Award-winning author Kathy Steinemann recently shared a great resource: over 100 ways to say “shrug.” As all of my first-draft characters seem to have a nervous tick (which mercifully disappears by the second draft), I appreciated this so much that I just had to share.
As Kathy points out, there are many reasons why someone might shrug–indeed, it is this very versatility that explains why I overuse it in my first drafts. So, she has wisely categorized shrugs according to the emotion we want to convey:
Confusion
- Rapid blinking
- Rubbing the chin
- Scratching the head
- Wrinkling the nose
Deception
- Changing the subject
- Hesitating when answering questions
- Lack of eye contact
- Shifty eyes
Defensiveness
- Holding something in front of the body
- Leaning away from someone
- Licking the lips
- Squinting
Denial
- Locking eyes with someone
- Raising the palms in a not me gesture
- Shuffling backward
- Sweating
Determination
- Cords or veins of neck…
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Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog 
Thanks, TSRA. Good luck with your blog and books.
Kathy
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Thanks Kathy – BTW – Why not send me YOUR Guest Author Article- See my submission guidelines at:
https://thestoryreadingapeblog.com/contact-me/
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I’m on a deadline right now, TSRA, but I’ve put this on my to-do list. Thanks for the invitation!
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It’s an open invitation Kathy 😃
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I looked at your guidelines, Chris. Do you want an author interview first, and once that is published, a blog post? I have an idea for a post.
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Yes please, Kathy – You could either send them separately (preferably), or, combine them into your guest author introductory post 😃
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Shrugging and smiling are two things my characters always want to do D:
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LOL
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There’s a cure for that, too.
99 Ways to Say “Laughed” or “Smiled”: http://kathysteinemann.com/Musings/ways-to-say-laughed/
My website will be down for a couple of hours this afternoon after 2 p.m. PDT, but you’ll be able to access the post before/after the server upgrade..
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Thank you, my simian friend 🙂
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Welcome my human friend 😄
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