Sighs don't matter
When you're writing fiction, how often do your characters sigh? That's too often.
What is a sigh?
It’s a deep, slow breath that is usually held for a couple seconds. Sighs typically take in about twice the normal intake of breath.
Sighs are involuntary. You just sigh now and then. In fact, if you’re average, you sigh about twelve times an hour. And of course, I know you’re above average.
Did you know you sigh that often? Do you notice every time you sigh? Do you notice people around you sighing that much? Probably not.
Part of the reason people sigh is just the body getting that deep breath it needs to reset itself every few minutes – a nice extra dose of oxygen.
Other times, people sigh as a response to some physical or emotional trigger. You might sigh when you experience a moment in which you are:
- Tired
- Anxious
- Frustrated
- Tense
- Angry
- Resigned
- Sleepy
- Full after a large meal
- Sad
- Happy
- Satisfied
- Disgusted
- Various other reasons
Those are all in addition to the regular s…
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