Expressing Emotions Part Four: Fear
It's a little late today, I know. With the holidays I didn't have a ton of time this week. But I buckled down and got it finished today anyway! I hope everyone had a great holiday. :)
Fear is similar to love, in that people often try to hide it. Occasionally, they go hand-in-hand, such as the fear of love being discovered. Fear shows up in many places and in many ways, and can be caused by many things.
Sometimes, what causes the fear affects what form showing that fear will take. As an example, someone who is afraid of losing a loved one may express that fear by being overly protective. But whatever has caused the fear to take root in your character, there are things that you can use to show it in your writing.
Physical Differences
Physical changes are often used to show a momentary fear, one that doesn't normally affect a character in their day-to-day lives (such as while watching a horror movie), or as a more immediate reaction to a long-term fear. For example, a character that's afraid of the dark will avoid the dark, but when faced with it, they may have physical reactions to it that are beyond their control:
sweatingdamp palmsknees knocking togethertrembling hands or lipspale faceshiveringfaintingweaknesslip or nail bitingblood pounding in earsnervous habits
Changes in Behavior
Changes in behavior, while more telling, also are typically shown over the course of time, such as in a fear that eats away, rather than a momentary fright. (This kind of fear could be one caused by embarrassment, which results in avoiding public places for several weeks.) Changes in behavior are usually signs of a deep fear, one your character is more aware of. These are fears your character may take action to avoid, and are also likely to have some kind of bearing on day-to-day activities, hence the changes in their behavior:
avoiding situations or peopleover protectivenessdesire to controloverreactions to surpriseswithdrawal from normal activitiesavoiding things associated with that feartendency to run from things
There are other things that can be used to show fear as well:
nightmaresflashbacksemotional outburstsirrational fear of normal thingsnauseavoice cracking when speaking
However you choose to show fear, make sure you have a relatively clear idea of what, exactly, your character is afraid of. This will help you choose ways for your character to express it, and will help keep their fears and reactions to them consistent.
Challenge: Write a scene in which your character is afraid. Don't use the words fear, afraid, frightened, frightening, scare, scared, panic, panicky, panicked, terror, terrified, or scary. Try to show that your character is afraid, and what they're frightened of. (Post it below, and I'd be happy to leave a critique!)
Fear is similar to love, in that people often try to hide it. Occasionally, they go hand-in-hand, such as the fear of love being discovered. Fear shows up in many places and in many ways, and can be caused by many things.
Sometimes, what causes the fear affects what form showing that fear will take. As an example, someone who is afraid of losing a loved one may express that fear by being overly protective. But whatever has caused the fear to take root in your character, there are things that you can use to show it in your writing.
Physical Differences
Physical changes are often used to show a momentary fear, one that doesn't normally affect a character in their day-to-day lives (such as while watching a horror movie), or as a more immediate reaction to a long-term fear. For example, a character that's afraid of the dark will avoid the dark, but when faced with it, they may have physical reactions to it that are beyond their control:
sweatingdamp palmsknees knocking togethertrembling hands or lipspale faceshiveringfaintingweaknesslip or nail bitingblood pounding in earsnervous habits
Changes in Behavior
Changes in behavior, while more telling, also are typically shown over the course of time, such as in a fear that eats away, rather than a momentary fright. (This kind of fear could be one caused by embarrassment, which results in avoiding public places for several weeks.) Changes in behavior are usually signs of a deep fear, one your character is more aware of. These are fears your character may take action to avoid, and are also likely to have some kind of bearing on day-to-day activities, hence the changes in their behavior:
avoiding situations or peopleover protectivenessdesire to controloverreactions to surpriseswithdrawal from normal activitiesavoiding things associated with that feartendency to run from things
There are other things that can be used to show fear as well:
nightmaresflashbacksemotional outburstsirrational fear of normal thingsnauseavoice cracking when speaking
However you choose to show fear, make sure you have a relatively clear idea of what, exactly, your character is afraid of. This will help you choose ways for your character to express it, and will help keep their fears and reactions to them consistent.
Challenge: Write a scene in which your character is afraid. Don't use the words fear, afraid, frightened, frightening, scare, scared, panic, panicky, panicked, terror, terrified, or scary. Try to show that your character is afraid, and what they're frightened of. (Post it below, and I'd be happy to leave a critique!)
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