resource #1: cheat sheet for writing body language

• anxious: twist ring, bite lip, frequently swallow, hold breath/quick breathing, sweaty/clammy palms, hunched posture, eyes darting, pace, stutter/stammer, chew/play with hair
• attentive: sit forward, mimic body language
• confident: clasp arms behind body, lift head, push chest out, stand tall/straight, eyes out directly, make firm & precise movements
• contempt: purse lips, sneer, stretch or turn away, dismissive hand-waving
• cynical: twist lips, half-smile, shake head, press lips/slight frown, roll eyes
• deception: one-sided shoulder shrug, look down, feet kick out or shuffle involuntarily, sudden change(s) in demeanor, hesitation in speech, shift eye contact, long blinks, unwarranted smiles or laughter, shake head 'no' while saying 'yes,' cover/touch mouth
• defensive: cross arms/legs, arms out with palms forward, hands up, place item/object in front of body
• desire: make eye contact, straighten spine, dilated pupils, arch, stretch, (women) cross & uncross legs
• distress: shallow rapid breathing, huddle in corner, clasp hands over head, rock back & forth, wring hands, run hands through hair, adjust cuffs
• embarrassment: blush, stammer/stutter, cover face w hands, look down, avert eyes, bow head, unmaintained eye contact, blink back tears
• fatigue: rub eyes, stare into space, yawn, stretch, nod off, jerk awake, grit teeth, move slowly, slouch
• happiness: hum a tune, crinkle eyes & nose, swing arms, spin loosely
• honesty: smile with eyes and mouth, look up, palms up, open arms
• impatience: nod quickly, tap fingers, sigh, check clock/exit, tap feet, increase pitch in voice, look away
• overwhelmed: palms to forehead, splayed fingers over eyes w one hand, eyes wide & staring into space, hands gripped
• pleasure: tilt head back, part lips slightly, eyes wide/closed, languorous movements, stretch, arch neck/back, flush, quick breath/pulse
• possessiveness: handshake w arm clasp, hands placed on/around someone's shoulders/neck/waist, stand in personal space w body positioned toward person, place hands on wall near them, block exit, run a knuckle down someone's cheek, stare others down if too close
• pride: hard handshake, unblinking & focused eye contact
• sadness: droopy body, bowed, arms wrapped around self, hesitating movements, bottom lip juts out, lip quivers, cries/sobs/shakes, drags feet
• secretiveness: tight-lipped smile, hands in pockets/out of sight, look away, cover face, look down
• shame: slumped shoulders, look down & away, face buried in hands, bow head, straight mouth
• shyness: blush, avoid eye contact, keep distance from others, back away if others come too close, fold arms, bend head, 'hug' walls...
• smugness: slight close-lipped smile, slightly tucked chin, enigmatic smile, steeple fingers, raised eyebrows
• suspicion: narrow eyes/sideways glance, frown, tight lips
• triumph: clench hands above head, tilt head back, pump fist, jump, whoop

resource #1: 155 words to describe an author's tone

tone: an author's use of words & writing style to convey his/her attitude towards a topic

• tone = what the author feels about the subject
• mood = what the reader feels about the subject

voice: an author's personality expressed in writing

• tone = attitude
• voice = personality

tone (attitude) + voice (personality) = writing style

• you may not be able to alter your personality but you can adjust your attitude... this gives you ways to create writing that affects your audience's mood

the mechanics of tone

• tone is conveyed through diction (choice of words & phrases), viewpoint, syntax (grammar; how you put words & phrases together), and level of formality --> it is the way you express yourself in speech or writing

how to find the correct tone: ask yourself these 3 questions:

• 1) why am i writing this?
• 2) who is my intended audience?
• 3) what do i want the reader to learn, understand, or think about?

in formal writing:

• your tone should be clear, concise, confident, and courteous
• the writing level should be sophisticated, but not pretentious

in creative writing:

• your tone is more subjective, but you should always aim to communicate clearly
• genre sometimes determines the tone

words to describe an author's tone:

• aggrieved: indignant, annoyed, offended, disgruntled
• amused: entertained, diverted, pleased
• candid: truthful, straightforward, honest, unreserved
• chatty: informal, lively, conversational, familiar
• compliant: submissive, obedient, acquiescent, flexible
• conciliatory: intended to placate or pacify, appeasing
• detached: aloof, objective, unfeeling, distant
• diplomatic: tactful, subtle, sensitive, thoughtful
• dispassionate: impartial, indifferent, cold, unsympathetic
• docile: compliant, submissive, deferential, accommodating
• earnest: showing deep sincerity or feeling, serious
• evasive: ambiguous, cryptic, unclear
• facetious: inappropriate, flippant
• flippant: superficial, glib, shallow, thoughtless, frivolous
• gentle: kind, considerate, mild, soft
• ghoulish: delighting in the revolting or the loathsome
• hard: unfeeling, hard-hearted, unyielding
• hypercritical: unreasonably critical; nitpicking
• impressionable: childlike, trusting
• incensed: enraged
• ironic: the opposite of what is meant
• irreverent: lacking respect for things generally taken srsly
• jaded: bored, has had too much of the same thing, lacking enthusiasm
• laudatory: praising
• macabre: gruesome, horrifying, frightening
• mean-spirited: inconsiderate, unsympathetic
• obsequious: overly obedient/submissive, fawning, grovelling
• outspoken: frank, candid, spoken without reserve
• patronising: condescending, scornful, pompous
• pensive: reflective, introspective, philosophical, contemplative
• philosophical: theoretical, analytical, rational, logical
• pragmatic: realistic, sensible
• pretentious: affected, artificial, grandiose, rhetorical, flashy
• resigned: accepting, unhappy
• restrained: controlled, quiet, unemotional
• righteous: morally right & just, guiltless, pious, god-fearing
• satirical: making fun to show a weakness, ridiculing, derisive
• scathing: critical, stinging, unsparing, harsh
• sensationalist: provocative, inaccurate, distasteful
• solemn: not funny, in earnest, serious
• subjective: prejudiced, biased
• unassuming: modest, self-effacing, restrained
• urgent: insistent
• whimsical: quaint, playful, mischievous, offbeat
• witty: clever, quick-witted, entertaining
• world-weary: bored, cynical, tired
• wretched: distressed, miserable, despairing

resource #3: the power of the 5 senses in writing

sight: your emotions are manipulated by color...

• pink is a cry for comfort
• green stimulates - or jars
• orange is sensual
• blue soothes

smell: memories associated with smell never fade...

• a hint of vanilla essence takes you bake to baking fairy cakes with your grandmother (see her smile, wiping flour-covered fingers on her white apron)

sound: music dictates how you act...

• mall music helps you spend your time & money
• war drums motivate primitive actions

taste: taste relies on texture + aroma

• if you close your child's eyes & block his nose and feed him, first cinnamon, and then flour, he won't be able to tell the difference

touch: touch confirms that our eyes aren't deceiving us

• what do you feel beneath your fingertips? or on your lips?
• if you want to gain trust, shake hands

exercise(s)

• describe a place removing one of the senses (e.g., imagine being blind on a busy bus, or deaf at a play)
• describe an abstract emotion using the 5 senses
  • hate looks like raw meat, smells like rotten eggs, feels like barbed wire, sounds like slot machines, tastes like cold black tea