It s Not Just What You Say: Body Language for Authors by Cassiel Knight

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1 It s Not Just What You Say: Body Language for Authors by Cassiel Knight Whether you are multi-published, just starting your first book or somewhere in between, romance writers struggle with the need to show characters' emotions and feelings without telling. After all, how many times can you use the words gaze, glance or look, just to name a few? Body Language for Writers goes beyond the basics and provides authors with techniques to show a character's emotion through the creative use of words to describe body language with a focus on communicating sexual tension. What is Body Language? A term for communication using body movements or gestures instead of, or in addition to, sounds, verbal language or other communications. Considered paralanguage which describes all forms of human communication that is not verbal. Can also incorporate the use of facial expressions. The total impact of a message is: 7% verbal (words) 38% vocal (tone of voice, inflection, and other sounds) 55% nonverbal (body language) Body Language is Instinctive--first impressions, we instinctively know even if we don t understand The most honest form of expression Survival: Freeze, Flight or Fight response How does Body Language reveal emotions and thoughts? Body Language is an outward reflection of a person s emotional condition Hardwired from our pasts when body language and vocal, not words, comprised communication. Dominated by biological rules that control our actions, reactions, body language and gestures. Human animal is rarely aware that our postures, movements, and gestures can tell one story, the truth, while our words are telling another. Can Body Language Be Faked? Language can be faked but body s physical reactions cannot. o Politians, interviewees, pageant contestants--use studiously learned body movements but even the most expert can only fake body language a short period. Physical reactions are the key: o Pupil dilation o Sweating o Blushing o Involuntary mouth movements like a split-second sneer o Forehead crease, crow s feet 1 Page

2 Sorry Fellas - Women are More Perceptive Your heroine can read the hero and other characters better because: o Commonly referred to as woman s intuition o Innate ability to pick up and decipher nonverbal signals and an accurate eye for small details. o Particularly evident in women who have raised children since the first few years, the mother relies almost solely on the nonverbal to communicate with the child. o Women have between areas of brain to evaluate other s behavior--men have 4-6. o Female brain is organized for multi-tasking--which is why men lose plot when women try to communicate to them during show. o More white around their eyes Brain s Response to Threat Freeze o Avoid detection by dangerous predators or in dangerous situations and/or to give the opportunity to assess the situation and decide on a response. o Stop suddenly, perhaps strike on the head before turning around o A nervous interviewee holds breath or breaths shallowly o A person being questioned about a crime locks legs interlocked behind the chair legs (position of security) o Another--diminishing of the body--hunching shoulders (turtle effect) Flight o Escape the threat or to distance oneself from danger. o Lean away, place an object or objects on lap, or turning feet toward the nearest exit, closing eyes, rubbing the eyes, placing hands in front of the face (blocking) o Distancing non-verbal behaviors o Clasping of the knees and shifting of body weight on the feet o Feet shift from flat-footed to the starter s position like a sprinter Fight o The brain s final tactic for survival through aggression. o Fight response is does not always mean physical attack. o One form of modern aggression is verbal altercation as in arguing others are more physical The Power of Three Clusters Agreement between verbal and non-verbal signals Read gestures in context A Word on Clichés Why Not? Why & When? Rewriting Strategies 2 Page

3 Gestures & Types Visible bodily actions communicate messages o Arms, hands and fingers o Shoulders o Legs, feet and toes o Head o Mouth and lips Used in place of words (emblems and speaking gestures) Familiar Facial Expression: It s in the Eyes The face is the mind s canvas and eyes are windows of the soul o Refers to the size of the person s pupils and to gaze behaviors o Excitement, happiness, lust Pupils can dilate up to four times their original size Dilation also associated with problem-solving, mental activities--dilating to maximum when a decision is reached. o Angry, negative mood Pupils restrict to what are commonly known as beady little eyes or snake eyes o Lighter eyes can look more attractive because it s easier to see the dilation--we can read the other person better. This is why dark eyes are considered mysterious. o Key signal in courtship--purpose of eye makeup is to emphasize eye display. Centuries ago, prostitutes put drops of belladonna, a tincture containing atropine into their eyes to dilate their pupils and make themselves look more desirable. o Dimly lit places prove to be more successful in romantic encounters--everyone s pupils dilate. This is why you ll need to reflect more body language. Eye behavior Facial Expression: Mouth, Lips and Tongue Can be manipulated to send out false signals Smiles--not always what you see Don t forget the tongue Facial Expressions: More to Think About Forehead Nostrils Blushing, blanching, flushing Chin Touch Me, Baby: Haptic Communication Focuses on touch Earliest sense to develop Provides information about surfaces and textures, vital in conveying physical intimacy Five main categories 3 Page

4 Pacifying Behaviors Adapters o Serve to calm us down after we experience something unpleasant or downright nasty o Brain enlists the body to provide comforting (pacifying) behaviors o Men prefer to touch their faces; women prefer to touch their necks, clothing, jewelry, arms and hair Space Invaders: The Language of Proxemics Human s need for space or territory Two categories: personal and territory o Personal space Reflective of where one grew up Four zones: Intimate, Personal, Social and Public Nationality o Territory Nesting A place to call home The Most Honest Part of the Body: Legs and Feet Legs and feet do more than walk. Furthest away from brain means less awareness of what that part of the body is doing Focus is on eye contact and facial expressions--legs and feet left alone Tag, You re It: Dialogue and Action Tags Dialogue o Verbal o Said o Adverbs Action o Movement o Wooden characters o Better than dialogue tags in many cases Deception and Showing Deception: It s Complicated A learned skill: deception/lying Deception/lying gestures Most people associate looking away with lying Look at the pupils and other tells--pupils constricted Rapid eye blinking The Body Language of Sexual Attraction Ninety percent of women make the first move Men miss the cues The steps o Eye contact o Smiling o Preening o Talk 4 Page

5 o Touching What each Sex Looks At Women o More time on face--mouth, eyes and hair o Size and build o Clothes--shoes, rings and other jewelry o Butt o Crotch o Leg length Men o Breasts o Leg length o Generally scans from ground up--feet, legs, crotch, torso, breasts, shoulders and then face. o Men who keep their gaze focused on woman s face rather than her body is consistently rated as being more attractive. o Studies show that most men are not hardwired to read a woman s first gaze signal so she usually needs to repeat it three times for the average man, four times for a slow man and five or more for the especially thick man. Watch Me!: Common Female and Male Courtship Gestures & Signals Female o Whole body display Gestures Movements Eyes, mouth and lips Male o Displays involve show of wealth, power and status o Focused around crotch o Prone to preening displays Watch Me!: Do s and Don ts Don t: Sends negative signals Do: Shows attraction and interest A Foreign Affair Cultural differences Gestures and touch ************************************************** Presenter Bio: Cassiel Knight has worked in the publishing industry for over fifteen years. Currently she is the senior editor at Champagne Book Group and an instructor at Savvy Authors. Passionate about the craft of writing, especially within the romance genre, she actively mentors writers and has taught numerous workshops, both in-person and online. 5 Page

6 The author of paranormal romances with kick-assitude that blend archeology and mythology, Cassiel s books are available from Samhain Publishing, Kensington/Lyrical Press and Champagne Book Group. Her professional credits also include freelance and non-fiction writing. Contact her at Cassie@champagnebooks.com or visit Additional resources for Cassiel Knight and Champagne Book Group: Website: Twitter: Facebook: Facebook: Twitter: 6 Page

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