GESTURE - Arlee's A to Z - CHARACTERISATION

The meaning of gestures is not universal. Yet, gestures offer a glimpse into your character’s thoughts without the need for interior dialogue. When most people talk, unless they concentrate on keeping their body under control, it is likely they will make unconscious hands and head gestures as they speak. The more subtle body movements reinforce their verbal message. Gestures are important because they 

reinforce what we are thinking or saying.

GESTURES

These gestures are open to cultural interpretation. Some common hand gestures could be totally misunderstood if your novel were to go viral and be read internationally.

Finger pointing is aggressive no matter which language your character or your reader speaks.

Open palms is a sign of honesty and openness and clenched fists is a sign of irritation and aggression so opening and closing fists would suggest a conflicted character working through two approaches to dealing with a problem.

Crossed arms or legs are defensive gestures.

Thumbs up –a gesture indicating “Great” translates to “up yours” in Australia, Iran and some other Muslim countries.

OK – thumb and index finger - used to show approval, it is considered obscene in Brazil, southern Italy, Germany and Greece. In Japan, this gesture signifies money.

V – the V gesture we hope means victory or peace needs to be carefully orientated if the palm is facing toward you, the gesture is considered obscene.

The beckoning gesture –formed by curling and uncurling the index finger - common in most countries translating as come here this gesture is offensive to Mexicans, Filipinos and the Vietnamese.

Gestures can add roundedness to your character. If the gestures they make become predictable. An unconscious gesture is often the turning point in a novel.

Psychologists put 10 English, 10 Mandarin Chinese, 10 Spanish and 10 Turkish speakers, together. They asked them to describe an action in a video in speech, then only with gestures.

What was remarkable was that, when asked to describe the same scenes using only their hands, all of the adults, no matter what language they spoke, produced the same order - subject, object, verb (woman knob twists, for example).

"The gestures that people produce when they speak are not universal but vary as a function of language - … speakers of different languages routinely use their hands in different ways but, when asked to talk with their hands and not their mouths, they all end up looking alike," said Prof Susan Goldin-Meadow."

The surprise for the experts was that when the speakers are asked to 'speak' with their hands they ignored the language conventions of their verbal language and they all use exactly the same order when they gesture.

GENERALLY FEELING?

garrulous, gauche, generous, genial, giving, glad, gloomy, gracious, grateful, gregarious, grieved, grumpy, guarded, guilty, gullible

No time to double check, I'm heading north :D

FACIAL EXPRESSIONS - Arlee's A to Z - CHARACTERISATION

Facial expressions are outward manifestations of internal conflicts. 

The fleeting alterations in visual, nonverbal communication, implies the stages from reaction and realisation through to acceptance and finally to action.

In the facial expressions, the writer can show:

a)    Character traits

b)    Thought processes

c)    Physical appearances – muscles, lines, moles

d)    The character’s reactions to others’ changing perceptions

There have been many studies which show the near perfect universality in nonverbal communication: body language and facial signs.

Our command of language is highly evolved. The spoken and written word can convey the sense of place and time and the human condition. Neither medium is perfect, otherwise, in time of our greatest joy or sadness, we would not revert to being speechless.

Facial expressions are a window into the personality – the unguarded version, who would not be chosen as the PC spokesperson – they can be used to show the character’s temperament and attitudes.

In a photograph or painting an artist can capture an emotion. Specialists believed the face can reveal static characteristics (the study is sometimes called physiognomy.)

When I was eleven I found a book in a jumble sale: The Four Just Men by Edgar Wallace first published 1905. This paragraph, on page 6 (ie page2) came after an extensive description of Thery. I knew what he looked like but

“Signor Paolo Mantegazza, Director of the National Museum of Anthropology, Florence, has done Thery the honour of including him in his admirable work (see the chapter on ‘Intellectual Value of a Face’); hence I say that to all students of criminology and physiognomy, Thery must need no introduction.”

