I tend to write in first-person, so I’m always on the hunt for fresh character tags that show, not tell, reactions or liven up dialogue beats. This morning on my way to work, the drive-hour DJ actually imparted something worth listening to among his inane bibbling: physical signs that someone is lying to you.

I was delighted. A little Googling, and behold, I found a great source of physical tags by Gary Pearlman just itching to make their way into my latest wip. I’d thought I’d share them with you, just in case you have a character who may be hiding something from your protagonist.

Liars tend to (obvious tags first):

  • Fidget
  • Look down instead of looking someone in the eye
  • Repeat your question (stalling)
  • Breath heavily

But some of the more interesting signs are more subtle. Liars also tend to:

  • Mispronounce words
  • Tend to avoid details and string together simple actions
  • Have pupils that dialate
  • Move their hands and blink less

But most of all, liars tend to fly off the handle, especially when accused of lying.

Some of my own observations about liars is that nostrils flare when someone is lying. I think it’s because their hearts are racing a little and they need more air.

Are there any quirks or tics common to liars that you’ve observed? Like I said, I’m always on the lookout for fresh character tags.

Kathleen Bolton is co-founder of Writer Unboxed. She has written two novels under the pseudonym Cassidy Calloway: Confessions of a First Daughter, and Secrets of a First Daughter--both books in a YA series about the misadventures of the U.S. President's teen-aged daughter, published by HarperCollins.
Kathleen Bolton
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