When it comes to emotion, sometimes we need a brainstorming nudge. After all, each character will express their feelings differently depending on their personality, emotional range, and comfort zone. We hope this short, sample list of expressions will help you better imagine how your character might show this emotion!
If you need to go deeper, we have detailed lists of body language, visceral sensations, dialogue cues, and mental responses for 130 emotions in the 2019 expanded second edition of The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression.
HOPEFULNESS
- A flutter in the belly
- A brightened countenance
- A jolt through the body
- Waving/flapping the hands
- Bouncing on the balls of one’s feet
- Quivering breaths
- A trembling voice
- Refusing to consider, speak of, or listen to any negative possibilities
- Rapid swallowing and nodding
- Talking under the breath to oneself about the best outcome
- Rapt, positive attention on a task or person involved
- Hands clasped in prayer, pressed to the lips, eyes closed
- Arms clutching one’s sides while moving about, showing cautious hope
- Glancing upward and exhaling
- The gaze darting to a person or object that symbolizes hope (a friend in the know, the phone)…
Win your readers’ hearts by tailoring your character’s emotional responses so they’re compelling, credible, and realistic.
If you struggle with writing emotions, you aren’t alone. The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression has helped writers all over the globe, and it can help you. To find out more about this bestselling book, please visit our bookstore.
Prefer the flexibility of instant online access and greater searchability?
The Emotion Thesaurus is also at our sister site, One Stop for Writers. Visit the Emotion Thesaurus Page to view our complete list of entries.
TIP: While you’re there, check out our hyper-intelligent Character Builder that helps you create deep, memorable characters in half the time!
Becca Puglisi is an international speaker, writing coach, and bestselling author of The Emotion Thesaurus and its sequels. Her books are available in five 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.
Thanks Pj and Mary! Kelly, I get a flutter to. 🙂
Once again, I think you’ve gotten them all!
I’ll come back the next time I need some signs of hope. (You’ll see me again very soon…)
I feel a flutter in my belly when I see an email from someone I submitted to….There’s always hope!
Thanks again for another great entry! Love you gals!