Tag: emotion

Categories
Becoming an Author

Acting Techniques to Deepen Your Writing – Part 2

As I mentioned in the previous post, there is much we can learn on the writing craft by studying acting techniques. Last week, we discussed characterization, so check that out here if you missed it!

Today I want to share with you the tips writers can learn from actors on the breakdown of plot/scene and the conveying of emotion.

On Scene/Plot Breakdown…

1. Characters do not leave a scene the same way they entered it. There is always a moment that brings about transformation—externally, internally, or both. Allow this progression to take place naturally within the character rather than being forced upon for the sake of the story.

2. Understand how the previous scene influences the current scene. Did it result in the development of a new minor goal for the POV character? What are the character’s expectations? What decisions did they make in the previous scene that resulted in their current state of circumstances?

3. Identify the scenes in the overall plot that result in a major shift internally within the character.

4. In a scene, an actor never simply stands around. They are always doing something: listening, thinking, fidgeting, etc. Allow the pause moments of your character to serve as a reflection of who they are.

5. What is the subtext of a scene? In real life, we don’t always say what we mean—however, we show what we mean by our tone of voice, our actions, expressions, etc. What is the story beneath the dialogue at hand, and how can you show that to your readers? How do your characters reflect their true intentions?

6. Allow the internal desires and external goals of your character to guide the story and scenes. In each scene, an actor must be in touch with the goal(s) and desire(s) that guide the character through both the scene and the overall plot journey. Doing this accomplishes the following: it allows the actor to create natural responses to the given circumstances, provides motivation for the journey, and creates tension when those desires/goals go unmet.

7. Identify the tension in every scene. Conflict adds a spark of interest and keeps the audience (readers) engaged.

On Emotion…

1. The acting technique of substitution allows actors to tap into intended emotions and reactions in a given scene. They do this by recalling a time when they experienced a similar emotion in their own life. As writers, we, too, can allow our own memories to help us recreate emotions on a page. These authentic emotions will bring readers deeper into the story, allowing them to connect on a heart level with the character.

2. The acting instructor, Uta Hagen, advised actors to use sense memory to connect with emotions. This involves recalling a specific memory and the senses attached. For example, think about a specific time when you felt appreciated. What did you see, feel, taste, smell, and hear? When you can specifically recall those details, the memory will strengthen, as well as the emotion attached. As writers, when we struggle to portray a specific emotion, let’s return to a time when we experienced a similar emotion. We can allow the sensory details of that memory to help us convey that in our writing.

3. Don’t force tears. People often think crying on cue is equivalent to good acting, but that’s not the case. Forcing tears comes across as unauthentic to the audience and does not connect with them. If an actor truly wants to convey the emotion, they must experience it. So, if a script calls for tears in an actor but s/he isn’t feeling it, then the actor must not fake it.

We can use the same principle in our writing by only portraying emotion that make sense for the character, given who they are and their state of circumstances. In acting, even more important than the manifestation of tears is the emotional depth the actor can bring. In fact, it’s often more powerful to watch a character trying to resist the urge of tears. Let’s remember this when we write emotional scenes. Forced tears are not equivalent to powerful emotion; in fact, it comes across as melodramatic and unrealistic. The acting instructor, Uta Hagen, once said, “Emotion takes us; we can’t take it.”

Don’t forget to check out the list of recommended reads included in the previous post!

Next time, we will discuss the tips actors teach us on the craft of writing and the overall career and process of writing.

Which of these tips most resonates with you? Let me know in the comments!

Tessa Emily Hall is an award-winning author who writes inspirational yet authentic books for teens to remind them they’re not alone. She writes both fiction and devotionals for teens, including her upcoming release, LOVE YOUR SELFIE (October 2020, Ellie Claire). Her latest devotional, COFFEE SHOP DEVOS, encourages teens to pursue a personal relationship with Christ. Tessa’s passion for shedding light on clean entertainment and media for teens led her to a career as a Literary Agent at Cyle Young Literary Elite, YA Acquisitions Editor for Illuminate YA (LPC Imprint), and Founder/Editor of PursueMagazine.net. She’s guilty of making way too many lattes and never finishing her to-read list. When her fingers aren’t flying 128 WPM across the keyboard, she can be found speaking to teens, decorating art journals, and acting in Christian films. Her favorite way to procrastinate is through connecting with readers on her blog, mailing list, social media (@tessaemilyhall), and website: tessaemilyhall.com.

