When you want to write the emotion generosity, it's important to "show" the emotion your character is experiencing through their physical reactions and dialogue, rather than "tell" it. In this article we provide you with inspiration so you can avoid show; don't tell and immerse your readers in your story.

Generosity is a positive emotion characterized by a willingness to give or share with others, often without expecting anything in return. It involves a sense of abundance and a desire to contribute to the well-being of others, whether through acts of kindness, gifts, or other forms of support. Generosity is often associated with compassion, empathy, and a sense of social responsibility, as well as with personal fulfillment and a deeper sense of connection with others.

Different Types of Generosity

Here are some different types of generosity:

• Selfless giving without expecting anything in return
• Sharing resources, time, or knowledge with others
• Volunteering or helping those in need
• Being open-minded and willing to listen and understand others' perspectives
• Showing kindness and compassion towards others
• Giving compliments or expressing gratitude
• Being supportive of others' goals and aspirations

Situations Associated with Generosity

Here are some situations where a character might experience the emotion of generosity:

• Witnessing an act of kindness from someone else
• Feeling grateful and wanting to give back to others
• Being inspired by a charitable cause or organization
• Feeling a sense of abundance and wanting to share it with others
• Having a strong sense of empathy and wanting to alleviate someone else's suffering
• Feeling a strong connection to a community or group and wanting to contribute to its well-being
• Feeling a sense of duty or responsibility to help others
• Wanting to build positive relationships with others through acts of generosity

Physical Reactions to Generosity

Here are some physical reactions a character experiencing generosity might have:

• Smiling and maintaining eye contact
• Open body language, such as uncrossed arms or legs
• Offering compliments or praise freely
• Sharing resources, such as time, money, or possessions
• Volunteering or doing acts of service for others
• Listening attentively and showing interest in others' needs or problems
• Being gracious and forgiving towards others
• Being selfless and putting others' needs before one's own
• Being empathetic and understanding towards others' situations or struggles

Thoughts Associated with Generosity

Here are some thoughts a character experiencing generosity might have:

• I have more than enough, why not share it?
• Seeing others happy makes me happy too.
• If I can make someone's day a little better, why not do it?
• I know what it feels like to be in need, I want to help others who are going through the same thing.
• I don't need recognition or thanks, just knowing I made a difference is enough.
• I believe in giving back to my community and helping those less fortunate.
• I want to inspire others to be generous too.
• It's not about the size of the gift, it's about the intent behind it.
• There's always enough to go around if we're willing to share.

Atmosphere of Generosity

Here are some ways that you might reflect the emotion of generosity in the atmosphere of your scene:

• Set the scene in a place that is associated with generosity, such as a charity event, a soup kitchen, or a communal garden.
• Describe the setting in a way that conveys abundance, such as a table overflowing with food or a garden bursting with produce.
• Use colors that are associated with generosity, such as green (representing growth and abundance) or gold (representing wealth and generosity).
• Include characters who exhibit generosity, such as a philanthropist or a person who volunteers at a food bank.
• Show characters sharing resources or giving to others, such as a character offering their coat to someone who is cold or sharing their meal with someone who is hungry.
• Use dialogue that emphasizes generosity, such as a character expressing gratitude for what they have or encouraging others to give to those in need.

Verbs Associated with Generosity

Here are some verbs commonly associated with the emotion of generosity:

• Give
• Share
• Provide
• Donate
• Contribute
• Offer
• Sacrifice
• Support
• Help
• Grant
• Endow
• Empower
• Bless
• Altruism
• Unselfishness

Emotions Before Generosity

Here are some emotions that may come before a character experiences generosity:

• Gratitude
• Empathy
• Compassion
• Altruism
• Kindness
• Sympathy
• Benevolence
• Selflessness
• Openness

Emotions After Generosity

Here are some emotions that may come after a character experiences generosity:

• Gratitude
• Appreciation
• Thankfulness
• Joy
• Happiness
• Fulfillment
• Satisfaction
• Kindness
• Altruism
• Empathy
• Compassion
• Contentment
• Love

Telling Generosity Examples to Avoid

Here are some examples of telling the emotion generosity in a sentence. You should avoid things like this:

• Jane was feeling generous.
• John was a very generous person.
• The character exhibited an overwhelming sense of generosity.
• Mary's generosity knew no bounds.
• The protagonist was known for their generosity.
• The story was about the power of generosity.
• The author wanted to convey a message about generosity.
• The theme of the story was generosity.
• The character's generosity was apparent to all.

Practical Examples of Showing Generosity

Here are some examples of showing generosity in a sentence:

• She offered her last slice of pizza to her friend, even though she was hungry.
• He gave his coat to the homeless man shivering on the street corner.
• She volunteered at the animal shelter every Saturday, playing with the dogs and cats to make them feel loved.
• He donated a portion of his paycheck every month to a charity that helped children in need.

Exercises for Showing Generosity

Here are some writing exercises to practice showing generosity:

• Write a scene where the character gives away something valuable to someone in need. How does the character feel before, during, and after the act of generosity? What are their motivations for giving?
• Imagine the character witnessing an act of kindness between two strangers. How does this make them feel? Do they feel inspired to do something similar?
• Write a scene where the character volunteers their time to help others. What kind of volunteer work do they do? How does this experience impact their perspective on the world?
• Write a scene where the character chooses to forgive someone who has wronged them. How do they come to this decision? How does this act of forgiveness affect their relationship with the other person?
• Imagine the character encountering someone who is struggling financially. Do they offer to help? If so, in what way? If not, why not?
• Write a scene where the character goes out of their way to help someone they don't know very well. How does this act of generosity affect their relationship with the other person?
• Imagine the character encountering a situation where they could benefit personally, but at the expense of someone else. Do they choose to act selfishly or generously? Why?

Want more help with showing emotion instead of telling? You find more help in our full list of emotions.