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Becca Puglisi

Angela Ackerman

The Emotional Wound Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Psychological Trauma (Writers Helping Writers Series) Paperback – October 13, 2017

by Becca Puglisi (Author), Angela Ackerman (Author)

1,502 ratings

Book 6 of 8: Writers Helping Writers Series

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Readers connect to characters with depth, ones who have experienced life's ups and downs. To deliver key players that are both realistic and compelling, writers must know them intimately-not only who they are in the present story, but also what made them that way. Of all the formative experiences in a character's past, none are more destructive than emotional wounds. The aftershocks of trauma can change who they are, alter what they believe, and sabotage their ability to achieve meaningful goals, all of which will affect the trajectory of your story.

Identifying the backstory wound is crucial to understanding how it will shape your character's behavior, and The Emotional Wound Thesaurus can help. Inside, you'll find:

A database of traumatic situations common to the human experience
An in-depth study on a wound's impact, including the fears, lies, personality shifts, and dysfunctional behaviors that can arise from different painful events
An extensive analysis of character arc and how the wound and any resulting unmet needs fit into it
Techniques on how to show the past experience to readers in a way that is both engaging and revelatory while avoiding the pitfalls of info dumps and telling
A showcase of popular characters and how their traumatic experiences reshaped them, leading to very specific story goals
A Backstory Wound Profile tool that will enable you to document your characters' negative past experiences and the aftereffects

Root your characters in reality by giving them an authentic wound that causes difficulties and prompts them to strive for inner growth to overcome it. With its easy-to-read format and over 100 entries packed with information, The Emotional Wound Thesaurus is a crash course in psychology for creating characters that feel incredibly real to readers.

Print length

325 pages
Language

English
Publication date

October 13, 2017
Dimensions

7 x 0.74 x 10 inches
ISBN-10

0989772594
ISBN-13

978-0989772594
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Editorial Reviews

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"Angela and Becca have done it again! Yet another valuable resource to add to your writing collection. I've been exploring backstory wounds for decades. This emotional guide adds depth to your characters, meaning to your plots, and promises richer, truer, and more stirring stories."~Martha Alderson, author of the best-selling Plot Whisperer books

"This is far more than a brilliant, thorough, insightful and unique thesaurus, this is the best primer on story - and what it is that REALLY hooks and holds readers - that I have ever read. What good is "writing well" if you haven't zeroed in on the essence of the story you're telling? This book peels back the layers to reveal not only where the beating heart of your story lies, but how to then get it onto the page. It won't just make your writing deeper, richer and more gripping, it very well may transform how you see the world - it doesn't get better than that."~Lisa Cron, author of Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel (Before You Waste Three Years Writing 327 Pages That Go Nowhere)

"The Emotional Wound Thesaurus is a must-read for authors who want to write engaging, emotional stories with characters who leap off the page." ~Jennifer Probst, NYT & USA Today bestselling author

"Emotional trauma, rightly used, will greatly increase the strength of the reader's bond with your characters. But how can a writer avoid clichés while brainstorming this backstory material? Once again, Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi supply the answer." ~ James Scott Bell, International Thriller Writers Award winner

"This book is an invaluable resource providing situations that led to the character's emotional wound, false beliefs, fears and responses that impact personality, as well as triggers and opportunities that can lead into plot ideas. It's a great addition to the thesaurus collection from Ackerman & Puglisi." ~ Joanna Penn, NYT & USA Today bestselling author

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.

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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ JADD Publishing (October 13, 2017)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 325 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0989772594
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0989772594
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.25 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7 x 0.74 x 10 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #13,831 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #4 in Play & Scriptwriting Writing Reference
- #5 in Thesauruses (Books)
- #10 in Authorship Reference

Customer Reviews:
1,502 ratings

About the authors

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Becca Puglisi
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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.
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Angela Ackerman
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Angela Ackerman is a writing coach, international speaker, and co-author of eight bestselling books for writers, including The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression (now an expanded 2nd edition) and her latest volume, The Occupation Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Jobs, Vocations, and Careers. Her books are available in eight languages, are sourced by universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world.
Angela is also the co-founder of the popular site Writers Helping Writers®, as well as One Stop for Writers®, an innovative online library filled with powerful tools and resources built to help writers elevate their storytelling. If you're ready to take your fiction to the next level like thousands of other writers around the globe, give one stop for Writers' FREE TRAIL a try.
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

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Top reviews from the United States

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Excellent reference - from beginning to end!

Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2019

Verified Purchase

Excellent reference - from beginning to end! Showcases personality traits that may emerge due to emotional wounds a person has suffered, along with triggers that may aggravate a wound and opportunities for a person to overcome a previous wound. Perfect for helping one write a developed and believable story line! I highly recommend this book. Please mark if you find my review helpful. Thank you so much!

58 people found this helpful

Helpful

MicNRo

An Essential Resource for Creating Deep Characters

Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2017

Verified Purchase

Because the fiction I write is based on my own past and overcoming emotional wounds, the discovery of The Emotional Wound Thesaurus was all the more important for me to learn to develop unique and layered female protagonists. Even though the conflict and themes of my current and future novels will somewhat reflect my own experiences, I also desire to write for and create relatable characters for women of all backgrounds.

I've heard the notion that parts of who we are as people are reflected in the characters we write. Often, our first novel represents ourselves in part or in whole more than any other. I see it as a form of therapy as we work out our own personalities and struggles in the safe space of a fictional world. However, eventually, I'd like to write characters that are not like me at all! Perhaps an alter ego, or a story inspired by something I see on the news or hear about from friends.

For my current fiction project, I’m writing from the POV of three sisters. Here are five ways I see The Emotional Wound Thesaurus can help writers create characters of depth – even when those characters are different from themselves or anyone else they know.

1. Forward and Intro Sections. Whether you think you know your characters or not, read the first 40 pages of this book! If you're not sure about your character's wounds yet, skim the table of contents and choose a few that seem to fit with your story concept. But then, go back and read the beginning chapters which offer exceptional insights on Self-Care for Writers (especially important if you'll be exploring wounds that are close to your own personal experiences), The Mirror of Fiction: a Reflection of Life and Our Deeper Selves, What is an Emotional Wound?, Character Arc: an Internal Shift to Embrace Change, and more. Even though I'd already used the online database of wounds to develop my characters, I still had several breakthroughs and "ah-ha" moments in understanding my fictional sisters and how to convey the various parts of their journey in my story.
2. Consider the PRIMARY Emotional Wound and choose two additional wounds. You may--as I did and especially if you're basing your main character after a part of your own life--begin to see overlapping characteristics related to multiple wounds. This will help you to discover the dominating negative and positive traits, triggers, fears and responses for your character. In turn, you'll be able to highlight these for fiction and the purpose of your story without overwhelming your reader with too many issues for your character to tackle. However, this process will help in knowing your character on a deeper level that should help in developing scenes, writing dialogue, or even choosing hobbies, family status, or a career path.
3. Multiple POVs. This is the first time I've attempted writing a novel with the point of view of three distinct women. Having access to The Emotional Wound Thesaurus has been a vital part in giving each woman a unique back story, personality, and voice despite the fact that they are sisters.
4. Add Your Own Elements. I'm certain this resource isn't intended to be an end-all-be-all, but more of a spring-board of potential. Though there are realistic and unrealistic manners in which someone will respond to an emotional wound, there are ways to modify these responses depending on your character. For example, say a character is still in the process of overcoming the wound of "Becoming a Caregiver at an Early Age". As a result, she's avoided becoming a parent herself. Instead, she has a dog to fulfill her need of caring for another being, but also sees it as "safer" than becoming a mom and she can practice being "overprotective" without rejection or push back. I came up with this detail on my own as it seemed to fit her personality.
5. Emotional Wounds are Directly Related to Positive and Negative Traits. Even if you don't analyze your characters or dive as deeply into their wounds as I have for mine, you'll find this resource helpful in creating rounded characters. This goes for your protagonist, supporting characters, and even the villain. On the most basic level, choose a wound and a few associated negative and positive traits and you've got yourself a unique character attempting to overcome the past while battling a conflict in the present.

74 people found this helpful

Helpful

Judith Bertotto

Free Therapy - Oh, and comprehensive scenarios!

Reviewed in the United States on November 8, 2017

Verified Purchase

Well, a value add for the readers of The Emotional Wound Thesaurus is free THERAPY! While using this guide to give my characters more dimension, I recognized some of my own behaviors and was able to link them back to emotional wounds from my past and use the information provided for some needed self-awareness and self-compassion.
But, back to intended purpose of this guide - the comprehensive scenarios (from common to extreme) will help authors define and reveal characters through the provided triggers, behaviors, beliefs, fears and possible resulting personality traits. It will support efforts to build empathy or disdain for your characters - or possibly both. This thesaurus contains a few helpful tools to help flesh out your specific character's emotional wound journey. This will be an ongoing and much used resource.
Well done!

