EMOTION THESAURUS

LONGING



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HELPFUL TIP:

The inner landscape of your characters (especially your protagonist) is the lifeblood that runs through your story. Emotions, and how they're expressed, are tied deeply to a character’s personality and which positive traits and negative traits will manifest. To bring your readers in deeper through shared experience, consider filtering the setting descriptions through your character’s emotions while also exploring important colors, textures, and shapes through his or her senses.
DEFINITION:
Urgently wanting something that one has yet to obtain

SIMILAR EMOTIONS:
DESIRE

NOTES:
While the object of a character's longing is often another person, it can also be anything else, even something intangible. For instance, they might long to escape a boring job, mend something broken in society, or learn more about their culture. For detailed information on the longing associated with people, please see the DESIRE entry.

PHYSICAL SIGNALS AND BEHAVIORS:
Closing one's eyes
Taking deep breaths
Staring out the window
Daydreaming
Smiling wistfully
The lips parting
An inward gaze
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INTERNAL SENSATIONS:
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MENTAL RESPONSES:
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CUES OF ACUTE OR LONG TERM LONGING:
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MAY ESCALATE TO:
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CUES OF SUPPRESSED LONGING:
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MAY DE-ESCALATE TO:
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ASSOCIATED POWER VERBS:
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