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The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression (Second Edition) (Writers Helping Writers Series) Paperback – February 14, 2019

by Becca Puglisi (Author), Angela Ackerman (Author)
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 3,890 ratings
See all formats and editions
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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 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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  1. Book 1 of 10
    Writers Helping Writers Series
  2. Print length
    306 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    February 14, 2019
  5. Dimensions
    7 x 0.69 x 10 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0999296345
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0999296349
  8. See all details
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Get to know this book

Previous page

  1. What's it about?

    A comprehensive guide to crafting realistic and evocative emotional responses for characters, providing body language, thoughts, and visceral cues for 130 emotions.

  2. Popular highlight

    Who shaped my character’s views on emotion, and did they pass on functional or dysfunctional attitudes and behaviors?
    1,550 Kindle readers highlighted this

  3. Popular highlight

    To convey feelings well, a writer should also utilize nonverbal communication, which can be broken down into four additional vehicles: vocal cues, body language, thoughts, and visceral reactions.
    1,208 Kindle readers highlighted this

  4. Popular highlight

    To keep your verbal exchanges sharp and multi-dimensional, ask yourself the following question: What do my characters want from this conversation?
    880 Kindle readers highlighted this
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"One of the challenges a fiction writer faces, especially when prolific, is coming up with fresh ways to describe emotions. This handy compendium fills that need. It is both a reference and a brainstorming tool, and one of the resources I'll be turning to most often as I write my own books."
~James Scott Bell, best-selling author of Deceived and Plot & Structure

About the Author

Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi are bestselling authors, writing coaches, and international speakers. Their books are available in five languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. Angela and Becca also co-founded their popular Writers Helping Writers site, a hub where authors can hone their craft, as well as One Stop For Writers, an innovative online library built to help writers elevate their storytelling.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ JADD Publishing; 2nd ed. edition (February 14, 2019)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 306 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0999296345
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0999296349
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.26 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7 x 0.69 x 10 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 3,890 ratings

About the authors

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Previous page
  1. Angela Ackerman

    Angela Ackerman

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    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    ANGELA ACKERMAN is a writing coach, international speaker, and co-author of 11 bestselling books for writers, including The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression. Her books are available in 10 languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. Her home country is Canada.

    Angela is also the co-founder of the popular site Writers Helping Writers®, as well as One Stop for Writers®, a portal to powerful tools and resources that help you think like a writing expert so you become a stronger storyteller. A strong believer in writers helping and supporting other writers, she tries to pay-it-forward however she is able to.

    http://writershelpingwriters.net

    http://onestopforwriters.com

    See more on the author's page
  2. Becca Puglisi

    Becca Puglisi

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Becca Puglisi is an international speaker, writing coach, and author of bestselling books for writers. Her books are available in multiple languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. She is passionate about learning and sharing her knowledge with others through her Writers Helping Writers blog and via One Stop For Writers—a powerhouse online library created to help writers elevate their storytelling. Her books are represented by foreign rights agent Marleen Seegers of 2 Seas Agency.

    During her free time (ha), Becca enjoys playing video games, watching movies with her family, baking, and adding to her stash of emergency supplies. She has always enjoyed contemplating the What if? scenario, which serves her well during hurricane season in south Florida.

    See more on the author's page
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Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
3,890 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book useful for authors as it provides descriptions of various emotions with definitions and physical signals. They also say it provides ideas for rounding out characters and is worth the buy.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more
ContentEmotional contentOverall value
169 customers mention "Content"169 positive0 negative

Customers find the book useful for authors, students, and anyone looking to deepen their characters and make their stories come to life. They also say the introduction information is worth reading and will help you use the book in the best possible way. Customers also mention that the book is a huge help in the editing process, making your stories come alive, and deepening your characters. They say it's a really simple read and can be useful for finding substitute ways to present emotional clues.

"...It is also very helpful at breaking the mental deadlock of an author when you're looking for another way to say something and just can't think of it!..." Read more

"This is a good resource for writers...." Read more

"Very helpful. I struggle with understanding my own emotions, so this helps me think of others' perspectives when I write." Read more

"Glad I purchased this book. Terrific reference. Since I haven't read it cover to cover, I'm not certain if these subjects are included...." Read more

44 customers mention "Emotional content"44 positive0 negative

Customers find the book provides descriptions of various emotions with definitions and physical signals. They say it helps them think about their characters in new ways, which improves storytelling.

"...It contains an alphabetical list of emotions which details physical and mental reactions, with references to similar emotions for tracing emotional..." Read more

"I've been writing a novel, and this resource has been a great help for communicating emotions." Read more

"...I will find the same level of creativity, detail, Individual potential for character attributes, and wonderful new ways to show my characters..." Read more

"This is a great book for understanding the emotional side of a character or person, what the mental activity is, and how to write the appropriate..." Read more

24 customers mention "Overall value"24 positive0 negative

Customers find the book extremely useful and worth the buy.

