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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/45657
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/45657
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

You say other's emotions are clear to you when people are giving **verbal hints** about them - when they're saying "this is fascinating" etc. This is one tool you could use in your writing.

You can **hint at emotions through the way a character talks**. Commas and repetitions stress what is important; a character whose speech is more abrupt than usual, perhaps skipping "unnecessary" words, is under some sort of tension (whether positive or negative), etc.

You can **imply emotions**. For example:

> "blah blah blah" Adam swallowed; soldiers didn't cry. "blah blah blah"

By the statement "soldiers don't cry" I have implied that Adam is struggling not to burst into tears, for whatever reason. Whatever he's telling, it's sad. This is implied by the fact that he has to tell himself not to cry.

For your POV character, especially if you're writing in first person, you can also sometimes **explicitly state the emotion**. "That made me angry" is much more natural than "that made me clench my fists". In fact, a character who is in control of himself might be boiling inside while showing very little outward signs of it.

* * *

If your self-reflection skills are good, you can **try observing yourself** when you are surprised, angry, etc. In conversation with others, you're busy doing other things than self-observing, but when you're on your own and something you read, or something on TV elicits a strong emotion in you, you can take a moment to note your own non-verbal cues. As an example, reading a tense passage in a book, I might be biting my knuckles; or pacing nervously around the room, book in hand. If I'm watching something exciting, I will be leaning towards the screen, eyes wide. Etc.

Original score: 4