentic, an in-depth tutorial on using dialogue, a detailed section on nonverbal communication, and some great examples of subtext.
This is all before we get to any of the emotions. And that information alone is worth the cost of the book.
But they aren’t close to finished.
There are now over 130 emotions to choose from. Each listing gives a definition, physical cues, internal reactions, mental reactions, acute reactions, signs of repression, options for escalation and de-escalation, associated power verbs (I love that), and writer’s tips.
In short, it’s a comprehensive overview of dozens of emotions and how to use them effectively in stories. This is one resource you’ll use again and again (and again). You don’t want to miss it.
This is a great resource for writers, I know I’ll be pulling it out when I need to show more than tell.
The best writing tool for description using the five senses I have ever seen and the only writing book I keep open daily as I write. A must have for writers or those learning craft.
I have found this book as a recommendation from another author. There is nothing worse than being stuck when trying to describe a scene or not having clear how to show and not tell. This book is very comprehensive and gives so many examples on how to bring life to dialogue, to a scene and how to portrait emotions so that a reader can not just read but see what is happening. Highly recommended.
Anyone who is a fiction writer should look into buying this book. It is an incredible resource that helps you to show your characters’ emotions instead of telling them, which is one of the most common and insidious forms of telling in fiction. Every one of the thesauruses that Ackerman and Puglisi created is beneficial, but this one is by far the most necessary.
(Review of Second Edition)
This book was even better than the original. Very useful for novelists who want to punch up their fiction. I pre-ordered this book because of how much I enjoyed the first one. I very much enjoy books on the craft of writing. Becca Puglisi and Angela Ackerman are authorities worthy of trust and praise. The book is entertaining and informative.
Great quotes from this book:
“Because above all else, readers pick up a book to have an emotional experience.”
“[subtext] allows the character to carry on whatever subterfuge she deems necessary with others while revealing her true emotions and motivations to the reader.”
“writers need to show the character’s physical and internal responses rather than stating the emotion outright.”
And something that irritates me on end when it happens, so I’m especially grateful this lesson is mentioned: “Without the proper context, readers can’t be sure which emotion the character is feeling.”
The reason people sometimes hide emotion was revealed 3% into the book.
I learned how to avoid writing melodrama (or how to write it, I suppose, if so inclined). And schadenfreude! There’s a word you don’t encounter every day.
The book is relevant to me because I’m a writer. There was a mention of the weather, how it can impact a character’s mood and goals. Everything in these pages had a purpose. It’s well organized and designed to be worthwhile reading all the way through. And then coming back as a reference later.
I’ve followed both of these writers for a long time, as I too write reference books for authors.
Hands down, my favorite writing tool. I have the whole series.
I absolutely love this book! I’ve kept it open on my computer while working on my current novel, and every time one of my characters feels an emotion, I turn to The Emotion Thesaurus to find different ways to show and express it. My writing has grown richer as I’ve been inspired to look deeper and go beyond the superficial when it comes to showing (not just telling) feelings. Every fiction author needs this resource!
A must-have for any writer who wants to up their game on writing characters that are relatable with emotions that resonate. Writing emotion becomes easier, more believable and less hackneyed with this book at your fingertips!
I’ve been using the original Emotion Thesaurus for years now, and I’ve been eager to check out each of Angela and Becca’s newest iterations of these amazing resources for writers. This second edition did not disappoint! Not only does it include NEW emotions, but the previous ones were expanded on as well. They’ve created a wealth of information to deepen character development and give your readers an immersive experience of your book.
Like many writers, I have the original ET. This book has been my #1 Go-To Writing Help book ever since the first version released.
Learning how to show emotions was one of the last big skills I struggled with before my writing was publishable, and years ago, Angela and Becca’s insights were the key to helping me past that hump in my learning curve. I’m thrilled they’ve taken the time to add their latest knowledge to a second edition of this book, and I hope it helps others as much as it’s helped me.
