Here is a list of nine common emotions (all negative), and what they mean for a character.
1. Fear
When a character is feeling afraid, it's because there's something unsettling on the horizon that needs to be prepared for.
2. Hurt
When a character feels hurt, it's because an expectation he held wasn't met.
3. Anger
A character becomes most upset when a personal rule has been violated.
4. Frustration
A character feels frustrated when the actions they are currently taking aren't working for them.
5. Disappointment
In these situations, something happened (or didn't happen), and the character is struggling to let it go.
6. Guilt
If a character is feeling guilt, it's because he has violated some standard.
7. Overwhelm
In situations resulting in helplessness, the character has likely lost control and needs to make a change or reconfigure their priorities.
8. Loneliness
A lonely character needs to connect with someone.
9. Inadequacy
A character who is feeling inadequate needs to change her standards.
A character can feel any of these negative emotions throughout the course of a story, and while most writers will naturally assign the appropriate emotion to any given situation, sometimes it helps to slip out of the subconscious and analyze what's going on with a character--how they're feeling and responding to what's happening around them.
As a bonus, knowing how a character is feeling and how they would (or should) react to an event allows us to turn these expectations and surprise the reader in new and exciting ways.
Be Brilliant!
~Katie~