The word "physiognomy" drove me to distraction. I couldn’t sound it properly, my Dad had never heard of it and when I looked up “physiognomy” in the dictionary I couldn’t understand the definition.

The theory my English teacher helped me research threw my world out of orbit: it was the idea that you can judge a book by its cover. 

I remain fascinated by all things psychological.

Facial expressions? Long before Tim Roth brought micro-expressions to the front of people’s consciousness ;) I made sure I judged people by what they did.

A FANTASIA OF FEELINGS:

fair, fallible, fanatical, fascinated, fawning, fearful, fearless, fed up, fervent, fickle, fiery, fixated, flirtatious, flustered, foolish, forlorn, free, fretful, friendly, frightened, frustrated, fulfilled, fuming, furious

Seen any fantastic facial expression lately?

I'm going with Charlie Sheen.

EASY GOING - Arlee's A to Z - Characterisation

This is the personality type that gets confused with being lazy. 

People with an easy going personality can be misunderstood when they are seen as indifferent, or even frivolous.

Rarely seen as the main character in a novel, the MC's best friend is often drawn from this personality type.

AIR

An extroverted personality type, like a breath of fresh air, may be made up of these temperaments which result from this personality:

Leadership

Carefree

Lively

Easygoing

Responsive

Talkative

Outgoing

Sociable

Actvie

This kind of character’s emotional response is likely to be:

Excitement

Expectancy

Delight

Tolerance 

SPOILED ROTTEN?

If the treatment a person receives in their primary environment is rewarding/indulging/spoiling the possible effects, could be that they are:

exploitative, selfish, controlling, precocious, dependent, unsocialised/anti-social, suspicious, unable to share, untrusting, uncompromising, have a screwed value system, dependency, lacking in perception, unadventurous, patronising, inadequacy, unrealistic, unmotivated, low initiative, compulsive

ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF EMOTIONS - extensive version ;)

eager, earnest, easygoing, ebullient, eccentric, ecstatic, effervescent, elated, embarrassed, embittered, emotional, emotionally bankrupt, emotionless, empathetic,

empathic, empowered, empty, enamored, enchanted, encouraged, engaging, enigmatic, enlivened, ennui, enraged, enraptured, entangled, enthralled, enthused, enthusiastic, enticed, entranced, entrenched, envied, equitable, esteemed, euphoric, evil, exasperated, excitable, exhilarated, expressive, extroverted, exuberant,
exultant

How are you feeling today?

DIALOGUE - Arlee's A to Z

Realistic dialogue:

• advances the story
• puts the character into characters
• Breaks straight exposition into interesting ripples and turns.

Nothing pulls the reader out of a story faster than dodgy dialogue.

DIALOGUE

LISTEN

Listen when others are talking, you will hear the lilt and flow of the conversation. Natural speech patterns vary between age groups. They also vary depending on the social hierarchy evident in the group.

MAKE CHATTER MATTER ;)

Chatter matters but too much conversation is boring to read – trust me on this: I have marked a million stories written by Primary School children - all dialogue must drive the story forward.

DUMPING – SPRINKLE IT OVER A WIDE AREA AND YOU MIGHT GET AWAY WITH IT

Back story should be blended and, although dialogue is one place to sprinkle necessary facts, great care must be taken to avoid dropping information by the tonnage ;)

ACCENT, DIALECT AND SLANG

Less. Is. More.

When you decide to let rip please remember the reader who is deciphering the code.

ACCENT (Watford) : ‘Cos, right, this ‘ard-faced tosser w-ot’s turned up is open to mockin’--an’-slatin’ -- if-n you let him take the lead. Giz accent a break an’ back off with the slang ‘cos I’m bored with readin’ it, already.

DIALECT: Aw've just mended th' foire wi' a cob, an’ there's some nice bacon-collops o' th' hob,   w' a quart o' ale-posset i' th' oon - so that’s dinner sorted, in the frozen North.

