'Fiction: Feel the feelings'

This is an exercise from Jenny Alexander's excellent book, Free-Range Writing.

Fiction: Feel the feelings

We tend to think of emotions as somehow outside our physical experience, but they are alwayts felt in the body.

If you describe the physical sensations of emotions rather than just stating how your characters feel, the reader feels these sensations in their body too, and this makes for much more effective writing.

For example, rather than saying, 'She felt scared', you could describe the physical effects of that emotion in her body. 'She caught her breath... the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end...'

Instead of saying, 'He looked amazed,' you might describe how that emotion affects the way his body looks. 'His jaw dropped... his eyes opened wide...'

Write for ten minutes from each of these story starters, describing the physical effects of the strong emotions the protagonists feel. (Or, if you prefer, take just one and run with it.)

• 'Police!' I shouted into the phone. 'It's an emergency!'
• Jessica set the table for one...
• Rob reached out and took her hand...

When you have finished, check back and cross out any places where you have stated how they feel - 'He was horrified... She felt lonely... She was overcome by desire...' and so on. If you have shown how they feel in their physical symptoms, telling it should be unnecessary.