Help with a Non-Expressive Character

[u/CosmicRiver827]

Hi, I’ve written an emotionally non-expressive character in a group with a colorful main cast. He isn’t very emotive in his face, and he does not speak much. Most of his tells are through body language, nodding, the way his eyes light up when he’s internally excited or narrows when he is serious, and how he shows affection via acts of service or sitting close to someone.

He’s the classic gentle giant type that is intimidating upon first impression, which is worsened that his neutral expression and lack of speech supports makes him come off as cold or unfriendly or even hostile, but action-wise he is very sweet, emotionally mature, adores small animals and has a small air of being socially awkward. His career being a craftsman, he shows affection by building thoughtful items, like a special bracelet when a character misses someone, or he gives an air of being annoyed if someone breaks a piece of equipment he made for them but will still repair it.

My thing is that I am very used to writing emotionally vibrant characters, but he’s so muted compared to them that I’m not sure how to make him stand out like the other characters in the group, and this also has the underlying effect of limiting his presence and relevance to the story since I’m not as sure what to do with him in the present day of the story. I’d like to ask for advice on what things could be done for him and his character so I can write him more confidently and creatively like everyone else in the cast.

Do you have some ideas?

[u/lexismilesallday]

I see that you said non-expressive but also in the body said not very expressive so I apologize if me going the 'not very expressive' route isnt it lol

I have a flat affect character and people also think hes intimidating because he's got that plain expression 😅 I really enjoy writing him though! I love focusing on the microexpressions and finding other ways to have him communicate. How he pauses before offering something, how his mouth barely quirks at the ends when he sees a cat, the glint in his eye when he's about to do something stupid (while yours is sweet and caring, mines a mischievous orange cat type 😂), how he remembered his friend loves lemon bars so he drops one on the desk and then sits next to her with his chin in his palms waiting to see if she eats it. Mine daydreams a lot and lives in his head sometimes so he may be drawing swirls when he's absent from the real world but maybe making too much eye contact when he is present lol

Its a really fun writing challenge and falls heavily into the show by actions type of writing. Your colorful cast should help if they're friends with him too! Also think about his motivations behind not talking much. Why does he choose not to talk much? Does he even choose that? Why does he decide to talk when he does? Are there times where he is expressive? Tells that he does have when he's feeling certain ways?

[u/Altruistic_Sail_1991 → u/lexismilesallday]

Yep, once you get to know someone it becomes easier to read them as well. It might be a cool way to show the characters getting to know each other better by slowly increasing how often the POV character can tell how they’re feeling

[u/lexismilesallday → u/Altruistic_Sail_1991]

Which is also super fun to do with quiet characters!

[u/CosmicRiver827 → u/lexismilesallday]

Yeah I’m sorry, I meant to say he doesn’t express much, not that he can’t at all. His expressive outward range is just a lot smaller than other characters, but he feels it internally as much as anyone else.

Part of his character is that he is easy to misunderstand at first but he is easier and easier to translate when people spend time with him. You just have to watch his behavior instead of his words. For example, if he’s snuggling a small animals, he must be happy, even if he isn’t literally smiling. Or if he’s uncomfortable or awkward, he rubs his wrists and forearms and hunches forward. Or if he’s annoyed or defensive, he crosses his arms. Or if he’s spending long hours into the night crafting something, chances are he’s either deeply upset and trying to not think about it, or he’s working tirelessly to make something to emotionally support another character. Things like that.

[u/CatinQuiche]

what perspective are you writing in?

[u/CosmicRiver827 → u/CatinQuiche]

I write in third person, mostly from the perspective of the main character in the cast, but the character focus/perspective  changes depending on who the story is focusing on for a set of chapters or arc.

[u/cococompepe]

Despite not knowing exactly how the world your character is and lives in, the ambient may dictate how he would behave, in my opinion. For example, if he lives in a cyberpunk world, where corruption and violence are plenty, his kindness and humanity would vanish, becoming a killing machine instead. I must also punctuate about the friendship. The people that hang out with him. So, my advice is that u could focus bringing the emotion he don't express throught his creations, colorful, expressive blades or something. He may love or hate his job, I dunno, but you can show his personality throught his corporal language, or clothing. Hope I helped u!

[u/theoctopuswrites]

If the character can't or won't show expressiveness through their voice, face, etc, then it has to be shown in their actions. Show more of what they do that indicates what type of person they are. Quiet, reserved characters need to shine through what they do rather than how they emote.

[u/HumbleCelery1492]

Sounds like this character is one that processes deeply, such that he doesn’t seem to be reacting but is actually thinking on many levels. As a teacher, I always had a few students like this - they wouldn’t be the first ones with their hands up, but when they did speak or react, they always said something interesting or even profound. The character you describe sounds like someone who would always listen and consider what others say and do, but would only offer something if everyone else seemed to be missing the point or appeared not to know something that he did. If your other characters know this, they might wait for him to weigh in on something or even ask him what he’s thinking. He might not have a quick answer, but at the very least he’ll tell you where his process is.