SLANG: Unless you’re fluent, and there is no chance of you muddling the informal with the profane –  banger, banging, bang on, bang-tidy and bang to rights –  avoiding slang is the plan.

READ WITH A PEN AND A NOTE BOOK

Pay attention when you're reading. Where did you slip out of the narrative? Where did the character excite, or lose you?

PUNCTUATE

Accurate punctuation in all dialogue is essential.

TAGS ARE SNAGS

Keeping the dialogue tags simple helps the writing flow – "he said/she said" is almost all the variety you need.

In their book, “Self-Editing for Fiction Writers,” Renne Browne and Dave King say:

“If you substitute the occasional speaker attribution with a beat, you can break the monotony of the ‘saids’ before it begins to call attention to itself.”

DULL:

“Hey, Lucas,” Rowland said. “Where are you going?”

“Nowhere special,” Lucas said.

“I haven’t got much more work to do,” Rowland said. “You could wait for me.”

“I was going to walk down to the river,” Lucas said. “I have to get back before dinner. I've got a meeting with Master Topping, in his office.”

“Right. You go on,” Rowland said. “When I finish, I’ll catch you up.”

DUSTED:

“Hey, Lucas,” Rowland said, putting down his pen and leaning back on his chair. “Where are you going?”

“Nowhere special.”

“I haven’t got much more work to do,” Rowland said. “You could wait for me.”

“I was going to walk down to the river,” Lucas said, scuffing one toe on the floor, turning his head towards the door. “I have to get back before dinner. Remember? Master Topping? In his office?”

“Right. You go on,” Rowland said. “When I finish, I’ll catch you up.” 

EMOTIONS -  A DIRECTORY OF Ds :

dazed, deceitful, defiant, dejected, delighted, depressed, despairing, determined, disconsolate, discontented, disgusted, disheartened, dismayed, distraught, distrustful, disturbed, docile, doleful, dutiful.

Effective dialogue is ...?

CREATING CHARACTERS - Arlee's A to Z - CONSTANT COMPARISON CREATES CONTEMPT

Picture perfect or fully rounded characters?

CREATING CHARACTERS:

How well do you know your characters?

Physical

Personality

Temperament

Background

Relationships

Roles

History

Social traits

Point of view

Values

Their responses:

Intelligence

Creativity

Mannerisms

Idiosyncrasies

Interests

Likes and dislikes

How does the plot develop the character?

How does the character affect the plot and its resolution?

HOW WAS THE CHARACTER TREATED? WHAT IS THEIR MOTIVATION?

CONSTANTLY COMPARED:

If a character has been compared with others regularly some possible effects are:

sibling rivalry

inferiority complex

hatred

jealousy 

WATER

An introverted and phlegmatic personality may be made up of these temperaments:

Unsociable

Passive

Careful

Thoughtful

Peaceful

Controlled

Reliable

Even

Calm

This kind of character’s emotional response is likely to be:

Nervousness

Pensiveness

Passivity

Tolerance

LEXICON OF EMOTIONS - CONTINUED ;)

calculating, callous, calm, cantankerous, capricious, captivated, carefree, careless, casual, catty, cautious, centred, certain, challenged, charming, cheeky, cheerful, cherished, childish, chivalrous, chuffed, churlish, civil, clueless, coerced, combative,  commanding, committed, compelled, competitive, complacent, compliant, concerned, condescending, confident, conflicted, confrontational, confused, conscientious, constant, consumed, contemptuous, content, contrary, contrite, controlling, convinced, cool, cooperative, cordial, cornered, courageous, courteous, courtly, cowardly, coy, crabby, craven, crazed, crazy, credulous, critical, cross, crude, cruel, cultured, cunning, curious, cursed, cynical


HOW ARE YOU FEELING TODAY?

