Writing about fear isn’t just about writing a scary scene or working on a horror novel. Writing about fear is about understanding your characters and what really terrifies them. Since we all don’t share the same fears, it can be difficult to get your readers to understand what your characters are going through. You need to write in a way that convinces the reader that your character is really scared by using all the senses—without flat-out telling them.
Showing fear through your writing is a very effective way to reach your audience and to write an intriguing scene. First off, let’s start off with some body language that shows fear.
- Someone who is afraid might not might eye contact with whoever they’re afraid of. On the other hand, in a more intense situation, they might have a wide-eyed stare. For example, if someone is hiding their fear of another person, that’s when they might avoid eye contact. If something scares them suddenly, they might have the wide-eyed stare and have unwavering eye contact.
- A scared character might be breathing heavily (maybe through the nostrils) and might have a clenched mouth. It’s likely that most of their body will be clenched, think tightened muscles and clenched fists, and they might be stuck in one spot.
- They might be sweating or shaking as a result of excess adrenaline. Their feet might be turned away from the person they’re afraid of, subconsciously ready to get away. Some people might hunch or slouch and other people might stand taller and become more aggressive. It all depends on the situation.
- Nervous behaviors such as tapping legs, crossing arms, or fidgeting might indicate fear. Rocking back and forth might also be from fear.
All of these body language suggestions should help you shape your character and how they experience fear. However, this is just one part of writing fear. Explaining why someone is so afraid could be just as important. Creating a back story, even if you don’t reveal it for a while, will help YOU and your readers understand why your character is so afraid. Knowing the intricacies of your character’s fear is important and it will help you translate it into your novel.
The emotional implications of fear also need to be explored in order to strengthen your novel. That fear might somehow manifest itself into their daily life, which will make your character development stronger. Someone who is afraid might have trouble dealing with that fear and might develop depression or distrust issues. Fear can often cause nightmares, trouble sleeping, or other health issues that will make their lives uncomfortable. Even after someone “gets over” a fear, there might be some residual issues. They might still be dealing with it for the rest of their lives.
