ISBN: 1927830346 9781927830345

Category: Reference / Word Lists

Page count: 540

<p>Ordinary writers describe the body in order to evoke images in readers’ minds. Extraordinary writers leverage it to add elements such as tension, intrigue, and humor.</p><p><br></p><p>The Writer’s Body Lexicon provides tools for both approaches.</p><p><br></p><p>Kathy Steinemann provides a boggling number of word choices and phrases for body parts, organized under similar sections in most chapters:</p><p><br></p><p>• Emotion Beats and Physical Manifestations</p><p>• Adjectives</p><p>• Similes and Metaphors</p><p>• Colors and Variegations</p><p>• Scents</p><p>• Shapes</p><p>• Verbs and Phrasal Verbs</p><p>• Nouns</p><p>• Prompts</p><p>• Clichés and Idioms</p><p><br></p><p>Sprinkled throughout, you’ll also find hundreds of story ideas. They pop up in similes, metaphors, word lists, and other nooks and crannies.</p><p><br></p><p>Readers don’t want every character to be a cardboard cutout with a perfect physique. They prefer real bodies with imperfections that drive character actions and reactions — bodies with believable skin, scents, and colors.</p><p><br></p><p>For instance, a well-dressed CEO whose infrequent smile exposes poorly maintained teeth might be on the verge of bankruptcy. A gorgeous cougar with decaying teeth, who tells her young admirer she’s rich, could spook her prey. Someone trying to hide a cigarette habit from a spouse might be foiled by nicotine stains.</p><p><br></p><p>Add depth to your writing. Rather than just describe the body, exploit it. Build on it. Mold it until it becomes an integral part of your narrative.</p><p><br></p><p>“… a timeless resource: You’ll find advice, prompts, ideas, vocabulary, humor, and everything in between. But more importantly, it will make your characters stand out from the crowd.” — Nada Sobhi</p><p><br></p>