on Writers Helping Writers:

There doesn’t seem to be much info out there to tell writers how to realistically capture emotions and trauma while still leaving room for plot, characterization, and genre tropes.

The most common problem I see is that the character THINKS about their past trauma—they have flashbacks and backstory—but the writer seems to forget that the character is a whole person. Trauma (past or present) should be felt in the character’s whole body, and pain is one of the devices that is often overlooked to show that trauma, to show increasing tension, to show internal conflict and build character arc.

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