What Is Anger? 37 Ways To Write About Anger

Learn how to write believable anger. Discover 37 practical ways to show this powerful emotion in fiction.

What Is Anger And How Do You Write About It?

How do we write about anger authentically?

We all get angry. It is natural, and it can be a good thing. When it is uncontrolled or unnecessary, anger does not do us any favours, either on a personal or a social level.

The same is true for the characters we create. Angry characters are more believable when their emotions come from somewhere real. Anger is rarely the root problem. It is usually a response to fear, hurt, or another deeper emotion.

37 Ways To Write About Anger

A) Motivation

1. Confused.
2. Frustrated.
3. Hurt.
4. Jealous.
5. Embarrassed.
6. Powerless.
7. Rejected.
8. Worried.

B) Body Language

1. An increased heart rate.
2. Feeling hot or flushed.
3. Shaking.
4. A clenched jaw.
5. A dry mouth.
6. Shouting, ranting, making loud noises.
7. Staring.
8. Baring teeth.
9. Finding it difficult to hear.
10. Tense muscles.

C) Passive Or Aggressive – How Angry Is Your Character?

D) Ways To Create Conflict With Anger

Seven ways a character can show passive anger:

1. Being defeatist. Examples: underachieving, choosing to repeat a proven failed behaviour pattern, being accident-prone.
2. Being secretive. Examples: anonymous complaints, gossiping, conning.
3. With dispassion. Examples: giving the cold shoulder, the silent treatment, substance abuse, talking about emotions without showing any, oversleeping, playing with electronic equipment or machines.
4. Evasion. Examples: avoiding conflict, becoming phobic.
5. Exhibiting obsessive behaviour. Examples: overeating or dieting too much, obsessively tidying up.
6. Manipulation. Examples: provoking bad behaviour in others, playing the victim, emotional blackmail, feigning illness, using other people to deliver negative messages.
7. Self-Blame. Examples: apologising for everything, criticising their own behaviour, inviting criticism.

Seven ways a character can show aggressive anger:

1. Behaving manically. Examples: speaking, moving, and driving too quickly; overworking; spending too much money.
2. Being physically destructive. Examples: vandalism, reckless driving, substance abuse, harming animals.
3. Being selfish. Examples: being unpredictable, ignoring other people’s feelings and needs, ignoring requests for help.
4. Being vengeful. Examples: holding a grudge, planning to hurt someone.
5. Bullying. Examples: making threats, persecuting, misusing power, shouting, explosive rages over small problems, illogical arguments.
6. Physically or psychologically hurting people. Examples: sexual abuse, verbal abuse, ignoring people’s feelings, punishing people, making inappropriate jokes, being vulgar, blaming people for something they did not do.
7. Showing off. Examples: talking over other people, throwing money around, acting as if you are better than someone else is, lying about achievements.

Tip: Try The 12 Question Fiction Writing Conflict Test to see whether your novel has enough conflict.

E) The Importance Of Anger In Plotting

As a writer, you can use anger to move the plot forward in several ways:

1. Force a confrontation that changes the story. Anger can become the catalyst that helps a character escape an unhealthy relationship or face a long-avoided problem.
2. Reveal an unexpected side of a character. An apparently gentle person may expose a darker nature through a sudden angry outburst.
3. Create a turning point. A character who reacts in anger may regret it later and decide to change.

How do your important characters deal with anger?

The Last Word

Anger is a powerful emotion that can reveal a character’s deepest fears, values, and desires. When you write it with honesty, it adds conflict, raises the stakes, and makes your story more believable. Use these ideas to create characters whose anger feels real and readers will relate to their emotional journeys.

If you enjoyed this article, you will love:

1. 29 Ways To Write About Happiness
2. 32 Ways To Write About Fear
3. 43 Ways To Write About Love
4. 40 Ways To Write About Empathy
5. 37 Ways To Write About Grief

Source for examples of passive and aggressive anger

© Amanda Patterson

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