Categories
Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for October, Part 2

Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Bethany Jett, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!

“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”

Writers Chat Book Review

In this episode, Johnnie Alexander, Melissa Stroh, and Norma Poore join together to review Cheryl St. John’s book, Writing with Emotion, Tension, & Conflict: Techniques for Crafting an Expressive and Compelling Novel. This book is jammed full of tips, techniques, and exercises to add emotion and depth to your novel. Some of the exercises call for watching movies as research. Who knew? So, if you’re in need of some fresh research ideas on emotion, tension, and conflict for your fiction, then this is the episode for you.

Watch the October 15th replay.

For resources and more information check out this week’s Show Notes and Live Discussion.

Self-Publishing with Stephanie L. Jones

In this episode, Stephanie gives us her insights in to the world of self-publishing. She is the author of the award-winning, best-selling book, The Giving Challenge. Stephanie shares with us practical tips, from her insider view, as well as what to expect when embarking on the road to self-publication.

Watch the October 22nd replay.

JOIN US!

Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET on Zoom. Here’s the permanent Zoom room link. 

Participants mute their audio and video during the filming then we open up the room for anyone who wishes to participate with our guests. The “After Party” is fifteen-minutes of off-the-record sharing and conversation.

Additionally, you can grow your network and add to the conversation by joining our Writers Chat Facebook Group.

Categories
Mystery/Thriller/Suspense

Body Language in Writing

mystery suspense thriller

Everyone uses body language in one way or another. Talking with a friend, in a business meeting, or at a ball game, the gestures, postures, and movements of our bodies and facial expressions are telltale signs of who we are, our mood, how we feel healthwise or about an issue, and what we think.

We form tightened lips, narrowed eyes, make fists, throw hands in the air, and shuffle our feet. We talk with our hands, cover our face, rake fingers through our hair, etc. We are human, and we are constantly expressive.

In real life, if more than fifty percent of non-verbal communication is through body language, then it goes to reason that when we write our protagonists and antagonists should do the same. How dull would a book be without noticing shifty eyes, crossed arms, or flared nostrils?

By using body language in writing, we are more likely to show and not tell, thus giving readers a more accurate picture of the character’s state of mind and the tension taking place. We draw the reader in when we use realistic and believable behaviors, just be sure to use them in moderation. Too many will slow your story down.

Example of overuse: Roy’s face reddened, lips tightened, his knuckles whitened in clenched fists, and he gritted his teeth when his boss gave the promotion to his partner. He stormed from the room and slammed the door, remembering the pistol in his brief case.

Better: Heat rushed into Roy’s face when his boss gave the promotion to his partner. He clenched his jaw to keep from saying too much and left the room. The door slammed behind him as his focus lands on the briefcase under his desk, housing a Glock.

Roy’s body language describes his attitude and mood. The tension thickened, and the stakes rose the moment a weapon was mentioned. Most readers can tell something bad is about to happen; thus, the suspense intensifies. Let them bask in the non-verbal clues the character reveals and keep them turning the page.

Using body language sounds simple, but it’s not as easily written. Here are a few more examples of suspicious, angry, or aggitated body language. We must avoid repetition of the same gestures in our writing to avoid losing the readers interest. 

Crossed the arms                                 Tightened lips                         Straddled a chair

Narrowed eyes                                    Twisted lips                             Looked away

Jutted chin                                          Clenched fists                         Lowered eyebrows

Crouched down                                  Confrontational                       Rolled eyes

Darting glance                                     Grimacing                               Shaking fist

Twitching trigger finger                      Lying                                       Sneering or Smirk

            Remember, use body language where it will pack a punch in the story and add depth to the character’s dialogue. Most importantly, keep the reader turning the page, or their body language will toss the book aside.     

