MASTER LISTS FOR WRITERS: Thesauruses, Plots, Character Traits, Names, and More (2 page)
Read MASTER LISTS FOR WRITERS: Thesauruses, Plots, Character Traits, Names, and More Online
Authors: Bryn Donovan
DESCRIPTIONS OF GESTURES AND BODY LANGUAGE
Many of these can mean different emotions in different contexts. Your heroine might lift her chin in confidence or in angry defiance. Your villain might rub his hands together because he’s planning evil things or because it’s cold in his lair. For that reason, I haven’t attempted to separate these into positive and negative emotions.
Some of the things in my list are not exactly body language or gestures, but are useful for setting up dialogue. As with the list of facial expressions, I’ve included some different ways to say the same thing.
Each of your characters may have one or two gestures that are typical of him or her. While you wouldn’t want to overdo it, this can make the people in your story feel more real.
she nodded
he bobbed his head
she tilted her head
he cocked his head
she inclined her head
he jerked his head toward…
she threw her head back
he lowered his head
she hung her head
he ducked
she bowed her head
he put his head in his hands
he covered his eyes with a hand
she hid behind her book
she pressed her hands to her cheeks
she raised her chin
he lifted his chin
her hands squeezed into fists
his hands tightened into fists
she clenched her fists
she balled her fists
he unclenched his fists
her arms remained at her sides
his arms dangled at his sides
he shrugged
she gave a half shrug
he lifted his shoulder in a half shrug
she gave a dismissive wave of her hand
she raised a hand in greeting
he waved
she held up her hands
he lifted his hands
she held up her palms
he threw his hands in the air
she brushed her palms together
he rubbed his hands together
she made a steeple of her fingers
he spread his hands
she gesticulated
she fanned herself
he flapped his hands
he waved his hands
she clapped her hands
he snapped his fingers
she held up a finger
she wagged a finger
he pointed
she gestured with a thumb
he jerked his thumb toward…
she extended her middle finger toward him
he gave her the finger
she flipped him the bird
she gave him the thumbs up
he gave him the okay sign
she flashed a peace sign
she drew a finger across her throat
he twirled a finger next to his temple
she gave a mock salute
he pretended to shoot himself in the head
she waggled her hips
he thrust his pelvis
he put his hands on his hips
she rested a hand on her hip
she jutted out her hip
she shoved her hands into her pockets
he jammed his hands in his pockets
she folded her arms
he crossed his arms over his chest
she hugged herself
he wrapped his arms around himself
she rubbed her forearms
she spread her arms wide
he held out his arms
she held out her hand
he extended a hand
he shook his head
she turned her face away
he looked away
his breaths quickened
she panted
she was breathing hard
his chest rose and fell with rapid breaths
she took in a deep breath
he drew in a long breath
she took in a sharp breath
he gasped
she held her breath
he let out a harsh breath
she exhaled
he blew out his cheeks
she huffed
he sighed
she snorted
she laughed
he giggled
she guffawed
he chuckled
she gave a bitter laugh
he gave a mirthless laugh
she tittered
he cackled
she rubbed her shoulder
he kneaded his shoulder
he rolled his shoulders
she tensed her shoulders
he massaged the back of his neck
she rubbed her temples
she rubbed her hands on her thighs
she ran her hand through her hair
he threaded a hand through his hair
he raked his fingers through his hair
he shoved his hair away from his face
she toyed with a lock of hair
she played with her hair
she twirled her hair
she wrapped a curl around her finger
she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear
he undid his ponytail
she shook out her hair
she tossed her hair
he buried his hands in his hair
she tugged at her hair
he stroked his beard
he scratched his beard
she tugged at her earlobe
he bit a nail
she chewed on a cuticle
she picked at her nails
she inspected her fingernails
he plucked at the cuff of his shirt
she picked lint from her sleeve
he adjusted the lapels of his jacket
she fiddled with her earring
he twisted the ring on his finger
she played with her cell phone
he tugged at his shirt collar
he adjusted his tie
she smoothed down her skirt
she scratched her nose
he scratched his head
she rubbed her forehead
he blotted his forehead with a handkerchief
she slapped her forehead
he smacked his forehead
he facepalmed
she rubbed her eyes
she pinched the bridge of her nose
he held his nose
she slapped a hand over her mouth
she covered her mouth with her hand
he slapped his knee
she pressed her fingers to her lips
he tapped his fingers against his lips
she held her finger up to her lips
he rubbed his chin
she pressed a hand to her throat
she touched her hand to her heart
he pounded his chest
he clutched his chest
he leaned against the wall
she bounced on her toes
he danced in place
she jumped up and down
he tapped his foot
he stomped his foot
her toes curled
she folded her hands in her lap
