HORROR DEFINITION:A mixture of repugnance and fear arising from a negative experience beyond one’s comprehension or imagining PHYSICAL SIGNALS AND BEHAVIORS: The body freezing mid-movement One’s mouth falling open, the upper lip curling back Grimacing and wanting to look away but being unable to The head recoiling from the source, eyes wide and staring One’s words drying up mid-sentence Opening the mouth to speak but being unable to find words Trying to make sense of what one is experiencing by reading other people’s reactions Speaking in fragments:This...He...Why... Shaking the head in a slow, back-and-forth sweep of denial The neck disappearing as shoulders rise and pull forward Placing trembling fingertips against one’s open mouth Eyebrows folding inward, the nose crinkling Gripping one’s own throat or pressing a hand against the breastbone Swallowing rapidly Retreating; putting distance between oneself and the source A slow intake of uneven breath (shuddery or shaky) Turning the head to the side with the eyes tightly closed Shielding the body (turning the torso to the side, crossing one’s arms over one’s chest, etc.) Clamping a hand across one’s mouth and applying pressure Stumbling back a step or two Tripping and falling as one tries to create some distance Pushing the back of the hand against one’s nose and looking away Holding a shaking hand up between oneself and the source Eyes that are unable to close Cringing and rubbing one’s palm against the chest (above one’s heart) The body contorting (knees drawing up, the torso twisting, arms pulling in, etc.) Scraping one’s palms against clothing as if to rid them of something Rubbing or pulling at the ears (if a sound is part of the experience) Clapping the hands over the sides of one’s head to block out a specific noise Forcing oneself to look down or to the side, breaking eye contact Taking a deep breath to try and regain control of one’s emotions Trying to verbally diffuse the moment (reasoning, bargaining, or placating) by talking slowly and enunciating one’s words Moving slowly, using no sudden movements Pulling loved ones close (gathering children, drawing a spouse near) to protect them INTERNAL SENSATIONS: Internal chest pressure from forgetting to breathe Body tension (e.g., the stomach hardening) The burn of bile in the back of the throat An uncontrollable shudder that sweeps through one’s entire body A sudden drop in body temperature A hard thudding in the chest from an increased heart rate MENTAL RESPONSES: Losing track of spatial awareness (fumbling, clumsiness, stumbling, etc.) Focusing on something small (like breathing) to feel more in control Sudden revelations (putting together pieces of information that would have foreshadowed the negative experience, if one had only realized their significance) A hyper-focus on the possible dangers associated with this moment (survival instinct) ACUTE OR LONG-TERM RESPONSES FOR THIS EMOTION: Breaths coming in short bursts once the initial shock passes A loosening of the bladder Shutting down and freezing on the spot Uncontrolled tears sliding down one’s cheeks and onto trembling lips Looking for an escape Turning and fleeing A heart attack SIGNS THAT THIS EMOTION IS BEING SUPPRESSED: A hard, visible swallow as one’s lips press tight A slight tremor in the fingertips A voice that warbles before it steadies Adopting a strained smile that twitches as it widens, fighting for mind over body Nervous laughter MAY ESCALATE TO:Terror,Powerlessness MAY DE-ESCALATE TO:Fear,Disgust,Hatred,Desperation ASSOCIATED POWER VERBS: Clench, conceal, convulse, cringe flee, freeze, gag, gasp grip, nauseate, quiver, recoil reject, repress, retreat, seize shake, shrink, shudder, stare WRITER’S TIP:Too much self-awareness can hurt emotional descriptions. Rarely do people think about the mechanics of what their bodies are doing (I felt my lungs swell with unspent breath), so weigh description more on showing a character’s reactions and behaviors naturally as they happen.