Monday, June 4, 2012

Emotional Doppelgangers

Whether written or acted out, stories have one hefty life-thread in common: EMOTIONS. Without them, stories would just be statistical outlines of facts and events that possess no meaning or purpose.

For every reader, there's a point just after the onset of a story where a spark ignites. (At least the writer sure as heck hopes so.) A question might form in the mind, or a faint pang might gnaw at the gut. Regardless of the exact sensation, the result is the same - we keep reading. But why?

We FELT something.


Title: The EMOTION Thesauraus: A Writer's Guide To Character Expression
Authors: Angela Ackerman, Becca Publisi
Pages: 170
Format: e-book
Published: May 2012

Personal Note: I'd like to thank Angela and Becca for supplying me with a copy of their book and for entrusting me with its care.

Favorite Line/Passage: The stronger the feeling, the more the body reacts and the less conscious control we have over movement. Because characters are unique, they will express themselves in a specific way.

My Splats: a fantastic writer's handbook, and must have as a reference while writing to help bring clarity yet interest to one's writing.

In The Emotion Thesaurasus, Angela and Becca have created a functional tool to enhance an author's writing and storytelling choices. The book is written in an easy-to-read-and-follow format, which is great for any writer, even high school and college students.

I especially liked the breakdown of words into Verbal and Nonverbal Communication, Physical Signals, Mental Responses, and Internal Sensations. This is a brilliant way to present words of the same likeness and show how they can be properly used to add flavor to any essay, article, short story, novel, or screenplay.

The authors give clear and specific examples, which apply their methods of choosing proper description. It's like a genealogy of appropriate emotional usage when telling a story. As an added bonus, they highlight the results of effectively using backstory to further empower a story.

I'm definitely giving my son a copy of this book as he heads off to his freshman year in college. I know I'll covet my copy.

For more details about Angela, Becca, or the book, visit The Bookshelf Muse and/or purchase your own copy at AmazonBarnes & NobleiTunesKobo, and SmashwordsAdd it to your GOODREADS List.

29 comments:

  1. I already have my copy, and I've reached it for it several times since it arrived. I can always find at least one non-verbal cue that's just write for the scene I'm working on.

    You know ... come to think of it ... I needed an extra activity for my reading/writing class today. I'll bring it in and share it. Thanks, Sheri!

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  2. Thanks for sharing about this. I have my copy but haven't had a chance to read it yet. Can't wait to start it.

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  3. I LOVE the book. I even have the hardcopy which I love even more than the ebook. This is one resource I couldn't live without. :D

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  4. I really need to get my copy of this. Their blog has already been so helpful with figuring out how to describe certain emotions, I can imagine what a wealth the book must contain! Certainly a must-have for every writer's artillery!

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  5. Very cool! I enjoy Angela's posts on her blog, too.

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  6. I must get this one. I have a feeling it will be sitting next to my laptop for daily use.

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  7. This book has been on my radar. I think all writers can use a boost from time to time in improving our writing. I'm going to have to get a copy.

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  8. Well that's just neat! Never heard of it, but it sound dang handy! Thanks for the heads up!

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  9. Sheri, thanks so much for test driving The Emotion Thesaurus and letting people know what you thought! I'm thrilled you think it's a must-have resource. Emotion is tricky, and so we wanted to create a book to make it a whole lot easier. :)

    Have a great week!

    Angela

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    1. Test driving was my pleasure. Just thankful I had my permit.

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  10. I'm going to check this out right away. Love! It's interesting because I've been thinking about this lately. I read a book where it felt like every word was saturated with the authors heart, and soul. I ached, and felt everything. It was amazing.

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  11. Love this! I also have my copy as an ebook

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  12. I'm hosting them in August and I have to say, it's a brilliant idea for a book!

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  13. There are just no words for how awesome I think TEE is! It is INvaluable!!! Yay for Angela & Becca!!! Thanks, Sher~ :o) <3

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  14. Yay for Angela and Becca!!!! They are awesome. Great idea to give the book as a gift. I can think of one young lady already I'd like to buy this for...

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    1. That's awesome! I really think it's a great aid for college kids.

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  15. Very worthwhile book and what a great idea! Thanks, Sheri.

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  16. I need to get one of these for myself. Is the emotional thesaurus still up on the Book Shelf Muse?

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  17. Sheri, thanks so much for this summary. I'm so excited that you got a copy for your college-bound son! I was talking to Dianne earlier about The ET's possibilities from an educational standpoint; as a former educator, I love hearing how the book is helping students. Thanks for spreading the word!

    Becca

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    1. My pleasure. And honestly, I think it would pay great dividends if you looked into having it supplied to students. Not sure how that works, but I believe it could be a great sell. JMHO. ;D

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  18. I am going to have to check this one out. Just finished WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL and he spoke about character expression and the importance in caring about characters. Thanks for this!

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  19. Because of the many ways we writers want to express emotions, this thesaurus could certianly be an invalulable asset.

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  20. I have to order this book. It's on my wish list. Now that I've moved, I'm putting in an Amazon order.

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