Character Feelings

[JordanSC5]

I found this cool list that gives synonyms for the typical feelings a character may feel: sad, angry, etc...

Although I think this is helpful, a piece of advice I've reads is "Show don't tell." So will these words make my writing more of the telling type? Should the writer avoid "feeling" words whenever possible?

http://www.sff.net/people/julia.west/CALLIHOO/dtbb/feelings.htm/

 

[The Judge]

Yes, in the purist sense, using adjectives to show emotion is telling not showing. But it's quicker and easier to say "Bubbling with excitement, she ran down the stairs" than try to show that excitement in greater detail by its physical effects. Of course, we may know she's excited already, if she's squealed when she's told someone is at the door, or if we've seen her rip open her birthday presents, so the "Bubbling with excitement" might then be otiose. But "She suppressed any outward expression of her sudden elation" might be necessary since, by very definition, she isn't doing anything else to show her feeling.

Like every so-called rule, the show -v- tell thing is best used as a guide, to make you look at what you have written and see whether there's a better way of writing it. The real rule is Think About What You Are Doing.

 

[AnyaKimlin]

That's a useful list - I was skeptical when I clicked on it but having it laid out like that is really interesting. There are times when tell is better than show and often a mix of the two is even better.

Here is a similar idea to help with show. Bookshelf Muse - Emotion Thesaurus

 

[JordanSC5]

The emotion thesaurus looks pretty amazing I'm going to purchase that I think, thanks for sharing!

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

It is better to show than to tell ... usually. There will always be times when we want to pick up the pace, and readers can grow impatient if characters spend too much time wallowing in their emotions. Sometimes we need to get it done in a single sentence.

So I think that list is useful as a reminder that words like "happy" and "angry" are too vague, that there are so many different ways of experiencing those emotions, and that we need to think about which one best describes what our characters are feeling.

 

[Gumboot]

I found this cool list that gives synonyms for the typical feelings a character may feel: sad, angry, etc...

Although I think this is helpful, a piece of advice I've reads is "Show don't tell." So will these words make my writing more of the telling type? Should the writer avoid "feeling" words whenever possible?

http://www.sff.net/people/julia.west/CALLIHOO/dtbb/feelings.htm/

I wouldn't worry about "Show, don't tell", it's bad advice made worse by the fact that most people who give that advice don't actually understand what's meant by it.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

No, it's not bad advice. It's very good advice. But like all good advice there will always be times when it is better not to follow it.

The problem is that writers who have just learned a new "rule" are often so eager to use (and to share) what they have learned that they want to apply it to everything all of the time.

And yes, sometimes they don't entirely understand what they are talking about and only succeed in spreading confusion.

 

[sknox]

I suppose the lists might be useful. The Thesaurus was better because it presents phrases as well as individual words, and some of the phrases are actions. Honestly, though, I can't picture myself consulting such a work while writing. Maybe in the editing phase, especially if I found myself overusing a term or phrase and need to break out of my rut.

 

[Bowler1]

Teresa as ever hits the mark for me. Show and tell is a matter of style choice. Telling can be quick and easy, but showing engages the reader more, or so I think. For emotion, word choice is always key and roll with your gut feel - there are so many words that can add depth and feel with just one or two well selected words.

Good author's use both.
Telling you stuff, world building is a good example.
Showing is harder to describe, but usually comes from a good character POV.
These are just two style tools of a great big tool box, and I've yet to see the bottom of this tool box and that excites me.

And what really rocks my boat, is that from what I can see there are no fixed rules, no end to the style toolbox - we're all different, with our own way of writing and with all our own ideas.

So you're right sknox, write first, roll with what feels correct and edit later - lots of editing. The words will come when you've typed 000's, the lists will be in your head by then.

After re-reading this I'm not sure I answered the question, but it's what I think so I posted anyway!

 

[Kissmequick]

Sometimes you need to show, sometime you need to tell(rule of thumb, show the exciting stuff, briefly tell any boring stuff that needs to be there for logic. Show the fight where your MC pulls the ears off the antag, briefly tell the five hour wait in A&E afterwards..)

That said, the link is a useful starting point. But using bewildered instead of confused is still telling, still stale. Oh, you used a different word to tell me the same thing? I have a thesaurus for that (and I don't advocate its use very often)

If I tell you I am confused, or bewildered, I am still telling, not showing.

Sometimes you need a little tell, but mostly show the bewilderment/confusion/whatever, don't tell me about it. To quote Chekov, don't tell me the moon is shining, show me the glint of moonlight on glass.

 

[Christopher Lee]

That's a useful list - I was skeptical when I clicked on it but having it laid out like that is really interesting. There are times when tell is better than show and often a mix of the two is even better.

Here is a similar idea to help with show. Bookshelf Muse - Emotion Thesaurus

I bought this a couple months ago. Very helpful.