she drummed her fingers on the table
he tapped his fingers on the table
he slammed his hand on the table
she pounded her fist on the table
she set her palms down flat on the table
he rested his hands on the table
she set her hands on the table, palms up
he leaned back in his chair
she hooked her feet around the chair legs
he gripped the arm of the chair
she put her hands behind her head
he put his feet up on the desk
he fidgeted
she jiggled her foot
he swung his leg
she crossed her legs
he uncrossed his legs
she crossed her ankles in front of her
she stretched out her legs in front of her
he sprawled out
she cringed
he shuddered
she flinched
he recoiled
he shivered
she trembled
his body shook
she cowered
he shrank back
she huddled in the corner
he pulled away
she jerked away
he turned away
she stilled
he froze
she jolted upright
he stiffened
she straightened
he tensed
he jumped
she jumped to her feet
he stood up
she rose from her seat
she relaxed
he hunched
she slouched
her shoulders sagged
his shoulders slumped
her shoulders rounded
his chest caved
he drooped
she wilted
he went limp
he rolled his shoulders
she squared her shoulders
she clasped her hands behind her back
he puffed out his chest
she thrust out her chest
he propped his chin on his hand
she rested her chin on her palm
he yawned
she stretched
he turned around
she whirled around
he pivoted
she reeled
he staggered
her knees buckled
she stepped away
she drew nearer
he leaned closer
she inched forward
he loomed closer
he paced
she shifted from one foot to the other
she rocked back and forth
he shuffled his feet
he swayed on his feet
she dragged her feet
she pumped a fist
he thrust his fists in the air
she punched the air
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTIONS
Sometimes it can be hard to find the right words to describe individual facial features, faces in general, bodies, and even hair. This list can be a good resource for describing the looks of the characters in your story.
Remember that when you’re in a character’s point of view, his attitude toward someone else’s appearance may change over the course of the story as his relationship to that character changes. A classic case in point: Mr. Darcy goes from saying Elizabeth Bennet is “tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me,” to “one of the handsomest women of my acquaintance.” Conversely, the cute guy in Spanish class might not seem cute at all once your young adult heroine figures out he’s a jerk.
Some of these phrases on this list are more expected than others, and you can always put your own spin on them.
EYES - GENERAL
large
small
narrow
sharp
squinty
round
wide-set
close-set
deep-set
sunken
bulging
rheumy
protruding
wide
hooded
heavy-lidded
bedroom
bright
sparkling
glittering
flecked
dull
bleary
cloudy
red-rimmed
beady
birdlike
cat-like
jewel-like
steely
hard
fringed with long lashes
with sweeping eyelashes
with thick eyelashes
EYES – COLOR
Brown is the most common eye color by far. Green is quite rare.
chestnut
chocolate brown
cocoa brown
coffee brown
mocha
mahogany
sepia
sienna brown
mink brown
copper
amber
cognac
whiskey
brandy
honey
tawny
topaz
hazel
obsidian
onyx
coal
raven
midnight
sky blue
sunny blue
cornflower blue
steel blue
ice blue
Arctic blue
glacial blue
crystal blue
cerulean
sapphire
electric blue
azure
lake blue
aquamarine
turquoise
denim blue
storm blue
slate gray
silver
chrome
platinum
pewter
smoky gray
ash gray
concrete gray
dove gray
shark gray
fog gray
gunmetal gray
olive
emerald
leaf green
moss green
EYEBROWS
arched
straight
plucked
sparse
trim
dark
faint
thin
thick
unruly
bushy
heavy
SKIN – COLOR
Descriptions of the skin tones of characters of color can be a sensitive issue, which is hardly surprising, given the course of history. Many people object to comparing skin tones to food. “Coffee” and “chocolate” probably carry the most negativity, and may be the most overused besides. As is so often the case with language, whether one is a part of the group or outside of it makes a big difference.
amber
bronze
cinnamon
copper
dark brown
deep brown
ebony
honey
golden
pale
pallid
pasty
fair
light
creamy
alabaster
ivory
bisque
milky
porcelain
chalky
sallow
olive
peach
rosy
ruddy
florid
russet
tawny
like gingerbread
like strong tea
like weak tea with milk
SKIN – GENERAL
Some of these are better for the face, and some are better for other parts of the body.
lined
wrinkled
seamed
leathery
sagging
drooping
loose
clear
smooth
silken
satiny
dry
flaky
scaly
delicate
thin
translucent
luminescent
baby-soft
flawless
poreless
with large pores
glowing
dewy
dull
velvety
fuzzy
rough
uneven
mottled
dimpled
doughy
firm
freckled
pimply
pockmarked
blemished
pitted
scarred
bruised
veined
scratched
sunburned
weather-beaten
raw
tattooed
FACE - STRUCTURE
square
round
oblong
oval
elongated
narrow
heart-shaped
catlike
wolfish
high forehead
broad forehead
prominent brow ridge
protruding brow bone
sharp cheekbones
high cheekbones
angular cheekbones
hollow cheeks
square jaw
chiseled
sculpted
craggy
soft
jowly
jutting chin
pointed chin
weak chin
receding chin
double chin
cleft chin
dimple in chin
protruding Adam’s apple
