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Abstract

ut writing when you’re upset can be a great way to express yourself and use your favorite angry emotional words.</p><p id="93e0"><b>Examples of times to write when you’re mad:</b></p><ul><li>You disagree with a massive change (The latest Medium Partnership Program update resulted in an influx of posts like these)</li><li>You receive negative feedback. Instead of responding with your initial thoughts (which are probably unprofessional), you can write a thought-provoking article packed with emotional vocabulary</li><li>You read another article and are outraged by it (again, rather than commenting with your first thoughts, write an article in response)</li></ul><p id="42db">Writing when you’re happy is also a great opportunity to utilize positive emotional vocabulary.</p><p id="3cb7"><b>Examples of times to write when you’re happy:</b></p><ul><li>You earn your first $100 on Medium</li><li>You’ve discovered an awesome new online tool that will change your life</li><li>You read a great book and can’t wait to tell everyone about it</li></ul><h2 id="8d3e">Write About a Time You Were Overwhelmed</h2><p id="1867">You know that feeling when your stomach twists and turns when you think about a time from your past? You feel uncomfortable, and you may try to avoid writing about these subjects.</p><p id="55cb">These topics should not be avoided.</p><p id="e345">Your darkest, most overwhelming days are the ones you are surrounded by the most emotion, and writing is one way to unpack them. Your reader will love the experience of reading these emotions, too.</p><p id="d255">My most popular story, <a href="https://readmedium.com/how-i-quit-my-day-job-and-started-freelance-writing-full-time-3999f73226ff">How I Quit My Day Job and Started Freelance Writing Full-Time</a>, is an example of this.</p><p id="9008">The day I quit my job was one of the most emotionally strenuous days of my life, and my fingers released these emotions into the keyboard as I wrote this post. As a result, my feelings resonated with readers.</p><h2 id="c7a3">Quote Someone</h2><p id="5ad4">This someone can be yourself or another person relevant to the story you’re writing. Quotes are an easy way to portray emotional verbiage in your writing.</p><p id="39b0">I started my article with, “I quit!” Without any additional description, these words project an emotion the reader feels without reading on, but the reader wants to read on to see what happens next.</p><p id="059e">A strong quote adds <i>im

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plied </i>emotion, which is a clever tactic to hook your readers.</p><h1 id="8a3f">Emotional Words to Improve Your Writing</h1><p id="4785">Start using these words in your future articles to evoke emotion and change the way your articles are perceived by readers. Bookmark this page to reference this list later!</p><h2 id="a5d0">Anger</h2><ul><li>Aggravated</li><li>Bitter</li><li>Disgruntled</li><li>Exasperated</li><li>Enraged</li><li>Frustrated</li><li>Impatient</li><li>Insecure</li><li>Irritated</li><li>Irked</li><li>Livid</li><li>Outraged</li><li>Resentful</li><li>Rejected</li></ul><h2 id="7d7f">Happy</h2><ul><li>Amused</li><li>Content</li><li>Delighted</li><li>Encouraged</li><li>Fulfilled</li><li>Gracious</li><li>Humored</li><li>Joyful</li><li>Jubilant</li><li>Optimistic</li><li>Peaceful</li><li>Relief</li><li>Tranquil</li><li>Trusting</li></ul><h2 id="7906">Sad</h2><ul><li>Agony</li><li>Anguished</li><li>Disapproving</li><li>Discouraged</li><li>Devastated</li><li>Dejected</li><li>Depressed</li><li>Grieving</li><li>Heartbroken</li><li>Hurt</li><li>Lonely</li><li>Miserable</li><li>Remorse</li><li>Regret</li><li>Repelled</li><li>Shame</li><li>Gloom</li><li>Heavy-hearted</li><li>Hopeless</li><li>Unhappy</li></ul><h2 id="9893">Worried</h2><ul><li>Confused</li><li>Distressed</li><li>Edgy</li><li>Frazzled</li><li>Guilty</li><li>Jittery</li><li>Nervous</li><li>Overwhelmed</li><li>Restless</li><li>Stressed</li><li>Strenuous</li><li>Tense</li></ul><h1 id="ec13">Final Thoughts</h1><p id="23d6">You may have noticed it’s easier to come up with negative emotional words — and this is the reason negative voices speak louder than positive ones.</p><p id="0e52">Writing with an emotional vocabulary has the power to change the world, and it’s what sets humans apart from robots.</p><p id="660d">I challenge you to enhance your emotional vocabulary and apply it to your writing today. Tell me which emotional words are your favorite in the comments!</p><p id="1a3b"><i>Did this post resonate with you? <a href="https://medium.com/@nicolekinkade">Follow</a> or <a href="https://medium.com/@nicolekinkade/subscribe">Subscribe</a> for more posts like this. You can also subscribe to <a href="https://nicolekinkade.substack.com/">Working Virtually</a> to receive weekly motivation in your inbox every Monday morning.</i></p><figure id="dee1"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*hXdrZNlOBQaQS8Tz.png"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></article></body>

How an Emotional Vocabulary Can Transform Your Writing

Change the way you write with emotional words

Humans have something that AI doesn’t. Emotions.