"This book is amazing and extremely helpful for authors...." Read more

"This is treasure...." Read more

"...to move, and the information that is contained in them is worth ten times the asking price. I cannot say enough good things about these books...." Read more

"...This book is awesome, as I struggle to put emotions into colorful and effective storytelling...." Read more

From the Inside Out
5 out of 5 stars
From the Inside Out
This is a great book for understanding the emotional side of a character or person, what the mental activity is, and how to write the appropriate body actions for what is happening inside the character. This book is needed by every writer.
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Top reviews from the United States

Meagan Hubbell
5.0 out of 5 stars A must have for authors!
Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 2024
Verified Purchase
This book is amazing and extremely helpful for authors. It contains an alphabetical list of emotions which details physical and mental reactions, with references to similar emotions for tracing emotional evolution. It is also very helpful at breaking the mental deadlock of an author when you're looking for another way to say something and just can't think of it! A must buy!
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Kesedrith
5.0 out of 5 stars Resource for Writers
Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2024
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This is a good resource for writers. It really helps when you're grasping for words or description of what goes on when someone's feeling a certain way. In short, it is what it's title suggests.
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Britni
5.0 out of 5 stars Very helpful tool
Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2024
Verified Purchase
I've been writing a novel, and this resource has been a great help for communicating emotions.
One person found this helpful
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Victoria
5.0 out of 5 stars Great resource
Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2024
Verified Purchase
Very helpful. I struggle with understanding my own emotions, so this helps me think of others' perspectives when I write.
One person found this helpful
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Jean Stumpf
4.0 out of 5 stars Very handy
Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2023
Verified Purchase
Glad I purchased this book. Terrific reference. Since I haven't read it cover to cover, I'm not certain if these subjects are included. But it would have been helpful if topics like Aggression, and narcissism were listed in the table of contents. Just my thought. I do recommend this book for writers.
4 people found this helpful
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Jaimie Engle Author
5.0 out of 5 stars A resource book for every writer’s bookshelf
Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2024
Verified Purchase
I think it’s safe to say at this point that I have read this entire book. What a delightful resource! The first time I used it to edit a novel, it won an award, and I do not give myself the credit for that, lol! I have since bought others in the series, though I have not opened them yet. I expect I will find the same level of creativity, detail, Individual potential for character attributes, and wonderful new ways to show my characters becoming “real boys, and girls“. I think this book should be on every writer’s bookshelf.
3 people found this helpful
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Barbara Chapman
5.0 out of 5 stars Expression is vital
Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2024
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Loved this book. So many options to help a writer convey exactly how a character feels. Also useful for journaling.
One person found this helpful
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four-sons
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazingly helpful
Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2024
Verified Purchase
This book gets a lot of use from me. When I have an emotion I want to describe but have a mind block, I refer to this book. It gives physical responses, internal response, for the emotion you are wanting to describe: anger, fear, frustrated, and many more. If you are writing a book, this is a valuable tool. 5 stars.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Gabriela Graciosa Guedes
5.0 out of 5 stars Recurso excelente para autores
Reviewed in Brazil on September 6, 2022
Verified Purchase
Esse livro é tudo o que eu precisava e não sabia. Principalmente como uma autora cujo primeiro idioma não é o Inglês, esse livro é uma ajuda excelente.
One person found this helpful
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Joan
5.0 out of 5 stars Muy útil para escritores y jugadores de rol
Reviewed in Spain on April 25, 2024
Verified Purchase
Si escribes y sabes inglés, es muy útil para crear personajes con emociones creíbles y formas distintas de expresarlas para cada personaje y situación. También es útil para dar vida a personajes de rol rápidamente.
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Leisha_Winter
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfekte Hilfestellung
Reviewed in Germany on April 24, 2024
Verified Purchase
Diese Bücher haben mir soviel geholfen. Egal ob es darum geht einen Charakter auszuarbeiten oder Orte zu kreieren. Dies ist kein typischer Schreibratgeber, sondern ein wundervolles Nachschlagewerk für jeden Autor. Schade, dass es die Bücher nur auf Englisch gibt. Ich kenne einige, die diese Bücher kaufen würden, würde es sie auf Deutsch geben.
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LP
5.0 out of 5 stars Would highly recommend
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 19, 2023
Verified Purchase
What an amazing book. Just what I need at the editing stage of my novel. It provides definitions of key emotions and its physical signs and behaviours, internal sensations, mental responses, acute and long term responses, signs of suppression, escalations and de-escalations. There are no filler pages in the book, just excellent information. Would highly recommend.
One person found this helpful
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Cliente Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars Ottimo
Reviewed in Italy on December 14, 2022
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