The Emotional Wound Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Psychological Trauma (Writers Helping Writers Series)

I am a published writer and I can honestly say that this book has been a game-changer for me. It will give you more depth and insight into all your characters, and eliminate the problem of stereotypical or cardboard secondary characters. When you start to examine your each of your characters for their wound, you open a treasure chest of ideas to bring new life to your writing.

Because the fiction I write is based on my own past and overcoming emotional wounds, the discovery of The Emotional Wound Thesaurus was all the more important for me to learn to develop unique and layered female protagonists. Even though the conflict and themes of my current and future novels will somewhat reflect my own experiences, I also desire to write for and create relatable characters for women of all backgrounds.I've heard the notion that parts of who we are as people are reflected in the characters we write. Often, our first novel represents ourselves in part or in whole more than any other. I see it as a form of therapy as we work out our own personalities and struggles in the safe space of a fictional world. However, eventually, I'd like to write characters that are not like me at all! Perhaps an alter ego, or a story inspired by something I see on the news or hear about from friends.For my current fiction project, I’m writing from the POV of three sisters. Here are five ways I see The Emotional Wound Thesaurus can help writers create characters of depth – even when those characters are different from themselves or anyone else they know.1. Forward and Intro Sections. Whether you think you know your characters or not, read the first 40 pages of this book! If you're not sure about your character's wounds yet, skim the table of contents and choose a few that seem to fit with your story concept. But then, go back and read the beginning chapters which offer exceptional insights on Self-Care for Writers (especially important if you'll be exploring wounds that are close to your own personal experiences), The Mirror of Fiction: a Reflection of Life and Our Deeper Selves, What is an Emotional Wound?, Character Arc: an Internal Shift to Embrace Change, and more. Even though I'd already used the online database of wounds to develop my characters, I still had several breakthroughs and "ah-ha" moments in understanding my fictional sisters and how to convey the various parts of their journey in my story.2. Consider the PRIMARY Emotional Wound and choose two additional wounds. You may--as I did and especially if you're basing your main character after a part of your own life--begin to see overlapping characteristics related to multiple wounds. This will help you to discover the dominating negative and positive traits, triggers, fears and responses for your character. In turn, you'll be able to highlight these for fiction and the purpose of your story without overwhelming your reader with too many issues for your character to tackle. However, this process will help in knowing your character on a deeper level that should help in developing scenes, writing dialogue, or even choosing hobbies, family status, or a career path.3. Multiple POVs. This is the first time I've attempted writing a novel with the point of view of three distinct women. Having access to The Emotional Wound Thesaurus has been a vital part in giving each woman a unique back story, personality, and voice despite the fact that they are sisters.4. Add Your Own Elements. I'm certain this resource isn't intended to be an end-all-be-all, but more of a spring-board of potential. Though there are realistic and unrealistic manners in which someone will respond to an emotional wound, there are ways to modify these responses depending on your character. For example, say a character is still in the process of overcoming the wound of "Becoming a Caregiver at an Early Age". As a result, she's avoided becoming a parent herself. Instead, she has a dog to fulfill her need of caring for another being, but also sees it as "safer" than becoming a mom and she can practice being "overprotective" without rejection or push back. I came up with this detail on my own as it seemed to fit her personality.5. Emotional Wounds are Directly Related to Positive and Negative Traits. Even if you don't analyze your characters or dive as deeply into their wounds as I have for mine, you'll find this resource helpful in creating rounded characters. This goes for your protagonist, supporting characters, and even the villain. On the most basic level, choose a wound and a few associated negative and positive traits and you've got yourself a unique character attempting to overcome the past while battling a conflict in the present.

Dear son, I was fishing around Amazon for something to read, and because I've read several books on writing, it suggested "The Emotional Wound Thesaurus." I've only recently studied anything about character arc, and how the protagonist must change over the course of the novel. I discovered that to create a compelling story, the main character must have some kind emotional wound they keep hidden, and that the story is a series of conflicts/obstacles that help him deal with that wound a little at a time and become a better person by the end.So, I grabbed the sample copy of Emotional Wound Thesaurus to check it out. It was eye-popping revealing. I saw myself in what they were describing. Believe me, I have a carefully curated inventory of wounds that I can retrieve at light speed. What I didn't realize is how these wounds manifest themselves in compensating behaviors, some good, some bad, some really bad. It's as if they read my life's wound inventory list, then said, "and this is what you did as a result, isn't it?" It was frigging uncanny.This book is trying to get authors to create more compelling, relatable, likeable characters through their quirky/mysterious behaviors, and eventually to grapple with the wound that drives their every action and strongest desires.Not only did it open my eyes to my own motivations and behaviors, but made me realize how everyone, everyone, everyone suffers the same kind of wound/reactive behaviors that guide their life's actions and choices. Many times I feel like the thousands of people I have met are cardboard cut-outs. They walk into my perception, say and do such and such, and I am left with a general impression. They're nice, obnoxious, a jerk, charming, what have you.After this life epiphany, I see other people as characteristics shaped by complicated positive and negative influences that make them behave the way they do. Even the unbelievably nice people are possibly significantly shaped by substantial wounds and the persona is a façade to mask they pain they feel deep down. And, really, this is the point the book is trying to get across. If you want interesting, compelling, or "three-dimensional" characters, rather than pop-in-and-out of your perception "two-dimensional card-board cutout" characters, imbue them with wounds that drive their personalities.Read this book! You don't have to buy it, even. At the very least, download the free sample. Your eyes will be opened and you will likely buy it because it's so good.I wish I had read something like this much earlier in life, like age 16. I always want to pass along golden nuggets that might help you succeed in life. Consider this nugget passed. Your fellow life-traveler,Daddio

