Use an object, situation, or chain of events to serve as the formula for a particular emotion (e.g., a cracked windshield representing a broken relationship). 2. Physicality and the Interior Monologue Humans experience emotion in the body first.
Use involuntary reactions (the prickle of sweat, the sudden chill, the buzzing in the ears) to signal high stakes before the character even processes them. The Emotional Craft of Fiction
Most people avoid direct emotional confrontation in real life; your characters should too. Use an object, situation, or chain of events
Avoid "He felt," "She noticed," or "He thought." Removing these filters puts the reader directly inside the character’s nervous system. Filtered: He felt the room grow cold. Immersive: A sharp chill cut through his sweater. 3. Subtext: The Power of What Isn't Said Use an object