Member-only story
Show AND Tell: Writing Nonverbal Cues + Body Language
Here are some suggestions to avoided the dreaded “talking heads” syndrome in your writing.
A clenched fist; a tightening of lips; shifting weight from foot to foot: there are endless ways that we as people communicate with one another without using our voices.
Body language is important not only in our real-life relationships, but in creating characters who feel real.
Think about the people you interact with on a daily basis — how do they hold themselves? Upright and strong? Hunched and nervous? Quiet and passive?
A character’s body language should be one of their most intrinsic qualities, made known to the reader early in the story. By defining the way they physically exist in their world, you can avoid the “talking heads” vibe that makes your characters feel flat and static. Once you bring body language and nonverbal cues into your characters, they will appear authentic and full of depth.
Here are just a few body language/nonverbal cues that can communicate huge amounts of information about your characters:
- tone of voice
- touch
- mannerisms
- habits
- eye contact
- gestures