Loretta Eidson writes romantic suspense. She has won and been a finalist in several writing contests, including first place in romantic suspense in the Foundations Awards at the 2018 Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference, a finalist in ACFW’s 2018 Genesis, was a finalist in the 2018 Fabulous Five, and a double finalist in the 2017 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence.

            Loretta lives in North Mississippi with her husband Kenneth, a retired Memphis Police Captain. She loves salted caramel lava cake, dark chocolate, and caramel Frappuccinos.

Visit her:

Website: lorettaeidson.com

Facebok: loretta.eidson.7 

Categories
Songwriting

The Power of Prosody

When we think of songwriting, we often think of the lyrics—that is, the actual words spewing from our lips. Or, we may be thinking about the musical portion, if we’re a musician. But what makes a powerful song is not only the lyrics and the music, but the actual prosody of the song or even of the delivery.

Let us start by answering the question: “What is prosody?”

In music, prosody can be seen as the culmination of tone, pitch, meter, rhythm, tempo, loudness, softness, etc. in the delivery of the lyrics and music as a whole. How a person delivers the line of a song is just as important as the line itself.  The delivery of a word is just as important as the word itself. There is power in how a word is spoken. There is more power in how a phrase is sung. Whether we whisper something vengeful like, “I hate you.”  Or shout the words, “I love you!” The very tone, pitch, and loudness tell us something. It is through tone that gives our words believability. How a word or group of words is delivered is equally a part of songwriting as the actual written words or musical portion itself.

If someone is speaking to you sarcastically, you can usually tell by how they are saying their words, not by what they are saying. How you deliver words in a song is important. Imagine if you sang something with the same tone and pitch throughout the entire song (and sadly, I have seen this happen!) Imagine if you sang without emotion. It wouldn’t be a very interesting song, would it? If you are singing a sad ballad about someone dying, and yet, you have no emotion in your voice, the song wouldn’t be considered believable. But if the singer’s voice cracks and is close to tears, you may find yourself drying your eyes, overwhelmed with empathy.

But song prosody is more than that. It is also about how the lyrics marry the music. The way the lines are delivered and the tone of the content of the song must match the musical portion of the song, whether it’s in the key that is used, the tempo, the volume, or even the instrumentation.  If you have a song about being happy, you want your musical instrumentation to support that. What instruments make you think of happy? What would your tempo be for happy? It would be… happy, right? Probably fast-paced and upbeat. And you wouldn’t want your happy song to be sung in a minor key. The music would say sad and dark but the lyrics happy. It would be Frankenstein, and nobody would understand it because the lyrics oppose the emotional feel of the music. That’s bad prosody.

For happy, I would choose an upbeat tempo with drums, some brass instruments, perhaps even a trumpet to lead, and it would have to be written in a major key, like the song, “Happy”, by Pharrell Williams.

But if I want to write a song about emotional pain, I would probably choose a piano dripping in reverb with a slow tempo, written in a minor key, like the song “Angel”, by Sarah McLachlin. Or If I wanted the music to be harder, I could go grunge with heavy electric guitars chunking out chords.

Sometimes, we don’t hear lyrics at all. What we hear is how words fit together, mingled with how they are sung, reaching a certain pitch or note—mainly in the chorus. And if it’s done well, the song will stick with us for years and years to come. Think of the most memorable songs from your childhood. Now think about what lines stick out to you the most. It is usually because that particular line has a harmonious marriage to the music and reaches some sort of climatic peak that gives pleasure to the ears.

More than just the volume, meter, tone, or pitch of your voice, sometimes breaks without singing can speak volumes in the song. It’s not always what we say—sometimes it’s what we don’t say and taking a breath for a quarter or half note can tell part of the story. When The Supremes sang, “Stop in the Name of Love,” the producer had Diana Ross pause after saying the word, “stop.” That little break changed the song and made it memorable for decades. Another example of prosody is when Garth Brooks sang “Friends in Low Paces,” every time he said the word “low,” he sang it with a much lower note than the rest of the song.

