Writer's Guide

Shock

Shock

Do you have a character who's experiencing shock and surprise? See if the following lines inspire you...

My mother sucked in some air.

He turned ashen at the news. (Ashen = of the pale gray color of ash. very pale with shock, fear, or illness.)

He sucked in a breath and pressed his lips tight together.

She sucked in some air and made the sign of the cross.

Roxanne's breath caught when she saw me.

My heart stopped dead in my chest. When it started back up again it was skipping beats.

That caught Jeannie short for a moment, not sure if Uncle Peter was telling the truth or not.

My jaw went slack and the world lost focus for a moment.

He looked like a snake that just swallowed a moose and got it stuck in his throat.

Uncle Peter went pale under his sunburn.

My mouth dropped at the site of it.

We watched in stupefied silence.

Uncle Peter gaped in non-comprehension.

We exchanged astonished looks.

They stood there in slack-jawed shock.

I went dry mouthed.

I almost keeled over.

Holy bacon-greased grandma-humping hell!!!

I started at him, nonplussed. "Why would you think THAT?"

I started laughing. Then I realized I was crying. No time for hysteria, I told myself.

I gaped in flat-footed astonishment.

Samber flagged her arms. "What in the hell is this!?!"

She feigned surprise when I informed her that I was imperfect. (Feigned surprise = pretended to be surprised.)

I was barely aware of the movement of my limbs; I felt as if I was in a trance.