The situation is made better or worse by the emotional state of those involved. From cool, calculated, and rational to hot-headed, reactionary, and impulsive, emotions determine outcome. What’s your approach going to be today?
Emotional Traits Menu
- cerebral, calculating, , inventive, learned
- insensitive, obtuse, witless, slow, dull, ignorant, simple-minded, shallow,
- egotistical, vain, selfish, egocentric, narcissistic, conceited,
- salubrious, delightful,
- gritty, tough, strong, enduring,
- healthful, energetic,
- practical, reasonable, logical,
- devout, dedicated, committed, keeps a promise, devoted, staunch, steadfast, sworn
- sincere, honest,
- saturnine, gloomy, glum, downtrodden, crestfallen, pessimistic, dark, emo, moody,
- sanguine,
- rueful,
- fearful, terrified, unnerved,
- brutal, ruthless, unyielding, pressing, unrelenting,
- even-tempered, cool, calm, unfazed,
- base, primal, animal,
- virtuous, sanctimonious
- good-natured, good-humoured
- unappeasable
- smug
- impious
- troubled, over-cooked,
- self-loathing,
- irrational, baffling, unpredictable, moody, uneven, prone to mood swings, touchy,
- diabolical, evil, dark, devilish, demon-like,
- holy, devout, religious, pious, reverent, faithful, god-fearing, submissive, spiritual, saintly,
- sacrilegious, unrepentant, unholy, blashpemous, heretical,
- disturbed, twisted,
- driven, keen, fervent, zealous,
- importunate, impudent, imperturbable, impossible, immature, impressionable, impish,
- crestfallen, downtrodden, lugubrious, somber,
- apprehensive, cautious, doubtful,
tentative,
- emotional, sentimental, sensitive,
- malicious, hateful, angry, hurtful, vicious, dastardly, cruel, vitriolic, acerbic, splenetic,
- irascible, quick-tempered, bad-tempered, hot under the collar, easily angered, prone to rage, touchy, tetchy, testy,
- implacable, unforgiving, displeased, relentless,
- elusive, mysterious, coy,
- responsible, reliable,
- primal, given to urges, impulsive, animal, barbaric, passionate, driven,
- impish, playful, mischievous, rash, impulsive,
- bashful, modest,
- coy, alluring, coquettish, flirtatious,
- puerile, juvenile, silly, giggly, goofy, childish, infantile, immature,
- eager, wanting to please, positive,
- barbarous, uncivilized, primitive, savage,
- persistent, dutiful, determined,
- deliberate, unwavering, unmaleable,
- puissant, powerful, large, larger than life, impressive, formidable.
- devious, chaotic, anarchic, turbulent, unruly,
- dedicated, loyal, committed,
- abstemious
- loose, unhinged, uncontrolled, wild,
- furtive
- depraved, wicked, devilish, unprincipled,
- boyish
- hurried, rushed, impatient,
- abusive, angry, violent, aggressive,
- inattentive, withdrawn, aloof,
- brave, strong, courageous, gallant, chivalrous, proud,
- wretched, self-abasing, self-deprecatory, pathetic,
- absorbed, acquisitive, incredulous,
- innocent, naive, foolhardy, heedless,
- chary, skeptical, cautious, wary, heedful,
- positive, bombastic,
- bossy, controlling
- fearless, adventurous, daring, bold, reckless
- waspish, pious, haughty, pedantic, devout, faithful, faithless, doctrinal, dogmatic,
- deceptive, tricky, sly, devious, dishonest
- ravenous, consuming, devouring, lustful,
- inspired, self-enveloped,
- shy, timid, diffident, meek, timid, unassertive, insecure, mousy, demure,
- demanding, inflexible, intractable, difficult, stubborn, pigheaded, unyielding, obstinate,
- quiet, taciturn, tight lipped, reticent, keeps to self,
- saucy, thoughtful, sneaky, humorous, lonely, polite, suspicious,
- cowardly, scaredy cat, chicken, yellow-bellied,
- vivacious, larger than life, boisterous, animated, enthusiastic, ebullient, dynamic, effervescent, bubbly,
- warm, big-hearted, welcoming,
- kind, generous, gregarious,
- egotistical, brazen, snobbish, confident, overconfident,
- overzealous
- sagacious, shrewd
- trustworthy
- blunt, honest, too honest, over-sharing, blabber mouthed,
- contrite, penitent, ashamed, sheepish, sorry, regretful, remorseful, guilty, self-conscious,
- cynical, humorless, skeptical, doubtful, disbelieving,
- sorrowful, rueful, woeful, sad, regretful,
- earnest, somber, serious, sober, stoic, staid,
- envious, jealous, covetous, selfish,
- lacking conviction, without belief, faithless,
- impetuous
- frank, curt, direct, brutally honest, filterless,
- sarcastic, facetious, flippant, aloof,
- surly, testy, grouchy, edgy, irritable, cross, huffy, snappy, cantankerous, crabby, ornery,
- fickle, unpredictable, mercurial, capricious, volatile,
- ignorant, naive, impressionable, uninitiated, shallow, obtuse,
- impudent, insolent
