Forum: Writers


Subject: Looking For Book Of Body Expressions For Writers

zonkerman opened this issue on Jun 24, 2007 · 3 posts


zonkerman posted Sun, 24 June 2007 at 5:52 PM

Can anyone recommend some books that provide lists of terms or phrases that offer descriptions of human emotions such as anger?  I'm looking for something that would provide examples helpful to someone who is trying to portray a character's feelings without actually saying what they are feeling.  For example,

FEAR:
1)  Her hands trembled as she turned the door knob.

ANGER
2)  He puffed with squinted eyes and gritting teeth as he tightened his grip.

I'm particularly interested in suggested descriptions of facial parts such as eyebrowse, eyes, forehead, mouth, cheeks, etc. to communicate various emotions.

Thanks in advance.


dialyn posted Sun, 24 June 2007 at 8:06 PM

Check out this thread:
http://www.renderosity.com/mod/forumpro/showthread.php?thread_id=2644585
about *DICTIONARY of GESTURES, SIGNS & BODY LANGUAGE CUES 
*I don't know if it will help or not but it wouldn't hurt.

I would really be careful about flying body parts in telling about an emotion.  As a reader, too much twitchng is distracting rather than effective. Read a good writer and you will see that less is more in description.


zonkerman posted Sun, 24 June 2007 at 8:36 PM

Thanks dialyn.
I took a quick peek and did find some good tips.  I don't write the kind of stories that involve flying body parts so no worries there.  I agree examining the work of a good writer does expand one's knowledge in such things.  I have purchased and examined several books over the past year or so for such purposes and have maintained MS Excel sheets on my findings.  I have a good list but its growth is slow.  

I am hoping someone else has realized the need for such a reference from which I could acquire and save myself some time.  A book on this topic would certainly be at my side as a valuable reference.

Once again, thank you for your response. :)