How can you convey what your character is feeling without being crazy direct? Let's say that your character is mad. She's hopping mad. Someone has wronged her and she just can't stand them right now! Tell me. Which of the following makes you feel more of what she's feeling?

Quote :

"You think you've won?!" she said, seeing red. His smug face looked back at her, victorious. "You'll never win!"

Quote :

"You think you've won?!" she snapped furiously. Her muscles twitched, her legs fighting to rush forward, her heart demanding immediate action, but she resisted the urge to punch him in the face. Barely. Only because the trail keepers were watching. Watching her reaction with those stupidly amused expression, watching him with his ugly smug face. He deserved to be hit. He deserved to be bloodied and bruised for what he did. He deserved everything but the unspoken backing of the ones controlling their fate. She could give it to him. She'd throttle him, humiliating him as he humiliated her! But now... she took deep breaths, the cool air rushing into her lungs and quieting her fury as water quiets a fire. If she did it now, they could hold it against her. If she did it now, she could be discounted, could be thrown out of the competition. She pulled in her anger, her hatred, and balled it up, sitting it in a corner of her heart. She looked at him, him and his stupid smug face, and promised herself her revenge. He might have won the battle, but the war... the war was still coming. "You'll never win." she spat with finality.

  A quick tip to spicing up your writing is to replace common 'blah' words like "said" with more colorful responses! To pepper in strong emotional vocabulary, to draw your readers into your character's head! 

Below is just a little collection of words for words - words you can use to attempt to express exactly what your character is feeling! There are various emotions (as true to life XD) at various levels (also true to life. You can be annoyed, you can be mad, you can be angry, you can be filled with rage! Pick your level!) and I'm attempting to gather all that I can into this thread for you. 


Hope it helps!







More synonyms for Said in Specific Situations



Feel free to add more lists of useful synonyms or embellishments!

250 words to describe someone's voice/tone

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And now, for even more ways to kill "said", by tumblruser msocasey
Original reblog link: Click here!

I'd like to introduce the Feel Wheel:



I'm afraid I don't have the original source, but it's pretty neat and a good way to embellish upon your character's feelings.


But wait, there's more!

I love this! I always catch myself using the word "say" in first person. It bothers me so much that I constantly am searching for other words on thesaurus.com!

((I am always coming back to this page, lol XD))

Haha! I actually stop myself, and remind myself I am writing rough drafts right now. I can replace the words during revisions!

I'll be consulting the last two images on the first post often.

Guest wrote:

Haha! I actually stop myself, and remind myself I am writing rough drafts right now. I can replace the words during revisions!

This is a great mindset to have

I know this is an old thread, but I just wanted to say thank you for this! There is a lot of really useful information here, and I'm happy I was looking back here to find it.

This is great! I bookmarked it! This'll be very useful!

Added a few more resources!

These look awesome! Now the trick is to remember them when I'm actually writing a post!

YAY! MORE RESOURCES! THANK YOU!

New list added to the first post!

Quote :

And now, for even more ways to kill "said", by tumblruser msocasey
Original reblog link: Click here!

I got pretty fed up with looking for words to replace said because they weren’t sorted in a way I could easily use/find them for the right time. So I did some myself.

IN RESPONSE TO
Acknowledged
Answered
Protested

INPUT/JOIN CONVERSATION/ASK
Added
Implored
Inquired
Insisted
Proposed
Queried
Questioned
Recommended
Testified

GUILTY/RELUCTANCE/SORRY
Admitted
Apologized
Conceded
Confessed
Professed

FOR SOMEONE ELSE
Advised
Criticized
Suggested

JUST CHECKING
Affirmed
Agreed
Alleged
Confirmed

LOUD
Announced
Chanted
Crowed

LEWD/CUTE/SECRET SPY FEEL
Appealed
Disclosed
Moaned

ANGRY chibi OFF MATE WANNA FIGHT
Argued
Barked
Challenged
Cursed
Fumed
Growled
Hissed
Roared
Swore

SMARTASS
Articulated
Asserted
Assured
Avowed
Claimed
Commanded
Cross-examined
Demanded
Digressed
Directed
Foretold
Instructed
Interrupted
Predicted
Proclaimed
Quoted
Theorized

ASSHOLE
Bellowed
Boasted
Bragged

NERVOUS TRAINWRECK
Babbled
Bawled
Mumbled
Sputtered
Stammered
Stuttered

SUAVE MOTHERFUCKER
Bargained
Divulged
Disclosed
Exhorted

FIRST OFF
Began

LASTLY
Concluded
Concurred

WEAK PUSY
Begged
Blurted
Complained
Cried
Faltered
Fretted

HAPPY/LOL
Cajoled
Exclaimed
Gushed
Jested
Joked
Laughed

WEIRDLY HAPPY/EXCITED
Extolled
Jabbered
Raved

BRUH, CHILL
Cautioned
Warned

ACTUALLY, YOU’RE WRONG
Chided
Contended
Corrected
Countered
Debated
Elaborated
Objected
Ranted
Retorted

CHILL SAVAGE
Commented
Continued
Observed
Surmised

LISTEN BUDDY
Enunciated
Explained
Elaborated
Hinted
Implied
Lectured
Reiterated
Recited
Reminded
Stressed

BRUH I NEED U AND U NEED ME
Confided
Offered
Urged

FINE
Consented
Decided

TOO EMO FULL OF EMOTIONS
Croaked
Lamented
Pledged
Sobbed
Sympathized
Wailed
Whimpered

JUST SAYING
Declared
Decreed
Mentioned
Noted
Pointed out
Postulated
Speculated
Stated
Told
Vouched

WASN’T ME
Denied
Lied

EVIL SMARTASS
Dictated
Equivocated
Ordered
Reprimanded
Threatened

BORED
Droned
Sighed

SHHHH IT’S QUIET TIME
Echoed
Mumbled
Murmured
Muttered
Uttered
Whispered

DRAMA QUEEN
Exaggerated
Panted
Pleaded
Prayed
Preached

OH moon turds
Gasped
Marveled
Screamed
Screeched
Shouted
Shrieked
Yelped
Yelled

ANNOYED
Grumbled
Grunted
Jeered
Quipped
Scolded
Snapped
Snarled
Sneered

ANNOYING
Nagged

I DON’T REALLY CARE BUT WHATEVER
Guessed
Ventured

I’M DRUNK OR JUST BEING WEIRDLY EXPRESSIVE FOR A POINT/SARCASM
Hooted
Howled
Yowled

I WONDER
Pondered
Voiced
Wondered

OH, YEAH, WHOOPS
Recalled
Recited
Remembered

SURPRISE BITCH
Revealed

IT SEEMS FAKE BUT OKAY/HA ACTUALLY FUNNY BUT I DON’T WANT TO LAUGH OUT LOUD
Scoffed
Snickered
Snorted

BITCHY
Tattled
Taunted
Teased

Edit: People, I’m an English and creative writing double major in college; I understand that there’s nothing wrong with simply using “said.” This was just for fun, and it comes in handy when I need to add pizzazz.