The Emotion Thesaurus* A review by Coffeehouse Instructor, Karen Lange

Karen Lange

The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression
By Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi


I’ve long been a fan of Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi’s blog, The Bookshelf Muse, as it offers great tools and resources for writers. When they announced that they were compiling their info and writing a book, countless other writers and I were thrilled.

Angela and Becca believe that emotions are the core of good characters. “Without emotion,” they say, “a character’s personal journey is pointless.” This is true, but how do we translate that emotion into print to provide a rich and satisfying experience for the reader? The Emotion Thesaurus provides answers to that question and a whole lot more.

The introduction discusses the significance of showing versus telling, the power of emotion, and the importance of verbal and nonverbal communication. Also discussed is the misuse of backstory, utilizing setting, and identifying root and visceral emotions, among other things. The authors’ friendly instruction and encouragement continues as they share tips on maintaining this tricky balance.

Since this is a thesaurus, the bulk of the book of course, focuses on the alphabetical entries. From “Adoration” to “Worry”, each entry includes the definition, physical signals, internal sensations, mental responses, emotional cues, and a writer’s tip. For example, the physical signals for Loneliness include a longing gaze, sullenness, talking to oneself, a heavy sigh, and two dozen other ways to illustrate a lonely character. Internal sensations are insomnia and fatigue, and mental responses include avoiding crowds or social situations.

This ingenious book aids the brainstorming process by lending a hearty dose of information and inspiration. The Emotion Thesaurus is a resource that’s provided a creative boost for both my fiction and nonfiction writing. I highly recommend it!

For more info on The Emotion Thesaurus visit The Bookshelf Muse blog.

Karen Lange is a writer, blogger, and instructor at the Coffeehouse for Writers. Visit her blog at http://karenelange.blogspot.com/.