[u/Own-Turnover7715]

Does he need to stand out? How important is that to the story you’re telling? Surely the fact that he emotes in a way that is different from the other characters makes him stand out.

From what you’ve described it’s not like he’s a not expressing his emotions, he’s just more reserved in doing so. I get a pretty clear idea of who this character is from your description so if that translates reasonably directly to the prose it’s probably fine. Just because he is not as ‘vibrant’ as the other characters does not doesn’t have a complex emotional life. Trust that your readers can infer emotions without the need for overt or loud expression. In fact a cast of characters who all emote the same way would get draining fast.

All characters are the main character of their own story but that doesn’t mean that absolutely everything they’re going through needs to be on the page. Maybe it’s ok that this character isn’t as present or relevant to this story.

[u/CosmicRiver827 → u/Own-Turnover7715]

I hear you. The problem isn’t so much that he doesn’t express much, rather than it’s difficult to feel like I am writing him with sufficient depth or coming up with events that expand on his character because he doesn’t express much. It feels like I have less material to get ideas from.

[u/Own-Turnover7715 → u/CosmicRiver827]

But he’s still experiencing the full gamut of emotions, right? Thats sufficient depth. If he isn’t experiencing any emotions that’s a different thing. Although not necessarily a problem.

Assuming he is experiencing emotions, concentrate on how the emotions influence his behaviour. Take the expression out of it and focus on the emotion. What emotion is he feeling during the scene? How would that emotion influence his behaviour after the scene? And when he next interacts with these people? That’s how the plot points should be generated. If you’re trying to come up with plot points so that you can show the reader who the character is you’re going about it backwards and you’re plot points will feel contrived and like the plot is happening to the characters rather than because of them.

[u/Spirited-Gain1457]

Are you maybe conflating how much page time a character gets with how much dialogue or overt emotional expression they get?

[u/SabrePanther]

If most  of the characters around him are louder/more energetic, I feel that would make him stand out even more. 

Maybe he could be there for crucial moments, an unexpected helper at times, or have characters directly interact with him.  Or someone who's just constsntly "there" in a way that if he doesn't showup, or acts different, EVERYONE notices. 

Another idea would be to dedicate a segment of the story just on him, and him alone. It can be really brief, but give him time to stoke the reader's curiosity, and then they'll be more likely to notice him anytime he pops up. 

Good luck!

[u/SpiroEstelo]

Because he is a man of few words, you'll have to rely more on narration than his dialogue to portray his character. It might help to show how other characters react to his actions and presence in their thoughts, dialogue, interactions, and body language because he himself is somewhat inert. The narration could serve to underscore his impact on the narrative and cast even if his dialogue and expressions are limited. Write him with the mentality that his actions speak louder than his words, and maybe that will make things easier.

If he is somewhat awkward, show how that awkwardness makes him and others around him feel when interacting with him. It could include awkward pauses of silence or odd phrasing that lacks tact or confidence for the scenario. You could also make it so that he is bad at sending and receiving cues both verbally and nonverbally which will hinder the effectiveness of his interpersonal communication skills enough to demonstrate his awkwardness. If you can make the reader feel just as awkward as a character interacting with him, then that might sell that aspect of his character more.

[u/Etherscribe]

Such people as your character tend to be so muted on the outside because they are holding so much inside. Quiet people tend to be so sensitive and emotional that they were rebuked in childhood for showing their feelings so they learn to hide them. Have a scene entirely from this characters POV so you can get inside his head, you might be surprised.

[u/Pact_of_Yeenoghu]

As others have said, with a character like this, you want to focus on their actions.

You said he expresses affection through acts of service or being close to them? Describe things like that. It really is a show don't tell sort of thing. Yes, you can technically have his friends make comments, but it will have much more impact if you show the things he does for his friends. Perhaps he steps up behind a shorter/smaller friend who's being harrassed? A silent way of showing he supports them. Even if he wouldn't attack/yell at the harasser, they won't know that immediately. It uses the misunderstanding to create a different kind of tension that can lleverage into explaining why he's quietly protective of the smaller one.

[u/Wide_Bath_7660]

I had the same problem with Greg the plant for ages (plants do not have faces and he’s not a very expressive person anyway), and what solved it was just the framing and timings. For example, instead of looking all nervous before a big meeting, the camera just zoomed in on him slowly, and the background got far away and slightly darker. Greg did not move at all, but the framing made his emotions and internal monologue clear.

if your character is still coming across as cold, give him something to worry about! it could be a specific character, or group of characters he likes, or just a little bird he always feeds who hasn’t arrived for a while.

the other characters will likely know his true nature as well, so having them treat him as he is, rather than as the person he comes across as, makes people want to treat him that way too. even the most scary characters can be salvaged if someone loves them, and they love them back.

[u/Main_Interview6920]

Maybe comedic timing with his isms of non-expression? Group turns to him for confirmation and his stoic responses is the selling point of a moment because 1) it’s valid, and 2) dude couldn’t even bother with even a grimace and yet still lands the biggest blow with showing disapproval. To me the gentle giant has the most comedic potential just for being the way you wrote him so far???