Random Topics to Write About Include Characters’ Emotions

Dialogue goes a long way when writing a novel or short story. However, showing a character’s emotion will add depth to your writing and will alleviate the heavy burden of crafting a story using dialogue alone. In this article about Random Topics to Write About, we will study the different categories of emotion and how emotion is shown in writing.

There is power in emotion and when it is shown to the reader through characterization on a page, this power manifests as instant relatability:

In other words, your story will lose its steam if not charged with the literary device of emotion.

The Following Emotion Examples Are Valuable When You Craft Random Topics to Write About

Learning about nonverbal communication is crucial for understanding people's emotions and intentions. The following emotion descriptions comprise only a partial list.

Amazement is shown by an individual's wide-open eyes, raised eyebrows, and an uncontrollable utterance, such as a gasp, at a sudden shock. An individual’s sudden focus may cause her to stop in mid-step. She may cover her mouth with her hand, move closer to the object of interest, and smile widely. 

Desperation is a feeling of hopelessness. It can be detected in a person who paces, has eyes that dart about seeking answers, has repetitive movements, rocks, shakes, bites the bottom lip, and rubs self for comfort. She may also wring her hands and sigh often.

Envy, known as the green-eyed monster, describes one who feels someone or something has an advantage over her, and she wants that advantage. She will likely display these behaviors: flaring of the nostrils, averting her eyes, having a non-too-friendly attitude, mirroring the behavior of the one she envies, sweaty palms, stalking the object, and glowering. 

Fear is a primal emotion where an individual feels he is in imminent danger. He displays wide-eyed horror, a face that changes color (white, ashen, or pallid), and self-hugging behavior. He may also look behind himself frequently, flinch at the slightest noise, exhibit a tense body, a readiness for fight or flight, rapid eye blinking, and uncontrollable trembling.

Hopefulness, a more uplifting emotion, is particularly evident in the individual's bearing and demeanor. This sentiment can be recognized in a person's relaxed body posture, a dreamy look in their eyes, a warm, genuine smile, as well as a resilient and upbeat energy, even in the face of adversity.

Understanding the depth of nonverbal communication not only helps us empathize better with others but also adds richness to our emotional expression. After all, isn't it fascinating that such a wide array of emotions and sentiments can be conveyed completely without words?

Here are a few more nonverbal communication examples when considering random topics to write about:

• Confusion
• Defensiveness
• Embarrassment 
• Frustration
• Gratitude 
• Hatred 
• Impatience
• Indifference
• Loneliness
• Nervousness
• Nostalgia
• Paranoia
• Pride
• Rage
• Regret
• Skepticism
• Suspicion

Find many more of these emotions on Amazon in the book The Emotion Thesaurus.

When Exploring Random Topics to Write About, 
Beware of Using Clichés to Express Emotion

It’s easy to let clichés slip into your writing when writing a character's emotions as well as providing narration. Clichés are overused phrases and will bore your readers. They’ve heard them all before and are looking for something fresh in writing. Further, clichés show that you’ve taken the lazy and unimaginative way out. Now and then, clichés can be used to emphasize a point like no other, but they must be used sparingly.

Examples of clichés:

• As high as a kite 
• As hard as a rock 
• As white as a ghost 
• As flat as a pancake 
• Sleeping like a baby
• As straight as an arrow
• The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree
• Throwing the baby out with the bathwater 
• She felt the hairs rise on the back of her neck 

Think of clichés you’ve used or know about, and for the most part, avoid them. While imaginative phases are longer and take more thought and time than the use of a quick cliché, they are worth the effort in producing the magic of imagination.

When crafting random topics to write about, avoiding the use of clichés in your writing, and focusing on your characters’ emotions, your stories will come alive and gain a rightful place in the hearts of your readers.

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