I don't know if this is a common pet peeve in writing, but I have trouble emerging myself descriptions of emotions that are like "Her eyes filled with (emotion). "(emotion) seeped into her veins," "She said with (emotion)," but I can't really find many alternatives to them. Any suggestions?
Other people might have better suggestions, but one approach you could try is to focus on sensory and visual details that suggest the emotion rather than directly stating it. This can help you create a more vivid picture in the reader's mind, making the emotional experience feel more immediate. For example, instead of saying "Her eyes filled with sadness," you could describe her eyes as looking "downcast" or "tear-filled," as if the sadness is physically impacting her appearance. This can be especially powerful in conveying the depth of the character's emotion and might be more relatable than just trying to visually personify an emotion.
Another approach you can try is to use metaphors to describe the emotion or how the character is perceiving the emotion. For instance, you could use a metaphor such as "Sadness weighed down on her like a heavy blanket," emphasizing the intensity of the sadness and its overwhelming impact on the character. Or you could use "Her anger simmered like a boiling pot," emphasizing the buildup and potential explosion of the anger. This can add some creative flair to your writing and make the emotional descriptions feel fresher and more relatable. I think the key is to choose a metaphor that accurately captures the essence of the emotion you're trying to convey.