By understanding prosody, you can enhance your songwriting from amateur to professional level. Just like writing a short story, the important key is to go ahead and write out what you want to say. Write your song’s first draft. Then, go back and take out words, replace words, and edit, edit, edit. Then, fine-tune your work with prosody in mind. What instrumentation and lyrics really sell what you are trying to say, and how can you marry the two? Can it be done by matching a word to a note, changing a rhythm pattern, or changing tempo? What else within the song reflects your theme?

Is there a future songwriting topic you would like to discuss? Would you like me to evaluate your songs? Please write me and let me know!

 

Matthew Hawk Eldridge is a sleepless, coffee addicted, calico-cat hugging, Renaissance man. When he’s not passionately penning screenplays or stories rich in musical history, he’s writing songs on his guitar or working on a film as an actor, double, or musician. He is a Creative Writing graduate student at Full Sail University.

Categories
Child's Craft

Childhood Memories Made New

Inspiration for the stories we write often comes from our own childhood experiences. But, times change; cultures change; technology changes. So, those stories from twenty, or forty, or sixty years ago must change if they are going to speak to the hearts of 21st Century children.

Try this exercise to help you make those funny, sad or frightening stories from your childhood come to life for today’s readers.

Pull out an old photo from a childhood event. If you don’t have a photo sketch the scene on plain paper. (No one’s judging your artistic abilities here.)

It’s usually easy to remember the who, the where, the when, even the what. But for this exercise we want to dig deeper.

Close your eyes and try to remember every detail of the event. Then, remember how you FELT when that photo was snapped.

Was it a special occasion? A surprise occasion, maybe? How did you feel while anticipating it?

How did you feel if the event didn’t turn out the way you had hoped? Or, was it such a terrific thing that it far exceeded your expectations?

What if this was a sad event? Just how sad did you feel? How did you act? Did you cry? Did you run and hide? Did you get angry?

How did the people around you react to you? And how did you react in turn?

The key to re-writing our childhood events as contemporary stories is to remember, capture and effectively SHOW our feelings from that past event.

It’s okay—even advisable—to change the details, even exaggerate them—but to keep the emotions you experienced.

It is the emotions in our stories that beckon to today’s children—not the exact details.

Jean Hall lives in Louisville, Kentucky. She is represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary. Her premier picture book series Four Seasons was recently signed by Little Lamb Books. Jean is a member of the SCBWI, Word Weavers International, and the Kentucky Christian Writers. Visit Jean at jeanmatthewhall.com, on Facebook at Jean Matthew Hall, and on Twitter as @Jean_Hall.

Categories
Talking Character

Confused Characters Who Don’t Confuse Readers

The trickiest part about conveying confusion is to convey it clearly, without confusing the reader.  Ann Hood in Creating Character Emotions

From time to time our characters will be confused about something. Perhaps they’ve made assumptions that suddenly turn out to be incorrect. Perhaps someone says or does something that doesn’t make sense. Perhaps another character is intentionally trying to confuse them.

Whatever the situation, the writer must take pains to make sure the reader know what’s going on, even when the character doesn’t.

Two common pitfalls when portraying confusion:

  1. Sensory overload. Hit a character with enough simultaneous noises and actions and they’ll certainly become confused. However, the reader will be just as befuddled by the mass of details.

Example: Halfway to the mailbox, Sara heard her ringtone and rushed inside. Where had she left the phone this time? She almost tripped on a shoe her son had left by the front door, which woke the dog and started him barking. Gritting her teeth, Sara ran past the stupid dog to the kitchen in time to see her two-year-old dump an open box of cereal onto the floor and break into wails.

A vivid portrayal of confusion, but the reader doesn’t understand what it means unless the writer also shows what emotions the chaos creates for Sandy.

  1. Information that is meaningless to the reader. When you confuse a character with information he doesn’t understand, make sure the reader has an inkling of what it means.

Example: Jared unfolded the piece of notebook paper. Who was K. and why had she stuffed a note in his locker? What did she mean by ‘see you after school at the tree’? Which tree? There were like a million trees in this neighborhood alone.

Unless your readers know more than Jared, they will be just as confused as he is.

