writing tips – Page 2 – Jean's Writing

How to use powerful emotional writing to engage a reader

Published on May 20, 2019May 17, 2019 by Jean M. Cogdell10 Comments

I’ve been reading a lot about how to show what my characters are feeling.

Putting emotions on paper, in words that pull in a reader is not as easy as one might think. From lovers, friends, enemies, coworkers, monsters, and strangers all experience emotions and we need to show them to the reader.

Luckily, there are several good writers who know just what I need to do.

A little food for thought…

Fear, anger, doubt, joy is universal emotions. Help your reader remember when they felt those same emotions. This enables the reader to connect with your characters.
There are two types of emotions. Primary and Secondary.
- Primary is the first initial reaction, which is an unthinking, instinctive response. The Primary response often disappears as fast as it appeared, giving way to…
- Secondary reaction. Replacement by secondary emotions can complicate the situation, often making it difficult to understand the circumstances. For instance, fear turns to anger back to fear and then to flight.
Don’t forget the backstory that formed your character’s emotions. The biological, psychological and social factors led them to feel the way they do.
Remember to use inciting incidents and circumstances also shape a character’s emotions.
What is going on in the story to reinforce a character’s response?
What protective trait does the character have that will bring them to the other side and hopefully a good ending?

If you want to get a few great tips and examples of emotional writing, take a minute and click on these links.

The Connection between Character Emotion and Reader Empathy in Writing for Life

Primary and Secondary Emotions by Changing Minds.

7 Tips to Crafting Emotionally-Meaty Monsters by Staci Troilo

The 3-Act Emotional Arc For Showing Shame In Fiction by Lisa Hall-Wilson

Deepening Character Complexity with the Help of Psychology by Writing Coach

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How to leave an impression on readers

Published on April 19, 2019April 18, 2019 by Jean M. Cogdell2 Comments

And write like the invisible man.

You read me right.

Reading an article by August Birch on Medium.com got me to thinking about all the books and stories I truly enjoy. Want to know what I discovered?

If I want to write a review, I must do it immediately after finishing the book. Because the mechanics of the book fade quickly, but the impression lasts much longer. I remember what books I loved and the ones I hated, but my reactions are personal and vague.

As August points out…

“When we do our best work as writers, the writing disappears in the background.”

To me, that means the mechanics and style of writing fades in the background. August suggest writers should strive for “Invisible Writing.”

Have you ever become so absorbed in a movie, you couldn’t remember the color of the actors dress? Why? Because it was a great movie! Same goes for writing a great story. As the reader sees the story in their brain, it’s as if they are experiencing the story. Explaining too much makes the mental story shut down and off.

To become an invisible writer…

Avoid selecting words to sound sophisticated.
Don’t over explain or over describe the scene.
Too much description reveals a lazy writer.
If the words don’t move the story forward, cut them.
Don’t make reading your story a chore, don’t make the reader think too hard.
Reflect rather than over think as you write.

“When the reader focuses on the writing, she’s not using her subconscious to help engage with the story — you’ve lost her.” August Birch

You really should click on the link and read the article by August Birch in its entirety. He explains in greater detail what it means to be an invisible writer.

Why We Never Want Our Readers to Remember Our Writing by August Birch

PS:

I want to wish everyone a safe and happy Easter holiday. Don’t forget to add a book to that little one’s basket.

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How to strengthen your writing

Published on April 11, 2019 by Jean M. Cogdell1 Comment

By removing and replacing “distance verbs.”

We’ve all heard about too many adverbs, but another thing we need to watch for are verbs that put distance between the story and the reader.

Getting the reader to feel your character’s pain or joy is hard if you’ve used words that act as roadblocks.

Want to know which words put distance between character and reader?

Click and read the article below by Amy Rose Davis. She gives us a word list and a fix to pull the reader closer.

STRENGTHEN YOUR PROSE: DISTANCING VERBS by Amy Rose Davis

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How to make promoting your book fun

Published on March 29, 2019March 26, 2019 by Jean M. Cogdell1 Comment

Pick a Whacky, Quirky Holiday!

Thanks to Chris The Story Reading Ape for pointing me to a post by Sandra Beckwith.

She points out that marketing our books, or blogs, don’t need to be boring.

Check her list of quirky holidays and see which one might work for your book or blog.

Use quirky April holidays for book promotion by Sandra Beckwith

After checking out Sandra’s list, I got to thinking. What about weird and wacky holidays in May, June, etc.?

For instance, who knew about…

World Naked Gardening Day — Click and read more

Too bad we have very large mosquitos in Texas. But, you get the gist. If you want to know more about weird holidays for the rest of the year, click on my link too-