I'm a newb working on my first script. Something annoying that I've noticed with my own writing is the use of facial expressions.
What is the right way to use them, or should I just not use them at all? Would really like a blast of light on this topic because it drives me crazy. I just don't know if I should use them, or how to use them well, and when I read them in my own stuff I definitely don't like them. What are some good alternatives to using facial expressions?
Items that I feel are okay at times are things like, "Raises or furrows eyebrow," "grits teeth," "smirks/grins (sometimes)
But things like, "with an angry expression," or "looks sad," or "with a sad expression," or "with a furious countenance..."stuff like that drives me insane. And I've done crap like this. Of course I remove it immediately on the re-read, but I'm looking for awesome alternatives from other writers.
Yes, the no brainer answer is, show it visually with how the character behaves and maybe with what they say -- but something's not clicking in my brain here.
How many clean ways are there for someone to "Look sad" I can think of plenty but there comes a point where it seems like I'm just making stuff up to avoid using the term 'looks sad', and that effort comes through, at times, as ungainly on the page.
Y'know, typing this out I've come to a small eureka in my head. Thanks for providing the space.
I'm still interested in everyone's thoughts on this.
What is the right way to use them, or should I just not use them at all? Would really like a blast of light on this topic because it drives me crazy. I just don't know if I should use them, or how to use them well, and when I read them in my own stuff I definitely don't like them. What are some good alternatives to using facial expressions?
Items that I feel are okay at times are things like, "Raises or furrows eyebrow," "grits teeth," "smirks/grins (sometimes)
But things like, "with an angry expression," or "looks sad," or "with a sad expression," or "with a furious countenance..."stuff like that drives me insane. And I've done crap like this. Of course I remove it immediately on the re-read, but I'm looking for awesome alternatives from other writers.
Yes, the no brainer answer is, show it visually with how the character behaves and maybe with what they say -- but something's not clicking in my brain here.
How many clean ways are there for someone to "Look sad" I can think of plenty but there comes a point where it seems like I'm just making stuff up to avoid using the term 'looks sad', and that effort comes through, at times, as ungainly on the page.
Y'know, typing this out I've come to a small eureka in my head. Thanks for providing the space.
I'm still interested in everyone's thoughts on this.
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