Is it the POV character who's panicking? If so, think about what it feels like to panic - the hyperventilating, the frenzied, disjointed thoughts as the mind zips from one unrelated thought to another, cold sweats and clammy hands, the pounding heart, eyes widening in terror, flicking from side to side as they search for an escape route, Feet feeling as though they're welded to the floor, or alternatively, getting ready to run as adrenalin surges through the body, getting ready for fight or flight. If it's not the POV character, but they're observing it, think about what signs a panicking person might exhibit. The disjointed thoughts become disjointed words and sentences, sweat might bead on their foreheads, you might hear them struggling to breathe normally, see their chest heave. Their movements might mirror their thoughts/words, so that they give the impression of not knowing which way to turn. Their eyes might dart around wildly, looking for an escape route. . .
Quickly thinking and discussing over many options. Swearing. Somewhat distorted perception of time. Physical descriptions of panic e.g. sweating, fidgeting. Irrational decision making.
I think with something like this, as long as you're connected with your character the panic will show through whatever you write. If you feel enough for your character that they'll be compelling to read, then you might start to notice that, as you write them, you feel what they're feeling. If your character starts to panic, you might notice that you feel it too, and suddenly your fingers are flying over the keyboard - sentences become shorter, less descriptive, because they're not paying as much attention now. Things might even get a little bit confusing. With an emotion like panic, don't think - let your own feelings do what they like and the rest will come through. Maybe.
Use your character's five senses and then try to incorporate it into actual sentences. Also incorporate the location, what are the surroundings of these character? What thoughts rush (or don't rush) threw their head?
Great advice! The best writing I have done, is when I am living a scene as the character. So, I am purposefully imagining how the scene looks, how the character feels, trying to be there with them! Rgds
@K McIntyre and I become so close to our characters, as you describe, that we say we are taking dictation from them, rather than telling them what to do.
Think about what panic would feel like in a given situation. I presume a feeling of panic because you discover you've left your handbag on the bus—just as it pulls away—would be different from realising the murderer has seen you, and is heading straight for your hiding place. You might just freeze up in disbelief ...I won't be murdered here. This isn't happening to me. Or you might start running after the bus, screaming STOP at the top of your lungs.
If it's told from first person, you can show their thoughts degrading. Panic attacks/ just panicking period can be portrayed by thoughts being chopped up. For instance: I can't breathe, everything is moving too quickly around me, and as I inhale, I can smell the salt of sweat and it catches in my throat. I silently scream for someone to help me. vs. I can't breathe. It's too fast- all of it. I stumble; I inhale and choke on sweat. Help! In the first example, although the same things are explained, the way it is described makes it sound like the person is in control, whereas in the second example, you can tell that the person is panicking. No one is thinking clearly when they are panicking. Try to avoid overly flowery writing. Make it seem like things keep happening and the narrator is trying hard to keep up with it all but can't. They try to tell everything and cut it up into small sentences so they can tell the next thing. Panic attacks often feel this way- everything is happening to fast, and you are trying to keep up with it all but problems and noises and smells build up, thrown at you one after another.
I like the short sentence kind of panic. It adds a sense of urgency to the description of events. I hate when they have a brief moment of panic and the next paragraph says, let's have some lunch as if nothing happened. I think we can all agree if you had lost your child in a theme park it would take a while to have the adrenaline diluted enough to do anything useful. Everyone has faced a panic situation in there life and maybe you could use a real time event if it could fit into your story line.
Panicking descriptions: numbing of the body rapid heartbeat frozen in terror shuddering in fear blood running cold