One of my favorite Pixar movies is Inside Out. Although it’s a movie for kids, every adult can learn something from it too.

Inside Out unpacks every human emotion and demonstrates what happens when stress inhibits our ability to process our emotions. One way I’ve always processed emotions is through writing. I’ve heard writers say time and time again that the reason they write is to feel lighter, and I couldn’t agree more.

The best way to lighten the load and captivate your readers is to use emotional vocabulary.

What is Emotional Vocabulary?

When you’re texting friends and family, you use emojis to describe your feelings. Before there were emojis, people used emotional vocabulary.

Emotional vocabulary is when a writer uses words to explain feelings.

Examples of emotional words include happy, sad, worried, excited, and scared. These words help the reader understand the writer’s experiences on a deeper level.

How to Use Emotional Vocabulary in Your Writing

Avoid Passive Voice

Instead of saying, “I was tired,” say, “Exhaustion overwhelmed me.” Active voice makes it easier for readers to feel emotions.

Other examples of Active vs. Passive:

I was mad = Enragement ripped through me
I was sad = Grief overwhelmed me
I was happy = Joy flooded me

What About Your Passions

When you’re passionate about a subject, it’s easy to use emotional vocabulary without even thinking about it. Your heart rate quickens and you get excited, and that excitement pours through your fingers.

Write When You’re Mad or Glad

I have a tendency not to write for the public when I’m mad, but writing when you’re upset can be a great way to express yourself and use your favorite angry emotional words.

Examples of times to write when you’re mad:

You disagree with a massive change (The latest Medium Partnership Program update resulted in an influx of posts like these)
You receive negative feedback. Instead of responding with your initial thoughts (which are probably unprofessional), you can write a thought-provoking article packed with emotional vocabulary
You read another article and are outraged by it (again, rather than commenting with your first thoughts, write an article in response)

Writing when you’re happy is also a great opportunity to utilize positive emotional vocabulary.

Examples of times to write when you’re happy:

You earn your first $100 on Medium
You’ve discovered an awesome new online tool that will change your life
You read a great book and can’t wait to tell everyone about it

Write About a Time You Were Overwhelmed

You know that feeling when your stomach twists and turns when you think about a time from your past? You feel uncomfortable, and you may try to avoid writing about these subjects.

These topics should not be avoided.

Your darkest, most overwhelming days are the ones you are surrounded by the most emotion, and writing is one way to unpack them. Your reader will love the experience of reading these emotions, too.

My most popular story, How I Quit My Day Job and Started Freelance Writing Full-Time, is an example of this.

The day I quit my job was one of the most emotionally strenuous days of my life, and my fingers released these emotions into the keyboard as I wrote this post. As a result, my feelings resonated with readers.

Quote Someone

This someone can be yourself or another person relevant to the story you’re writing. Quotes are an easy way to portray emotional verbiage in your writing.

I started my article with, “I quit!” Without any additional description, these words project an emotion the reader feels without reading on, but the reader wants to read on to see what happens next.

A strong quote adds implied emotion, which is a clever tactic to hook your readers.

Emotional Words to Improve Your Writing

Start using these words in your future articles to evoke emotion and change the way your articles are perceived by readers. Bookmark this page to reference this list later!

Anger

Aggravated
Bitter
Disgruntled
Exasperated
Enraged
Frustrated
Impatient
Insecure
Irritated
Irked
Livid
Outraged
Resentful
Rejected

Happy

Amused
Content
Delighted
Encouraged
Fulfilled
Gracious
Humored
Joyful
Jubilant
Optimistic
Peaceful
Relief
Tranquil
Trusting

Sad

Agony
Anguished
Disapproving
Discouraged
Devastated
Dejected
Depressed
Grieving
Heartbroken
Hurt
Lonely
Miserable
Remorse
Regret
Repelled
Shame
Gloom
Heavy-hearted
Hopeless
Unhappy

Worried

Confused
Distressed
Edgy
Frazzled
Guilty
Jittery
Nervous
Overwhelmed
Restless
Stressed
Strenuous
Tense

Final Thoughts

You may have noticed it’s easier to come up with negative emotional words — and this is the reason negative voices speak louder than positive ones.

Writing with an emotional vocabulary has the power to change the world, and it’s what sets humans apart from robots.

I challenge you to enhance your emotional vocabulary and apply it to your writing today. Tell me which emotional words are your favorite in the comments!

Did this post resonate with you? Follow or Subscribe for more posts like this. You can also subscribe to Working Virtually to receive weekly motivation in your inbox every Monday morning.