Award-winning author Kathy Steinemann recently shared a great resource: over 100 ways to say “shrug.” As all of my first-draft characters seem to have a nervous tick (which mercifully disappears by the second draft), I appreciated this so much that I just had to share.
As Kathy points out, there are many reasons why someone might shrug–indeed, it is this very versatility that explains why I overuse it in my first drafts. So, she has wisely categorized shrugs according to the emotion we want to convey:
Confusion
- Rapid blinking
- Rubbing the chin
- Scratching the head
- Wrinkling the nose
Deception
- Changing the subject
- Hesitating when answering questions
- Lack of eye contact
- Shifty eyes
Defensiveness
- Holding something in front of the body
- Leaning away from someone
- Licking the lips
- Squinting
Denial
- Locking eyes with someone
- Raising the palms in a not me gesture
- Shuffling backward
- Sweating
Determination
- Cords or veins of neck…
View original post 279 more words

Many thanks for sharing, Viv! Have a great weekend 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re very welcome, Nicholas! You, too! @v@ ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person