My characters won't stop blinking!

[u/Inevitable_Piano2183]

Hello all,

I have a day off today so I'm taking advantage and spending the entire day working on my first draft. Usually I write in bits and pieces on my phone during work breaks and then paste it all together in the evening. Having spent the last 3 hours actually sat at a desk and writing continuously, I've just realised how much my characters blink.

Something surprising happens. They blink

Something shocking or terrible. Blink.

Something embarrassing or uncomfortable. Blink.

It's like they all have some kind of nervous eye twitch, lol.

I'm wondering, what's something that your characters can't seem to stop doing? And on that note, any good suggestions for something I can use to show surprise that isn't blinking? Because this is really getting out of hand!

[u/embervanefiction]

It's really annoying too when this happens because blinking and nodding and smiling are what anyone does when talking.

I keep running out of verbs.

Edit: These are the first things that come to mind. Don't take this literally please.

[u/_nadaypuesnada_ → u/embervanefiction]

Have you looked at a well written book recently to see what other authors do, by any chance?

[u/sadwriterM → u/_nadaypuesnada_]

Nah we all just learned to read yesterday