EMOTION THESAURUS

RELUCTANCE



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HELPFUL TIP:

The inner landscape of your characters (especially your protagonist) is the lifeblood that runs through your story. Emotions, and how they're expressed, are tied deeply to a character’s personality and which positive traits and negative traits will manifest. To bring your readers in deeper through shared experience, consider filtering the setting descriptions through your character’s emotions while also exploring important colors, textures, and shapes through his or her senses.
DEFINITION:
Unwillingness; aversion

PHYSICAL SIGNALS AND BEHAVIORS:
Stalling gestures (taking time to think, turning away)
A hard, obvious swallow
Wetting the lips
Tense arms, shoulders, or face
Hesitant steps
The head pulling back as the shoulders push forward
Responding slowly (accepting an item, offering assistance)
Pressing lips together
Glancing around uneasily
Hands that shake, nervous twitching
Hands almost curling into fists and then straightening
A grimace or pained look
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INTERNAL SENSATIONS:
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MENTAL RESPONSES:
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CUES OF ACUTE OR LONG TERM RELUCTANCE:
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MAY ESCALATE TO:
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CUES OF SUPPRESSED RELUCTANCE:
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MAY DE-ESCALATE TO:
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ASSOCIATED POWER VERBS:
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