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I think one key thing is showing instead of telling. Which I’m sure you’ve heard a million times before and don’t want to hear again, but there it is 😛

For instance, anger. Don’t just say, “Mike was furious.” Show us his display of anger. Maybe he throws his phone or punches a wall or crushes something or whatever – show us the character is angry.

Or sadness. Don’t say, “Her heart was broken.” Show her curled up on her bed, sobbing into her pillow. Show her clinging to her favorite horse.

Side note: Here’s a super great chart I found on Pinterest a few years ago that I think is super helpful:

I think the other key thing is giving the character proper motivation for their emotion. For instance, if Mike is punching down the wall because he lost his favorite t-shirt, well, then that’s not a super accurate representation of emotion. But if he’s punching down the wall because he found out he’s being lied to by his hero, then that’s a little bit better representation of emotion.

So, that’s all I got right now. Cheerio! Happy writing! And if you have any other questions, let me know 🙂