But this Second Edition prompts the question: ***If I have the first edition already, do I need the second edition?***
Well, the original edition was 168 pages and the second edition is 296 pages (PDF format), so obviously, there’s a lot of new information. If you already have the first edition, check out my post comparing this new and improved Second Edition and the 6 ways I’ve found this version worth having: https://jamigold.com/2019/01/need-help-writing-emotions-the-emotion-thesaurus-second-edition-is-here/
*insert endless pages of gushing here* <--Seriously, it's that good, but I have to get back to writing now. 😉
An amazing addition to a library of incredible resources!
Yes, this newest edition of The Emotion Thesaurus contains more entries (55 total) and expands on the emotions featured in the first edition. Here’s the thing, before you even get to the actual “Emotion Thesaurus” entries there is an absolute wealth of information from which unpublished and seasoned writers alike will benefit.
This line says it all: “As writers…we must ensure that our characters express their feelings in ways that are both recognizable and compelling to read.” What follows is a refresher on research, dialogue, subtext, brainstorming, and the problem of nonverbal emotion. I think it’s time they offered a course on writing emotion!!
I look forward to recommending this newest edition-an ebook that is sure to be a welcome edition on every writer’s shelf.
Take a look at the people around you. Some of them are wide open, others keep to themselves. Some are loud, some quiet and reserved. Human beings react to situations in very different ways. That’s what authors want to do with their characters, and it’s not always easy to write what you want them to feel/think/say/do.
That’s where the Emotion Thesaurus 2nd Edition comes into play. Yes, the brilliant Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi are back with an expanded edition of their first book. There are 55 new emotions to help authors make their characters authentic and real, and to get readers to empathize with them, and want to keep turning those pages, and buying those books. With the new additions, it brings a total of 130 emotions to refer to.
But it’s not just 55 new emotions – this book really digs deep into writing those stories. Angela and Becca have done the tough research for us, making this one of the best writing guidebooks around. (Of course there are more great guidebooks in their Thesauri collection!)
This book covers the power of emotion, writing authentic emotion, using dialogue to write emotion, subtext, and tackles common problems when writing nonverbal emotion. How something is said takes on different meanings when you look at what the character is doing, or even not doing. Readers want to see the range of emotions characters feel, not just the surface ones. Body language cues and visceral reactions take the story into a deep point of view, and help make the characters compelling enough to spend a few hours with.
Authors need to dig deep and write fresh, use fresh techniques for taking characters on their journeys so readers want to go along with them. We don’t want to use clichéd, overused, trite, bland emotions. This book is THE KEY!
If you’re not familiar with the first Emotion Thesaurus, here’s a quick breakdown of what each entry contains:
• Definition
• Notes (ie: the difference between Empathy and Sympathy, to name 2 emotions)
• Physical signals and behaviors
• Internal sensations
• Mental responses
• Acute or long-term responses for this emotion
• Signs that emotion is being suppressed
• May escalate to (links to the emotions that could come next)
• May de-escalate to (links to the emotions that could come after the emotion)
• Associated power verbs
• Writer’s tip
See? They did the research for you!
While doing revisions for my latest book, I lost my mother. I had to get revisions done, but it was hard when everything was colored by sadness. So I pulled out the first Emotion Thesaurus to give me ideas to keep writing a story where two people fall in love. This newly expanded edition is even better, stronger, faster.
As an author, I’m eternally grateful to Angela and Becca for doing the hard work, for continuing to research and write new thesauri that are such important tools to authors.
It’s the best writer’s aid I’ve found.
I will agree that if you’ve read/written books all your life, you probably know most of these. The book is just a good reference if you find yourself having a difficult time remembering what you want your character to look like when they are sad or angry.
I personally loved the book, and it sits by my computer while I write every day. You can’t go wrong buying it!
This is a great resource book for anyone that needs to write!
I can’t write a story without referring to this fabulous book. It details physical responses that accompany a variety of emotions. Thankfully, it is the one writing book I had with me when my house burned and is sitting here at my desk!