[bctt tweet=”Don’t make the reader befuddled just because your character is. #writers ” username=””]

Better strategies for portraying confusion:

  1. Let the reader in on the joke. Characters often mistakenly believe an action or comment means one thing, when in fact it means something else. Readers, however, don’t enjoy being purposely led astray, so make sure the reader is aware (or at least suspects) that the character is making a mistake. In example two above, imagine how much better it would work if the reader knows that K’s friend has the locker next to Jared’s. Now, instead of making the same mistake Jared makes, the reader will grin in anticipation for the awkward scenario to follow.
  2. Show the emotional source of the confusion. What readers really want to understand is why a character acts the way she does. I might improve example one by adding some of the emotions underlying the confusion, like this:

Example: Halfway to the mailbox, Sara heard her ringtone. Why did she always forget to put her phone back in her pocket? She hurried inside and almost tripped on a shoe her son had left by the front door. Uh oh. It wasn’t her turn to pick up the kids, was it? She couldn’t afford to forget again. She rushed into the kitchen. Thank the Lord, only one-fifteen. So who was calling at this hour? Had she forgotten an appointment?

  1. Show the character’s thought process as he tries to make sense of things. As the character works through a situation that doesn’t make sense, he naturally portrays confusion without the writer ever having to say as much.

Example: Jared unfolded the piece of notebook paper. Who was K. and why had she stuffed a note in his locker? Kayla was the only girl he knew whose name started with K, and she would never use sparkly pink ink. Maybe someone meant to put it in Tori’s locker instead? But how was he supposed find out? There was no way he was going to show the note to a girl as popular as Tori.

[bctt tweet=”Confused characters. We love them, just so long as they don’t confuse us, too. #amwriting” username=””]

[bctt tweet=”Pitfalls to avoid when writing portraying confused characters. #writetips #writer” username=””]

 

Categories
Talking Character

Give Your Character Attitude

Dig deep and you’ll find attitude, and when you find attitude, you find voice. ~ James Scott Bell in Voice: The Secret Power of Great Writing.

What kind of attitude does your main character display? Do her words drip with sarcasm? Is his inner monologue colored by his bleak outlook? If your character doesn’t ooze attitude, maybe you need to dig a little deeper.

These simple exercises will help you dig deep and explore your character’s attitude.

One-word lists

Make a list of ten or so words that your character would use to answer questions such as:

  • What are you most afraid of?
  • What keeps you up at night?
  • What are the dreams you are afraid to tell anyone about?
  • What makes your blood boil?
  • What turns you into a puddle of mush?

The more intrusive the questions, the better the results. You are trying to force your characters to reveal their deepest feelings, which will color their attitudes.

Connect the dots

Choose a random word from one of the above lists. Free-write about that word from your character’s POV. After a few minutes, randomly choose another word and connect it to what you’ve been writing. Write for a few minutes and then select another word and connect that to what has come before. Keep going as long as you like. Did you discover any interesting connections that surprised you? Did the combination of words take you down a path you would never have thought of? Did you unearth any gems of attitude that make your character more complex or in-your-face?

Do the unexpected

Imagine your character in a typical setting. Now, imagine they do something destructive, like smash an expensive vase, kick the dog, or set a building on fire. Brainstorm what might motivate the character to do such a thing. Keep digging until you discover something that resonates. How can you tap into this deep well of passion in the pages of your novel?

The autobiography

Imagine your character as an older person, twenty, or perhaps fifty years in the future. Put them in a situation where they are compelled to relate their past to someone. When the character remembers the incidents in your novel, how would he talk about them? What would he mention, and what would he rather not think about? What attitudes and revelations would hindsight have given him? How can this exercise inform his character arc?

Mood music

Choose a piece of music that has a distinct mood (romantic, suspenseful, victorious, jubilant). Instrumental music works best. I suggest pieces from sound tracks—especially from movies you haven’t seen recently. While listening to the music, free-write from the POV of your character. Try a journal entry, or plunk the character into a situation from the story and let them react however they like. The more they ramble about their feelings, the better. Now switch to a different piece of music and try again.

