Storytelling: Writing Emotions

Ok, we’ve talked about how storytelling is about feeling a story and the best way to feel something is with emotions, but how do you write that so your reader will feel what you need them to feel. Our example will be writing about anger. We have physical signals, internal sensations, mental responses, cues of acute or long-term anger, and cues of suppressed anger. 

We are going to examine the following scenario. Of course, it will depend on how you, the author, writes it. Sam could be hurt instead of angry. The letter could have been left purposely or haphazardly. 

Here is the scenario: Sam comes home from work. Carol, his wife, is not home. While undressing to take a shower, he finds a note on the dresser to Carol, from Jack, his best friend.

It is so easy to write Sam was angry when he found out his wife was cheating with his best friend Jack. Depending where in your story this happens and how invested your reader is to Sam, they may feel his anger, however, if you are storytelling, it would be written something like this:

Sam arrived home from work after a rough day to find Carol was not home. Irritated, he goes to the bedroom thinking a nice, hot shower will help, instead, he finds a note on the dresser. His nostril begins to flare and his breathing gets heavy as he reads a note from Jack, his best friend, Carol, you are my best friend’s wife, but my love for you is a thousand times more real than Sam’s. I see how he treats you. Come with me. I can make you happy… Sam ripped the letter to shreds before pounding his fist into the dresser. Silent tears filled his eyes until he heard the front door open, he looked up into the dresser mirror, his eyes dried, as he watched them turn cold and hard. He was ready for Carol.

Your goal is to show how Sam felt so your readers can feel it too. Adjectives and Adverbs are your best friends in storytelling. The more descriptive you can be, without going overboard of course, the better. 

One of the best reference books I found (and use) and highly recommend, is The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide To Character Expression by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi. They have numerous thesauruses. I follow their blogs. 

This ends our storytelling series. I hope it helps. If you have questions, please reach out to me. 

Until Next Time…