Emotion Amplifiers is going free :)

[BronzeOracle]

Hey guys, I was referred to a free kindle book on Amazon called Emotion Amplifiers, I downloaded it and it looks to be pretty useful - for a range of states (eg Lethargy, Inebriation, Illness, Hunger) it gives the following:
- Definition
- List of physical signals
- Internal sensations
- Mental responses
- Cues of long term state
- Cues of suppressed state

I'm not sure why its free, perhaps as an advertisement/inducement to buy some related books???

Anyway, I hope you find it useful!

Emotion Amplifiers - Kindle edition by Angela Ackerman, Becca Puglisi. Reference Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

 

[Blodwedd]

Thanks i just downloaded it as well it seems pretty good.
Wonder if there is a book about psychological conditions and how they make characters behave.

 

[Svrtnsse]

I grabbed it too and will definitely have a look at it. I looked around a little and it seems the same persons behind this one as behind the Emotion Thesaurus, which is something I've heard a lot of good stuff about - but never actually picked up.

A blog post by the authors has this to say:

This companion to The Emotion Thesaurus is a body language tool for describing your character's PAIN, STRESS, ILLNESS, HUNGER, DEHYDRATION, ATTRACTION & other conditions that 'amplify' an emotional reaction.

 

[BronzeOracle]

Yeah I think it is an ad for the Emotion Thesaurus - I succumbed and bought this, haven't read much yet but will give my thoughts a bit later on.

I do like how they explain the usage of physical, mental and visceral cues (from less to more intense) to 'show' rather than 'tell' emotions - and they caution using the visceral cues too much, as they can be melodramatic and cliche.

 

[Svrtnsse]

Aye, I've done that a lot in my wip, showing the character fidgeting or sweating and such, but I'm worried it's been a bit too repetitive or that I've used the same things too often. I figured something like this could give some more advice.

 

[T.Allen.Smith]

...they caution using the visceral cues too much, as they can be melodramatic and cliche.

Yes. These types of guides are wonderful tools, but they're meant to spark, not replace, your individual creativity.

If you're stuck on how to show a particular emotion, reading these examples may move your thinking in the right direction. It gets the ball rolling. Creating your own emotional cues from your unique view and experiences is still the goal.

 

[2WayParadox]

I have some difficulty figuring out how to go about introducing myself to an instrument like this. I don't want to just read list after list. But it seems to be the only way to get to know what's in the booklet. On the other hand you could say 'only read what's relevant to what you're writing', but I find that I have scenes in my head and I write them. Simple as that, combing through this beforehand would stifle me I think.

However, I think that it might be useful to me once I finished a manuscript or after a beta reader or critiquer has read it and commented on it. So to me, it will probably be more of a revision tool.

 

[Blodwedd]

... but I find that I have scenes in my head and I write them. Simple as that, combing through this beforehand would stifle me I think.

However, I think that it might be useful to me once I finished a manuscript or after a beta reader or critiquer has read it and commented on it. So to me, it will probably be more of a revision tool.

I totally agree, this is going to be one of those things i will read after a chapter is written and think "Maybe i can add something from that book I'll go and have a look at it."

 

[Graylorne]

Downloaded it too. I've got the other three guides as well, and they're helpful just like T. Allen says. Thanks for pointing to this one.

 

[BronzeOracle]

I totally agree, this is going to be one of those things i will read after a chapter is written and think "Maybe i can add something from that book I'll go and have a look at it."

Yeah agreed, this is how I would use it - once I've already crafted the scenes and then identify the key emotions playing out, it might be useful to review these to see if they can be finessed. After a while you'd absorb the content in any case. But using it as you write would get in the way I think, and stifle your own expression.