This exercise may be particularly useful if you are struggling to understand their reactions to a specific situation. Identify the emotion of the scene and listen to music that captures that mood. The emotions in the music might pull new emotion from the character.

In conclusion, the more attitude your characters exhibit, the more memorable they will be. A writer should not be a good parent, gently instructing our characters to be on their best behavior. Instead, we should prod our characters into letting their attitudes shine for all to see—rude comments and all.

[bctt tweet=”Does your character ooze attitude? #writer #attitude” username=””]

[bctt tweet=”Dig deep and you’ll find attitude, and when you find attitude, you find voice. James Scott Bell #quote” username=””]

[bctt tweet=”Five simple exercises to explore character attitude. #writetips #amwriting” username=””]

Categories
Child's Craft

The E’s of Writing for Children

The E’s of writing for children does not equate with ease of writing for children, but includes elements to help your writing stand out.

I’ve researched children’s books and have found that most published children’s books fall into at least one of four categories, if not overlapping into several. So, it seems that as writers, we should write manuscripts that fall into at least one these same categories. I’ve made it simple so that all you have to remember is the letter E. All of these categories begin with that letter. So, children’s books should:

Entertain – These books should take children to other worlds, help them escape from their reality if only for a few moments, should enlighten their lives. These books bring enjoyment at some level, wonder, excitement, amusement. It doesn’t have to be a fantasy book to take children away. It just needs to quickly put them into a different setting, or make them laugh, help them to think differently, or at some level amuse them. There might not be any educational matter in these books but their highlight is that they simply entertain.

Educate – Books do not need to be scholarly books to educate. The best books educate children without the children realizing they are being educated. Can your books show the love of Jesus, the wonder of God, the downfall of boasting, ways to get healthy, to serve or to love through entertaining stories? Think of Dr. Seuss’ Yertle the Turtle, which focuses on the downfall of greed and Gertrude McFuzz which is a fabulous story for children about vanity. The Tooth Book which is a fun lesson in the importance of caring for your teeth. Can you find a way to extract a lesson from your story without the kids realizing their being taught?

Esteem – Who doesn’t like reading books to children that remind them that they are loved, they matter, there is a purpose for them, and that they are cherished? God Made You Just Right by Jill Roman Lord, focuses on how special and unique each child is. Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney reminds a child how much they are loved by a parent. You Are Special by Max Lucado enforces that God cherishes each child. All of our children need to be reminded that they are special, loved and unique.

Encouragement – I love the book It’s Hard to be five, by Jamie Lee Curtis. This meets the kids where they are, helps them learn self-control and shows that it’s not easy with what they are going through but that they can make it through. Does your book help a child keep his chin up, hold on another day, promote helping others in need, to love more, to try again? There is certainly a need for more of these books.

Children’s books should also elicit an Emotion of some kind. Maybe an ‘aha’ moment. In another post, I mentioned this as the ‘gut’ factor. Is there a moment in your book that might take the reader’s breath away, bring back a memory, cause them to break out into laughter, gasp, say, “awww”, perhaps elicit a tear? This adds a tenderness, an unexpected surprise. This is an element that I would suggest should be evident in all children’s books.

There you have it. The E’s of writing children’s books. Good luck! And let me know below, any other categories I may have missed.

 

Categories
Flash Fiction-Splickety

Emotion in Flash Fiction: How to Pack a Punch in 1,000 Words or Less

TeddiDeppner
“Find the key emotion; this may be all you need know to find your short story.”
– F. Scott Fitzgerald

In astronomy, a singularity is a black hole. It’s a powerful gravitational well that sucks in everything around it — planets, moons, asteroids, dust clouds, stars, even light itself.

What does this concept have to do with flash fiction?

Emotion is the singularity that sucks your reader in and devours them whole. Emotion is also the singular focus of the short story writer: it is the only thing that leaves a mark and creates a lasting memory in a reader. Flash fiction is generally under 1,000 words in length. So how do you generate the sort of emotional gravity force that will grab hold of your reader in such a short time?

It doesn’t happen by accident. You do it with intention.

