FanficNotes/How to Describe Fear in Writing.md

*Source: [How to Describe Fear in Writing - Brilliantio](https://brilliantio.com/how-to-describe-fear-in-writing/)*
## What Is Fear and Where Does It Come From

Fear is a very powerful emotion that’s often triggered by a perceived threat. It can make a person feel anxious, scared, or even panicky.

Fear is a survival mechanism that’s hardwired into our brains. It’s designed to help us avoid danger and protect us from harm. But sometimes fear can be irrational and unfounded. It can be triggered by things that aren’t actually dangerous, such as a fear of heights or public speaking. And it can be so strong that it interferes with our ability to live normal, happy lives.

So where does fear come from?

**There are two main types of fear: innate and learned.**

**Innate fear** is instinctive and hard-wired into our brains. It involves the fight-or-flight response triggered by a perceived threat. This type of fear is helpful because it helps us avoid dangerous situations. But it can also be irrational, for example, when we’re afraid of things that aren’t actually dangerous, such as snakes or spiders.

**Learned fear** is acquired through experience or observation. For example, if you see someone else fall off a cliff, you may develop a fear of heights. Or if you’ve had bad experiences in the past, such as being bullied at school, you may develop a fear of social situations.

Fear is usually triggered by a perceived threat. But what’s a threat? It can be something physical, like a dangerous animal. Or it can be something invisible, like the fear of failing or embarrassing yourself.

In some (more severe) cases of fear, a psychological condition called phobias can develop. Phobias are intense, irrational fears that are out of proportion to the actual threat. For example, many people are afraid of spiders or snakes, even though very few of them are dangerous.

## The Spectrum of Fear

As any writer knows, fear is a powerful emotion that can add depth and tension to a story. But how do you describe fear in a way that’s effective and believable?

One approach is to consider the different types of fear that exist on a spectrum from mild anxiety to all-consuming terror.

At the lower end of the spectrum are feelings of nervousness or unease. This could be the person’s reaction to a small, everyday event, such as an upcoming presentation at work. The character might feel their heart racing and palms sweating, but they can still think clearly and function normally.

**At the other end of the spectrum is true terror, intense fear, where the character is completely overwhelmed by fear. They may feel like they’re going to faint or have a heart attack. They might lose all rational thought and is unable to escape or fight back. In this state, the person is completely at the mercy of their fear.**

Between these two extremes, there are different degrees of fear, each with its own symptoms and effects. Understanding the different types of fear on this spectrum will help you better describe the fear in your writing.
## How Your Character Can Deal With Fear

When your character is confronted with a situation that they perceive as dangerous, their body automatically goes into fight-or-flight mode. This is a survival mechanism that kicks in when we’re faced with a threat.

The adrenaline coursing through your character’s body gives her the energy and strength she needs to fight or escape the danger.

However, this reaction can also cause your character to freeze in fear. To overcome this, your character needs to take a deep breath and calm down. After that, she can think more clearly and make a decision about how best to handle the situation.

**How your character reacts to fear depends on her personality and past experiences. Some characters freeze in the face of fear, while others can become aggressive or even reckless.**

It’s important that you stay true to your character’s personality and make sure that their reactions are believable. You should also consider how your character deals with anxiety in the long run.

Does she try to avoid everything that scares her? Or does she face her fears head-on? Again, there’s no right or wrong answer, but whatever you choose should be consistent with your character’s personality.

## Why Fear is Such a Powerful Emotion

Fear is such a powerful emotion because it’s a basic human instinct that’s deeply embedded in our psyche. Fear is what kept our ancestors alive in the face of dangerous predators and other threats. It’s an emotion that’s hard-wired into our brains and one of the first emotions we experience in life.

**When you write about fear, it’s important to try to capture the intensity and fierceness of the feeling.**

Fear can be described as a feeling of dread, panic, anxiety, or terror. It can cause physical symptoms such as sweating, trembling, or palpitations. Fear can also lead to avoidance behaviors, such as staying away from certain places or people.

Ultimately, fear is such a powerful emotion because it’s a survival mechanism.

## How to Write About Fear in an Authentic Way

One way to write authentically about fear is to think of a time when you were afraid.

- What were you afraid of?
- Was it a physical threat or something more abstract?
- What did your fear feel like?
- Was it a knot in your stomach, a racing heart, or something else entirely?

Remembering these details will help you portray the fear in your writing in a more realistic and believable way.

**Another tip is to choose your words carefully. When writing about fear, it’s important to avoid clichés and generalities. Instead, focus on specific sensory details that will help your readers feel the fear of your characters.**

If you manage to make your readers feel the fear, you’ve succeeded in writing about fear in an authentic way.

## Some Sensory Ideas for Writing About Fear

Here are some examples of how the senses can be used when you write about fear.

