Readers connect to characters with depth, ones who have experienced life's ups and downs. To deliver key players that are both realistic and compelling, writers must know them intimately-not only who they are in the present story, but also what made them that way. Of all the formative experiences in a character's past, none are more destructive than emotional wounds. The aftershocks of trauma can change who they are, alter what they believe, and sabotage their ability to achieve meaningful goals, all of which will affect the trajectory of your story. Identifying the backstory wound is crucial to understanding how it will shape your character's behavior, and The Emotional Wound Thesaurus can help. Inside, you'll find: A database of traumatic situations common to the human experience - An in-depth study on a wound's impact, including the fears, lies, personality shifts, and dysfunctional behaviors that can arise from different painful events - An extensive analysis of character arc and how the wound and any resulting unmet needs fit into it - Techniques on how to show the past experience to readers in a way that is both engaging and revelatory while avoiding the pitfalls of info dumps and telling - A showcase of popular characters and how their traumatic experiences reshaped them, leading to very specific story goals - A Backstory Wound Profile tool that will enable you to document your characters' negative past experiences and the aftereffects Root your characters in reality by giving them an authentic wound that causes difficulties and prompts them to strive for inner growth to overcome it. With its easy-to-read format and over 100 entries packed with information, The Emotional Wound Thesaurus is a crash course in psychology for creating characters that feel incredibly real to readers. "Angela and Becca have done it again! Yet another valuable resource to add to your writing collection. I've been exploring backstory wounds for decades. This emotional guide adds depth to your characters, meaning to your plots, and promises richer, truer, and more stirring stories."~ Martha Alderson, author of the best-selling Plot Whisperer books "This is far more than a brilliant, thorough, insightful and unique thesaurus, this is the best primer on story - and what it is that REALLY hooks and holds readers - that I have ever read. What good is "writing well" if you haven't zeroed in on the essence of the story you're telling? This book peels back the layers to reveal not only where the beating heart of your story lies, but how to then get it onto the page. It won't just make your writing deeper, richer and more gripping, it very well may transform how you see the world - it doesn't get better than that."~ Lisa Cron , author of Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel (Before You Waste Three Years Writing 327 Pages That Go Nowhere) "The Emotional Wound Thesaurus is a must-read for authors who want to write engaging, emotional stories with characters who leap off the page." ~ Jennifer Probst, NYT & USA Today bestselling author "Emotional trauma, rightly used, will greatly increase the strength of the reader's bond with your characters. But how can a writer avoid clichés while brainstorming this backstory material? Once again, Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi supply the answer." ~ James Scott Bell , International Thriller Writers Award winner "This book is an invaluable resource providing situations that led to the character's emotional wound, false beliefs, fears and responses that impact personality, as well as triggers and opportunities that can lead into plot ideas. It's a great addition to the thesaurus collection from Ackerman & Puglisi." ~ Joanna Penn , NYT & USA Today bestselling author Angela Ackerman  and  Becca Puglisi  are bestselling authors, writing coaches, and international speakers. Their books are available in five languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. Angela and Becca also co-founded their popular  Writers Helping Writers  site, a hub where authors can hone their craft, as well as  One Stop For Writers , an innovative online library built to help writers elevate their storytelling.