FIRST IDENTIFY

Ideas for short stories come to us in many forms. Sometimes a striking scene pops into your head. Sometimes a character stuck in a tough situation grabs your empathy. Sometimes a fascinating “what if?” scenario or scientific fact tugs at your imagination.

These are all good starting points, but before you jump on the keyboard and begin merrily typing away, do this one vital thing: identify the emotion your story is best suited to evoke in your reader.

THEN INTENSIFY

“A short story must have a single mood and every sentence must build towards it.” – Edgar Allan Poe

Good flash fiction requires the same basic elements needed for any good story: setting, character, desire, an obstacle or conflict and a resolution — all working together to form a powerful emotional experience for the reader. Each element should be written towards that singular focus, and every word must pull its weight. In fact, as you gain experience with flash fiction, everything should pull double — or triple — duty.

The description of the setting should add to the mood, imply something about the character, and hint at the story’s climax. The dialogue should provoke an emotional reaction, as well as illustrating who the characters are and what they want.

Even if your story is under 1,000 words, you can still give the reader enough information to connect with the main character. Skip across the timeline of your character’s life, zooming in to show key moments that enhance the target emotion.

Be careful, though. If you are targeting the emotion of regret, that doesn’t mean every sentence will be sad or regretful. Not at all. The impact of the target emotion is a result of engaging the reader in a vicarious experience, so that they want to see the character get what they desire, so that they are disappointed when the character fails, they are hurt when the character is in pain, and ultimately, they feel the target emotion when the character’s story is finished. For example, the story might be full of wonder and delight, and the hope of a happy ending. The regret is then achieved at the end when something hinted at throughout the story comes to fruition and sabotages the hoped-for happiness.

THE READER IS PART OF THE EQUATION

Readers themselves bring memories and emotions to the table. Leverage those. It’s not always about describing your character’s pain in order for the reader to feel pain. Your character may feel something very different than the emotion you’re evoking in your reader.

When you write, imagine the age of your target audience, the things they may have experienced before, the movies and books already popular in your story’s genre. Make them think your story is headed one way, similar to other stories they’ve seen, and then give them a delightful surprise. Paint details from significant events that trigger memories of their own first love, first funeral, first pet, first fear.

Flash fiction is about packing a punch with just a few words. When you pick every detail of your story with a single powerful emotion in mind, your readers are more likely to be sucked into your story and have an experience they’ll remember for a long time.

EXAMPLES

DailyScienceFiction.com has an impressive collection of good quality short stories in the speculative genres. Here are a few stories that packed an emotional punch:

• Voidrunner – This story covers decades of a life in 823 words. It also uses setting and repeated imagery to enhance the emotional impact.
• The Circle of Life – This story contains the familiar emotions of a sibling helpless in the face of her sister’s selfishness and then turns it upside down in the last sentence.
• Sparg – I first read this story in 2013, and will never forget it. So sad!

 

[bctt tweet=”Generating emotional gravity in 1000 words or less doesn’t happen by accident.” username=”@A3forme @Splickety”]

A short story must have a single mood and every sentence must build towards it. – Edgar Allan Poe

[bctt tweet=”Find the key emotion; this may be all you need know to find your short story. – F. Scott Fitzgerald” username=”@A3forme @Splickety”]

AUTHOR BIO:
Teddi Deppner is an indie author, founder of the #SpecFicCollective and Associate Acquisitions Editor at Splickety Pub Group. She’s also a homeschool mom, artist and an avid toy and nature photographer. Hear more about her projects at http://www.teddideppner.com/ or connect on Twitter or Facebook.

Categories
Dear Young Scribes

How to Choose, Develop, & Research a Setting: Part 2

Once you’ve chosen the setting of your book—which we discussed in Part 1 of this series—it’s important to spend time researching the setting so you can portray this location accurately.