### Sight

- _Fear is a dark presence on the edge of my vision. It is like a spot of blackness that hides in the corner of my eye. I turn to look at it, but when I look at it directly, it disappears._
- _Sweat dripped from her brow as she watched her patient slash her wrists with a razor blade._
- _She saw the shadows of the creature falling toward her._
- _Dark, like a spot on the periphery of my vision._

### Smell

- _Fear smells sweet and sour. It smells like a mixture of metal and blood._
- _Her heart skipped a beat as she walked into the dark and damp warehouse._
- _The scent of rot and decay, death and destruction about to befall her._

### Sound

- _The faint cracks of the ice as it breaks followed by the roaring of the water below had her heart racing and her body shaking._
- _Her heart pounded, her head spun and her eyes saw nothing but darkness, her ears filled with the cries of a thousand people._
- _Fear is a soundless scream._

### Taste

- _Fear tastes like blood, sour and salty._
- _The salty taste of fear lingered on her lips as she tasted his blood._
- _The taste of bile rose to her mouth and she swallowed, the acid rising and burning her throat._
- _Fear tastes like pennies and chalk._

### Touch

- _When I touch fear, I feel like I’m touching cold metal._
- _Her trembling hands hovered just above his skin, afraid to touch him for fear of the cold, clammy sweat that seemed to seep from his pores._
- _Her skin crawled and her bones rattled, her muscles screamed of a horror unseen._
- _I feel fear in the hair on the back of my neck. It is like invisible fingers run along my spine._
- _Cold sweat._

### Metaphorical

- _It is as sweet as blood and it is as light as air. It is as quiet as music and it is as cruel as a city. Fear is black and it is red. It is a city, a city without walls and without time. And you haven’t seen terror yet._
- _Fear was a squeamish, aged lady with a wooden stick and a small mouth bagging her knuckles over the crumbling edge of the world._
- _Fear was a black stain on the windows of the soul; the neon lights bending and twisting, just out of sync; the ghost of an unfelt sensation._
- _Its claws were as large as a panther. Fear had a mouth like a bag of teeth, and a body made of rags._
- _He is dark, thin and tall, with a face like a death mask hanging from a bone. His eyes are like holes and his lips dry, thin waterfalls._

## How to Make Fear Seem Real for Your Readers

When you write about fear, it’s important that the feeling seems real to your readers. Because if the fear isn’t believable, your readers won’t be afraid. So how do you go about doing this?

Here are a few tips:

1. **Avoid clichés**. Clichés are overused and often weaken the impact of your words. Instead of relying on them, try to make your descriptions more original.
2. **Use vivid details.** Vivid details can help bring the feeling of fear to life. What does the character see, smell, hear, taste, and feel? The more concrete the details, the easier it’s for readers to relate to the character’s fear.
3. Use strong verbs. Fear is a strong emotion, so it should be described with strong verbs. For example, instead of saying that the character ” is “afraid,” you could say that he or she’s “scared,” “afraid,” or “afraid.” Each of these words has a different meaning, so choose the word that best fits your scene.
4. Show how fear affects the character’s thoughts and actions. Fear not only triggers physical reactions but also affects the character’s thoughts and behavior. So use internal details to show how fear changes the character’s thoughts and actions.
5. Focus on small, specific details. The more specific you focus on the details, the more real your scene will look. For example, instead of focusing only on the character’s fear of the dark, focus on the fear of the dark in that one specific room with that one squeaky board. Use body language as a device in your writing.

## How Can Fear Be Used to Create Suspense or Tension

When it comes to creating tension in a story, fear is one of the most powerful tools at a writer’s disposal. By playing on our deepest fears and anxieties, a skilled writer can keep readers riveted to the page and desperate for a resolution.

But how exactly do you manage to inspire fear in a reader?

There are a few key elements that are essential to writing effective suspenseful or tension-filled scenes.

- First, it’s important to **figure out what the character is afraid of**. This can be something specific like spiders or fear of heights, or something more general like the dark or being alone.
- **Once the character’s fear is established, it’s time to ramp up the tension**. This can be done by slowly introducing elements that trigger the character’s fear, up to a climax where the character is confronted with their worst nightmare.

**One of the most important things to remember when writing suspenseful scenes is that less is often more. It’s often the things that are left unsaid or hinted at that are most effective at creating fear in the reader.**

By hinting at the horror without showing it, you can create an atmosphere of unease and dread that will keep the reader hanging on your every word.

## How Fear Can Be Used to Connect the Reader More to the Character

One way to make sure your characters are relatable is to make sure they experience a whole range of emotions, including fear. Fear is a universal emotion that everyone can relate to, and it can be a powerful tool for connecting readers to your characters through effective character development.

Fear can be a powerful character flaw, that enables a whole main character arc to be drawn. The essential motivation of the character can be to overcome the fear – be it rational or irrational.

When done well, fear can heighten tension, create suspense, and evoke empathy for the character. For example, when a character is faced with a dangerous situation, the reader is likely to be just as scared as the character. This can create a sense of tension and draw the reader more into the story.

If a character is afraid of something the reader is also afraid of, this can create empathy and allow the reader to share in the character’s journey.

**However, it’s important to use fear sparingly and only when it’s meaningful to the story. If every scene is filled with fear, it quickly becomes overwhelming and loses its impact. Instead, use fear wisely to create moments that truly touch your readers.**

Use sensory details. Describing what the character sees, hears, feels, smells, and tastes can make the reader feel like they’re experiencing fear with the character.

It’s also important to use strong verbs that convey the intensity of the feeling. Words like “screaming,” “cowering,” and “trembling” can help paint a vivid picture of the character’s fear.

Finally, it’s helpful to use figurative language to describe the character’s experience. You can use similes and metaphors to capture the feeling of fear in a single phrase.