This book is so helpful in understanding how different emotional wounds can present. Get a copy to level up your writing.

Well, our characters, the best ones, have deep emotional wounds that drive their behavior. Those wounds drive their psychological responses to everything they encounter. As good authors we need to understand those wounds and how they manifest in our characters daily lives. The Emotional Wound Thesaurus provides a great starting point for me to begin to understand my character, in both the development and the writing phase.Each possible wound is broken down, first into how it might have happened. The example entry is accidentally killing someone. There are many ways this event might have happened listed, or you might have your own. That is followed by the characters basic needs that have been compromised by the event, false beliefs and fears that might result from it, and possible responses they might have. The thesaurus goes on to suggest personality traits that might form as a result of the tragic event, triggers that might aggravate it and ways your character might overcome it.How can you live without that? I can't. I use the other thesaurus's daily when I'm writing, or developing characters and I'm excited to add this one to my reference shelf.

The Emotional Would Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Psychological Trauma by Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi lists a number of events that cause emotional wounds and provides a list of how those wounds affect one's psychological well-being and place in society. Acherman and Puglisi give insight into how to write characters who have been through a variety of traumatic situations. It's a reference book that any writer could find handy from time to time. While much more research might be necessary depending on the plotline, The Emotional Would Thesaurus offers a great starting point by giving a snapshot of each emotional wound it discusses. The appendix includes some helpful worksheets. Because of the similarities of some of the effects of the emotional wounds discussed, I found it easier to internalize each wound by giving myself time to think between reading each one. The Emotional Wound Thesaurus will stay on my shelves as a handy reference for those times when I need to explore a character's emotional wound and feel a bit stuck.

This is a great tool for character sketches. Characters need their flaws and emotional wounds are one way to build them in. While it would be wonderful that folks didn’t have emotional wounds, we (and our characters) do have them.The authors are clear that this book may affect some readers. They’ve included a section on self-care for writers. They include information how to use the book as well.The emotional wounds presented are grouped into similar wounds. For example, Failures ad Mistakes includes Accidentally killing someone, cracking under pressure, declaring bankruptcy, and more. There are several buckets wounds are grouped into.Each emotional wound has two pages in the book. Each includes:Examples of this woundBasic needs often compromised by this woundFalse beliefs that could be embracedThe character may fear…Possible responses and resultsPersonality traits that may formTriggers that might aggravate this woundOpportunities to face or overcome this woundVery handy tool for building characters. Emotional wounds are unfortunately part of our lives as humans. This guide can help a writer build richer characters. It can be a useful tool.

Honestly I love it and it’s very accurate no complaints

This whole series is absolutely brilliant. My cat peed on the entire stack (yes, that actually happened), and I was so devastated. Actually I could use this book to come up with a better description of how I felt and reacted when my cat did that, but let's just leave it at devastated. I loved every book in this series so much that I ended up just biting the bullet and buying them all again. An expensive lesson in what not to leave on the floor next to your writing desk while you're in deep flow, when your cat has dementia.

Helpful resource

by far the best book I have read. I always knew the characters wound was the best place to start a screenplay or even a novel. I read many books on screenplay but none of them talk about characters wound or go deep into what the character wound is.But i have read a book by Micheal Hague about wounds which was brilliant too. But this book specifically talks about what a wound is and how it can effects the characters. I believe this is the best book for writing a screenplay with a fully developed realistic characters. Once you read this book you will know who your characters is and how he will behave in any giving scene. I also believe this book will help anyone to understand if their screenplay or novel is working. I am big fan of wounds and i don't see many people talking about wounds accept Mis Angela ACKERMAN and Becca PUGLISI and Micheal Hague. This book has helped me to move forward with my screenplay. I constantly look Emotional Wound Thesaurus when i get stuck. Thank you soo much. wonderful book.

Perfección!!! Ayuda mucho a entender la psique de la mente humana de cara a desarrollar personajes. Es perfecto para personas que escriben. Viene en inglés pero se entiende muy fácil

In my opinion, this book doubles not only as a great resource for writers when researching & building your characters, but also provides insight into how real life humans who have experienced traumas respond, the ripple effects of specific traumas that appear later in life, and triggers for each traumatic condition. Highly recommend for both writers and for those seeking personal growth through understanding how trauma has affect their lives, or lives of their loved ones and friends.