BEHAVIOURS ARE THE CHARACTER TRAITS' ACCESSORIES - Arlee's A to Z - Wearing letter B

Background: family, upbringing, schooling and peers shape our characters.

The influence of parents and backgrounds are seen on interlinking spectrum

from hostile to warm contrasted with controlling to permissive.

Backgrounds breed behaviour and a lot of emotions beginning with letter B:

bad tempered, baffled,  baited, balanced, bashful, battle weary, beaten, beatific, bedazzled, bedevilled, befuddled, beguiled, beholden, beleaguered, belittled, belligerent, beloved, bemused, benevolent, bereaved, bereft, berserk, beset, beside myself, besotted, bewildered, bewitched, biased, bilious, bitchin', bitchy, bitter, blasé, bleak, blessed, blighted, blind, blissful, bloody minded, blown away, boastful, bodacious, boggled, boisterous, bold, bored, bossy, brave, brazen, bullish, burdened, burned out.

Personality hangs in the wardrobe: it is the behaviour we dress ourselves in. People can, and do, vary the appearance of their personality. As most teenagers are happy to prove, the personality traits they show can change to suit the occasion and the relationship.

Temperament describes the way someone reacts.

Both personality and temperament together define our attitudes.

Temperament includes the idea of emotional reaction. 

Different societies consider emotions appropriate... or not.

ICE 

A cold, melancholic personality maybe made up of these temperaments:

Moody

Anxious

Rigid

Sober

Pessimistic

Reserved

This kind of character’s emotional response is likely to be:

Indifference

Annoyance

Hatred

When world building, the writer can create the norms and expectations of a whole society. This can be used to add an additional obstacle, to heighten the stress and to raise the stakes.

Personality is the general behaviour we wear.

*I owe a lot of what I think to Chris Gamble of Mind Kind Education

EMOTIONAL IMPACT IN 7 POINTS - Arlee's A to Z - ANGER

       April 2011 THE A to Z CHALLENGE!

Arlee Bird who blogs at Tossing It Out,came up with the A to Z Challenge. Last year it began with a hundred participants. This year it grew and grew.

Arlee has rounded up three hundred participants.

It might take time to get around all those entries. ;)

  acceptance, agitation, alarm, amusement, angst, 

      annoyance, anticipation, apprehension, apathy, arrogance, awe, anxiety, avoidance,

anger 

His teacher told him there had been a mistake. Lucas was angry. He had to run away.

Lucas curled his fingers into fists. Only the sharp edges digging into his palms kept him rooted on the polished floor. Heat spreading over his face jabbed like tiny needles. He swallowed back the need for a more simple pain. When his feet itched to kick the chair that lay beside his desk, he hurdled it and ran.

No one experiences emotions the same way. The writers’ job is a difficult one - they want every reader to think "I felt like that too."

EMOTIONAL IMPACT IN 7 POINTS:

• Show emotions using a range of senses
• Don’t rush into the emotion give the character time to process what has and is happening
• Emotions develop as a reaction to the situation and the actions/reactions of others
• Using body language to show what is being said is not the same as the emotions the character is experiencing
• There are physical responses to emotion but the character feels them and cannot see them
• You need imagery but not limp and overused ones.
• Stormy emotions played out in a hurricane – dumped as the tornado rips the heart out f the town? This is Pathetic Fallacy. 

“Pairing you with Gael was a mistake. Rowland is the Class Captain and…”

Lucas curled his fingers into fists. Only the sharp edges digging smiles into his palms kept him rooted to the polished floor. “Just a mistake? Sure. I don’t mind.” Heat spread over his face and prickled like nettle stings. “Give it Rowland. He’s welcome to it.” Lucas swallowed back the need for a more simple pain. When his feet itched to kick the chair that lay beside his desk, he hurdled it and ran.

EMOTIONAL RESPONSES:

Acceptance, apprehension, agitation, amusement, angst, anticipation, alarm, apathy, awe, anger, annoyance, amazement