I scheduled this to post this morning because I am flying to New York City today. First, I’ll be meeting up with my son, daughter-in-law, and two youngest grandchildren in Salt Lake City. So. today’s post is an oldie … but I hope a fun goody. I will try to respond to comments as often as I can while I’m away, but until then talk amongst yourselves.
Of course, we all know now that Forrest Gump invented the original Smiley Face, but there’s another less familiar one, the Carl’s Jr./ Hardee’s Happy Star. While driving home this morning, I passed two of these Happy Star signs and realized that I like this smiley better than the original. Do you see the difference in their smiles?
When you truly smile, you eyes change shape, they crinkle at the edges, or change angle slightly, or close
a bit. That means the Happy Star smile looks more genuine. The traditional smiley’s eyes are not smiling. To be honest, he looks rather deranged. Try it! Open your eyes wide and smile. Don’t you feel just a teeny bit over the edge?
Okay, this is a writer’s blog, so you’re wondering what this has to do with writing—you are, aren’t you? Here’s my take on it, we need to make sure our characters’ expressions and actions match their words. That’s also a way to avoid the plague of unnecessary adverb use. Is there any doubt what’s happening or how the words are delivered in the following scene snippets?
Sawyer’s face was all teeth and dimples as he said, “Nice to have you back, Freckles.”
The barrel of Sayid’s gun pressed into Ben’s back. “I advise you not to make a move,” he said.
At the sight of the fifty-foot obelisk rising from the jungle floor, Hurley backed away, eyes darting from side to side. “Dude,” he said, “I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.”
Linda Cassidy Lewis 
I just told a friend that I don’t trust a person if their smile doesn’t make it all the way to the eyes.
You need those eye crinkles dammit.
:0)
ps…when I write I like to use the word grinned. It gives you a whole different picture in your mind. You get the idea of a person smiling, but turned up a notch…
Have a safe trip.
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Thanks for the validation, Karen. Grinned, yeah I use that too.
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Have fun in New York. We’ll miss you. And yes, I love this post. It’s so true.
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Thanks Kasie, doing lots of walking here, which would be great if not for my hip pain. Love the NY deli experience.
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Safe travels:)
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Thank you, Cristina.
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re: your examples — I miss Lost too.
And I agree the smiley face is crazed — that’s why it was so popular among druggies in 70s, I’d bet.
The Happy Star does look friendly.
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Concerning Lost, do you think they’ll tie it altogether in the end?
Did you just call Forrest Gump a drug-crazed hippie? 🙂
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Have fun, and enjoy the kiddies!
Everything about our characters has to be in sync. Even a smile. Or lack of. One of my characters that I have now almost never smiles, so when he does, boy, does it mean something.
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Oh, yes, our characters have to stay in character! I have to watch closely making sure the words they use stay consistent too.
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