When the day is long, the journey is hard, or the battle drags on, exhaustion sets in. What will happen when your characters get tired? What will tire them so? And how will they deal with it? Write until you’re out of gas, folks!
Exhaustion can play a huge role in your narrative, pushing your characters to the brink, even sending some over the edge. The need to dig deep, buckle down, endure, see it through, or find a second wind tests even the greatest heroes. Try it out in your story…
Types of Exhaustion
- exhausted, tired, worn out, done in, all out, all in, fatigued,
- gassed, winded, beat, pooped, fagged out,
- drained, spent, run down, out of gas, empty,
- pushed to the limit, petered out,
- dead tired, haggard, wasted, consumed, broken, broken down,
- burned out, done, cooked, dog-tired, done for, finished,
- drowsy, sleepy, flagging, weary, drifting, fading,
- insomnia, night terrors, nightmares, narcolepsy,
- lost, finished, useless, barren, threadbare, fragile,
- bedraggled, battered, at the end of your rope,
- annihilated, decimated,
- jet lag,
What happens when you’re exhausted
- mental mistakes, lack of focus, inability to concentrate, can’t follow, inattention, anility, gone nonsensical,
- babbling, doddering, muttering,
- nodding off, dozing off, daydreaming, fading, drifting, falling asleep at the wheel,
- anxiety, adrenaline rushes, stress, cortisol produciton,
- irregular heart beat, weak pulse,
- dehydrated,
- headache, blurred vision
- insomnia (ironically),
- irritability, annoyed, bored,
- swollen feet,
- can’t lift your arms, muscle fatigue,
- arthritis, inflamed joints, carpal tunnel,
- stress attacks: cold sores, common cold, inflammation, susceptibility to viral and bacterial infections, psoriasis, eczema, fever blisters, rash, shingles (chicken pox),
- prone to sickness, cold, tremors, shaking,
- shortness of breath,
- heart attack, death, cardiac arrest,
- panic, neurosis, thinning sanity, paranoia, delusions, worsening depression, suicidal thoughts,
- hearing voices, mumbling, inner voices,
- seeing mirages, imagining things,
- shaking, quivering, shivering,
- shock,
- pallid countenance, pale, drained, wan visage, lacking vitality,
Stuff that can exhaust you
- driving long distances,
- long activity, hard activity,
- stressful day, week, month,
- unfriendly encounter, confrontation, emotionally draining activity,
- planning a funeral, wedding, meeting, ceremony,
- sports, games, combat, competition, game shows, tests, racing, exams,
- addictions, gambling, drugs and alcohol,
- work, supervising, monotonous factory widget work,
- coaching, teaching, leading, instructing,
- family, children,
- heavy labour, construction work, heavy lifting,
- concentration, focus, attentiveness,
- being an air traffic controller, first responder, emergency crew, rescue party, posse, high level security,
- war, battle, the trench, outpost duty, scouting, taking point, hard march, drills, slogging a pack,
- too much television, mind-numbing passive activity, too long on the video game,
- servitude, slavery, oppression, indentured servitude, doting,
- waiting,
- casting spells, channeling energy, tapping into mana, psychic travel, contacting other planes of existence, talking to ghosts, intense prayer, rituals, rites, magic,
- school, studying,
- practice, rehearsal, drills, repetition,
- yelling, abuse, beatings, lashings, emotional abuse, physical violence, screaming,
- torture,
- jet lag, shift work, daylight savings time (who came up with that nonsense anyway?),
Characters
- shift worker, long-shirt workers (12 on 12 off),
- emergency room doctor, nurse, surgeon, orderly,
- first responder, paramedic, EMT, police officer, search and rescue worker, firefighter,
- long-haul trucker,
- military personnel, soldier, warrior,
- teacher,
- athlete, runner, competitor,
- late night workers… security guard, diner staff (and patrons),
Characters associated with exhaustion
- the sandman,
- the undead… ghosts, poltergeists, haunts, ghouls, apparitions, nightmare beasts,
- creatures under the bed or in the closet, night beasts, vampires, werewolves, shadows, demons,
- psychologist, psychiatrist, doctor, pharmacist, shrink,
- psychic, oracle, seer,
- street people, pimps, hookers,
- late night diner waitress, cook,
- security guard,
Stuff associated with Exhaustion
- drugs, prescriptions, sleeping pills, anti-anxiety meds, anti-psychotics,
- pillow, airline neck pillow, throw pillow,
- blanket, comforter, afghan, quilt,
- beanbag chair, hammock, rocker, couch, ottoman, sofa, chesterfield,
- bed, hide-a-bed, murphy bed, king-size bed, cot, bunk,
- food, munchies, snacks, chips,
- clock, watch, chime, grandfather clock,
- noises that keep you awake, bell, horn, phone, tea kettle, coffee grinder, construction, fan, motor, clock ticking, snoring, coughing, train, music, stomping,
- soothing sounds, ocean waves, light rain, soft music, gentle chimes, beautiful bird song, lullabies,
- nightmares, night terrors, sleep walking, intrusive thoughts, monkey brain, to do lists, nagging feeling that you forgot something, ghostly sounds, spooky shadows,
- bright, harsh, garish light… check out light and dark for more ideas
Environments
- ER, hospital, field hospital, hospice, asylum, mental ward,
- 24 hr pharmacy, drug store,
- hotel, motel, hostel,
- diner, truck stop, 24-7 convenience store, liquor store,
- prison, jail,
- dysfunctional home, busy home,
- casino, gaming room, pool hall,
- bar, club,
- strip club, gentlemen’s club, brothel, bordello, massage parlor,
- dance hall, rave, party, concert, after grad party,
- the street, homeless shelter, safe injection site, slum, ghetto,
- emergency site, crime scene,
- natural disaster, rescue operation, missing persons search,
- factory, sweat shop,
- opium den, crack flop house, meth lab, hydroponics grow op,
- dungeon, torture chamber,
- cop shop, police station, interrogation room number 3,
- central dispatch,
- taxi garage,