For example, you might write: “Mia slammed the phone down on the table and stormed out of the room. " While your character hasn’t involved anyone else, it’s pretty obvious from her behavior that she’s angry. For a more confrontational scene, you might write: “Kale stepped toward Micah, glaring at him. Before Micah could react, Kale shoved him backward, screaming, ‘How could you do that?’”
For example, you might write: “Alex’s nostrils flared as he stared at Jenna. He couldn’t believe she’d taken Michael to the game without asking him first. " Here are some other phrases: “hostile glare,” “face contorted with rage,” “bared teeth,” “curled lip,” “clenched jaw. " Eyes are often considered containers or gateways to emotional expression, so you can also show anger just by describing the character’s eyes. [3] X Research source For example, you might write, “Jenna’s eyes hardened and narrowed into slits as she watched Tara enter arm-in-arm with her ex-girlfriend, Mia. "
For example, you might write: “Brooklyn stood, their fists clenched by their sides, and rolled their shoulders back, glaring at Trinity. ‘Care to say that again?’” Other angry body language includes wild gestures, pointing at or grabbing another character, pacing rapidly, or tensing their muscles.
For example, you might write: “Sara’s heart raced in her chest as she looked at her phone. She willed her hand to stop shaking as she slowly read the text again. " Other physical effects of anger include pulsing or throbbing veins, a flushed face or neck, a dry mouth, or breathlessness.
For example, you might write: “The room felt like it was closing in around me. In my mind, I was growing larger and larger, expanding with rage. If I didn’t do something, fast, to get myself under control, I’d explode and take out everyone and everything around me. " This can also work in a third-person narrative if your narrator is omniscient. For example, you might write: “Kieran gripped the glass in his hand. His first thought was to throw it to the floor and smash it, but he knew if he did that, he wouldn’t stop until every glass in the cupboard was in shards. "
For example, you might write: “Mara looked away from Sean and slumped in her chair, crossing her arms across her chest. The more he fumed, the smaller she made herself. " You might also have another character attempt to calm or restrain the angry character. They might say something like, “Hey, easy man—no need to get worked up,” or “There are more important things—just let it go. " For yet another option, have a character throw out an obvious (and awkward) distraction or attempt to change the subject. Make it clear in your narration that they’re trying to divert attention from either the angry character or the source of the anger.
For example, you might write: “Ronan made his way across the dance floor with eyes shooting lasers. The walls. The speakers. The lights. The DJ. Smiles crashed and laughter died. Only Josh and Sam danced on, oblivious. " Go for short, harsh-sounding words like “smash,” “crash,” “halt,” “force,” “blast,” or “slam. "
For example, you might write: “Kairi sat in the dark, ignoring her mother’s calls to come eat dinner. She continued to cut the photos into strips and hold them in the candle’s flame, oblivious to the pain in her fingertips as she destroyed all evidence of her former friendship. " Your character might be angry at themselves more than anyone else. They might also be mad at a situation but blame themselves for that situation. In those scenarios, they’re more likely to take that anger out on themselves than on someone else. Other ways a character might take anger out on themselves include isolating themselves from others, refusing comfort from others, or hurting themselves.
For example, you might write: “‘Hey, dinner’s ready. Thanks for all your help,’ Hermione said, rolling her eyes. After 4 hours in the kitchen, the least they could do is eat. " Another good way to convey sarcasm is to have your angry character say the opposite of what would be expected. For example, if someone lets a door close in your angry character’s face, they might say “Thanks for holding the door for me, I appreciate it!” Using over-the-top adjectives is another way to convey sarcasm. For example, suppose you have a character who tries to distract your angry character by asking if they’ve seen a film that was recently released. Your angry character might reply, “Yes, and it was glorious. Now, can we get back to what happened in the kitchen?”
For example, instead of writing “Even though it had been 5 years, John was still angry at Susan,” you might write “Even though it had been 5 years, John’s face still burned when he thought of Susan’s betrayal. "