- merciless, heartless, guiltless, unremorseful, psychotic, emotionless, gray-hearted, stone cold,
- melancholic, withdrawn, woeful, depressive, heavy, pensive, thoughtful, wistful,
- overburdened, weighed down, heavy headed,
- angry, fiery, quick-tempered, hot under the collar, hair-triggered,
- superstitious, paranoid,
- weak, nervous,
- contaminated
- disrespectful, distasteful, disconsolate,
- gritty, gutsy, tough, tuff, seasoned, battle-hardened,
- moody
- listless, placid,
- modest
- pathetic, slovenly, leprous, low, lascivious,
- prim, prudent
- shallow, one-dimensional, predictable, a caricature,
- surly, saucy, dirty, smutty, lecherous, vile, indecent, perverted, ribald,
- impractical
- capricious, volatile, moody, temperamental,
- absurd, ridiculous, bizarre, odd, strange, weird, queer, off, off the beaten path, marching to a different drum, around the bend,
- bashful, unsociable, reserved,
- faint-hearted, weak, weak-willed, lacking gumption, heartless, cowardly, wimpering,
- illustrious, eminent, grand, royal,
- realistic
- judicious
- submissive, docile, compliant, obedient,
- loyal, committed, true, devoted,
- resolute, determined, driven,
- dictatorial, authoritarian, domineering,
- methodical
- bigoted, opinionated
- domineering
- listless
- idealistic, dogmatic,
- impractical,
- shrewd, wise, cunning
- sensitive, irrational
- dramatic, melodramatic, “drama queen”,
- unprincipled, irresponsible,
- inconsolable
- unusual
- imperturbable
- steadfast
- sagacious
- sharp
- traditional
- melodramatic
- busy
- closed-minded
- apish
- passe, aloof
- overconfident, arrogant, snooty,
- talkative, loquacious,
- square, predictable, safe, rational, cautious
- defensive
- personable, befriending, bouncy
- inspiring
- scary
- skeptical
- put-off
- frustrated, annoyed
- annoying, frustrating,
- demoralizing, demoralized
- controlling, overbearing,
- pious, righteous, pedantic, condescending,
- loud, obnoxious, garrish, garrulous,
- open, welcoming, kind, loving, tender, soft,
- impolite, boorish, rude,
- well liked, complimentary, comfortable,
- geeky
- contained
- skippy
- shy
- pained
- disturbed, disturbing,
- unnerving, unnerved,
- public
- frugal
- insecure, persistent
- envious, precocious, vicious
- tense, up tight, intense, high-strung, anxious
- sure-footed, respectable, stately, confident
- jovial, pleasant, happy, content, thrilled,
- maniacal, spastic, unruly, fanatical
- road raging,
Stuff about Emotions
- Emotions fluctuate, so pick two fairly different emotions and have your character vacillate between them.
- Some emotions are attached to triggers. Create triggers that set off your characters emotional volatility.
Emotional Situations and Settings
A good way to experiment with your character is to put them in emotional situations and play out (or write or sketch) a scene to see how they’d behave. If you like it, keep it; if not, you’ll know what to adjust.
Any of these can work as story starters or conflict builders. Just put your character into a situation that you know they can’t handle and see how wrong it can go. You’ll know it when you hit the right one!
Try some of these:
- funeral, cemetery, identifying the body at the morgue,
- a really sappy wedding, wedding shower, your own wedding
- drunken brawl, lewd stag, surly poker game, getting sloshed or hammered and then stumbling loudly back home,
- getting arrested, running from the cops, hiding from an enemy or pursuer,
- birthday party for a one year old, or five year old, or teen or 80 year old,
- high school reunion, looking through a year book or photo album,
- getting in a car accident, finding out their spouse is in a car accident,
- awkward work party, partner’s colleagues over for dinner,
- performing, giving a speech,
- run out of toilet paper after going to the washroom at a date’s small apartment,
- meeting an abuser from the past, confronting one’s assailant (or victim),
- bad news from a doctor, lawyer,
- pregnancy, accidental pregnancy, long-awaited pregnancy,
- death of a parent, dealing with lawyers after the death of a parent,
- at the free throw line in a basketball game in the dying seconds (pressure)
- late for work, caught in rush hour, job interview,
- seeing someone getting assaulted, verbally abused, bullied,
- passing a panhandler, or panhandling themselves,
- on a crowded bus without a seat (or with a seat),
- first date, first kiss, first crush, love at first site,
- after a break up, rocky point in a relationship, been told by partner they had an affair,
- falling in lust, infidelity, torrid affair,