Welcome to Petty Peeves, a limited series where I rant about common storytelling habits that drive me nuts—and offer solutions for doing better. In this first episode, we’re tackling the overuse of lip-biting as a go-to gesture for every emotion under the sun. Why does it bug me, and how can you avoid it? Tune in to find out how to diversify your character’s reactions and bring more depth to your scenes.

Mentioned in this episode: The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi—a great tool for finding fresh ways to show your characters’ emotions.

Want to submit a story question? Email me at [email protected], or contact me through the Creative BFF Website, and put "STORY QUESTION" in the subject!