60 people found this helpful

Helpful

K. Greene

Physical book looks great

Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2018

Verified Purchase

I saw a previous post that stated that print in the physical book looked horrible, so I was hesitant to purchase it. However, I decided to just take a chance and I’m glad that I did. Everything looks perfect! The content is GREAT, but my main reason for making this post was to provide any concerned potential purchaser with a bit of ease and let them know that the physical book is also a good option for purchase.

35 people found this helpful

Helpful

RomanceReader

Essential Writer's Reference

Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2017

Verified Purchase

I love all of the thesaurus books and use them for all of my writing but this book is truly a treasure. This book adds to my repertoire as I build my characters out - the positive and negative traits and now their wounds - to add depth and enrich my characters. This book allows you to look at various wounds for your characters, and how they might affect the character, building a well-rounded character and avoiding any cardboard characters. It contains examples of wounds, needs impacted, false beliefs and fears, results of these and how the character may have responded. There are multiple options, not just one, and personality traits and triggers too that can exacerbate the wound. However, this is not just a dry recitation of wounds, but an educational text on character arcs and how to write using the wounds. The information in this book, as with the others, is invaluable and is essential on every writer's shelf.

21 people found this helpful

Helpful

Ann Shannon

the best ones, have deep emotional wounds that drive their ...

Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2018

Verified Purchase

Well, our characters, the best ones, have deep emotional wounds that drive their behavior. Those wounds drive their psychological responses to everything they encounter. As good authors we need to understand those wounds and how they manifest in our characters daily lives. The Emotional Wound Thesaurus provides a great starting point for me to begin to understand my character, in both the development and the writing phase.

Each possible wound is broken down, first into how it might have happened. The example entry is accidentally killing someone. There are many ways this event might have happened listed, or you might have your own. That is followed by the characters basic needs that have been compromised by the event, false beliefs and fears that might result from it, and possible responses they might have. The thesaurus goes on to suggest personality traits that might form as a result of the tragic event, triggers that might aggravate it and ways your character might overcome it.How can you live without that? I can't. I use the other thesaurus's daily when I'm writing, or developing characters and I'm excited to add this one to my reference shelf.

9 people found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

L. Chapman

What A Writer Needs

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 22, 2022

Verified Purchase

Every character handles emotional reponses differently to someone else. This book details the types of scenarios from a headline, gives you an idea of the thoughts you or your character may feel, the outcomes of this trauma (for example, it talks about being abandoned by a parent and feeling not good enough, so in turn you develop connection issues with other people etc).

I really enjoyed flipping through. There's a sheet at the back with a link to free work pages from the whole collection to help you build a character over all that is intriguing, flawed and eye catching. This book helps you understand the psychological impacts of good and bad things. It contains some triggering material (mentions of how a character may react to being SA'd or kidnapped or trapped in a collapses building) so just be weary when reading it, but overall, definitely something I've found useful so far and intend to treat myself with the other books in the collection when I have adult money

Mark Hannam

Powerful Useful Addition To Your Writing Toolbox

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 13, 2022

Verified Purchase

This book has been an important milestone in my creative writing journey. It enabled me after first read, to provide real depth to my characters as well as creating new, exciting plot points and arcs based on their emotional wounds.

Following the directions and helpful hints in the book the ‘wounds’ became characters in their own right, creating fears, needs and subsequent fallout. I was able to quickly plot how character’s previous and new trauma directed their words, thoughts, actions and reactions, and how it impacted on other characters and the overall plot.

In many ways, this book directed and arranged the Tetris blocks of my previous reading and understanding of emotional wounds and trauma into coherent, believable personal stories.

Note: You must heed the warning given at the start of the book about being in a safe environment when reading it, as it is possible to be brought face to face with trauma themes that have occurred to a loved one or yourself. Maybe even something you never previously recognised as a wound. I think this speaks volumes for how powerful this book is as a tool for empowering your writing.

blotboy

useful

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 1, 2020

Verified Purchase

In the past I've used the other thesauruses (thesauri?) produced by this partnership and loved them. They're really good for nipping into just to double check you're portraying the setting, the emotion or the character traits well. The Emotional Wound Thesaurus, I think is a good aid for the crime writer. Although it's not an exhaustive list, it is quite comprehensive, easy to navigate and looks at the emotional wound from a variety of standpoints. Again, it's one of those books that you dip into and stay for the long haul.

3 people found this helpful

Ruth Searle

Essential reading

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 10, 2020

Verified Purchase

As a thriller writer I find this series invaluable. Great for crafting memorable characters. Highly recommended.

3 people found this helpful

R E Davidson

Really useful

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 12, 2021

Verified Purchase

Is just enough of a suggestion or a prod in the right direction to get the imagination working. Highly recommend.

2 people found this helpful

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