 

Here’s how you can research your setting:

 

  •  Take a research trip to your setting (if feasible).
  •  Watch YouTube videos. Many times, people will 
give a “virtual tour” of a certain city. As you watch, pay close attention to the sights and sounds of the place.
  •  Research the location and its history through various online resources. (Keep in mind, however, that some websites, such as Wikipedia, may not provide 100% accurate information and should not considered a reliable source.)
  •  Read books about the location, including memoirs.
  •  Read the online newspaper of the location.
  •  Discover pictures of the place via Pinterest. (Make 
sure to pin them to your storyboard as well!)
  •  Interview people who have a connection to the location.
  •  Research the city through www.areavibes.com. This 
website allows you to explore a location and discover its amenities, housing and neighborhoods, population, economics, crime, weather, etc. It will even compare these results with another location as well.
  •  Take advantage of Google Earth and its street view feature.

 

The same amount of work must be applied to settings that are invented as well. Obviously, you can’t research the setting—but by using the above and below checklists, you can brainstorm specific location details. (If you do this, you might even be able to trick your readers into believing that your setting is an actual place!)

 

When you research/invent your setting, I recommend recording the info in an online file or notebook. As you do, take note of the following:

 

  • What unique elements does the place have that contribute toward its personality? Are there rolling hills? Willow trees that form a canopy over a certain street? Farm animals held behind fences?
  • How do people speak? What is their dialect and popular slang?
  • Where is the place located geographically?
  • What is the climate in every season?
  • What is the history of the location, and how has it shaped 
the setting into what it is today?
  • What is the most popular religion? (For instance, is it 
located in the Bible belt?)
  • What are the socioeconomics?
  • What is the atmosphere? Is it a laid back town in the 
south, where people are accustomed to a slow-­paced lifestyle, or does it take place within the hustle and bustle of NYC?
  • What are the popular fashion and hairstyles?
  • Where people shop for food, coffee, groceries, clothes, ice 
cream, etc.?
  • What are the significant landmarks and parks?
  • Where do the teenagers hangout?
  • What kind of animals can be found in the location? 
Plants? Insects?
  • If it’s a small town, what big city is it located near?
  • What are the popular street names?

 

As you research, you will collect facts about this location; however, when you write your story, these facts must be filtered through the eyes of your POV character. Everyone is going to have a unique attitude toward a specific location. This attitude is influenced by a number of factors: the person’s personal experiences, memories, personality, worldview, etc. Their perception of this setting is also a great tool to contribute to the book/scene’s particular mood/emotion.

 

For example, the following excerpt is the first page of my YA novel, PURPLE MOON:

            “Why couldn’t you just leave me alone in our apartment for the summer, Mom? I’m sixteen. I’m responsible. Mostly mature.”

            Our Camry swerves as we turn into Lakeview Estates. Three-­‐‑story homes span the landscaping that stretches for acres then tucks into the bordering lake.

            Families visit here every year for summer vacation. The majestic mountain peaks that outline the water of Lake Lure offer a refuge of seclusion to escape the stress of hectic lifestyles. No words describe the beauty of this place.

            Yet I shut my eyes and sink further into the seat, trying to wish myself away. Somewhere else. Maybe to the fairy tale land that I used to imagine when I was a kid. I would even welcome the idea of turning around and driving all the way back to Brooklyn.

            Anywhere but here.
”

(c) Purple Moon by Tessa Emily Hall – 2013 – Published by Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas

 

Based on that excerpt, what would you say is the attitude that my protagonist, Selena, has toward the setting?

 

The fact about the setting, which is included in this excerpt, is that Lake Lure is a beautiful tourist location. But it’s clear that Selena is not happy to be there. She portrays this not only through internal monologue, but through her body language as well (sinking into her seat and closing her eyes).

 

Later, Selena reacts to the thick humidity of Lake Lure by mentioning how she should have brought more summer clothes. Why wasn’t she prepared for the hot weather? Probably because she was accustomed to living in Brooklyn, NY, which is a much cooler climate than Lake Lure, even in the summer.

 

Do you see how one’s memories, personality, and background all come into play when describing the setting of a novel?

 

 “I wouldn’t have thought a simple sketch of a lake could have so many emotional strings attached to it. But it does. For me, at least.” ~Selena from PURPLE MOON

 

So ask yourself: How does my protagonist connect to the setting? You can brainstorm this by asking the following questions:

 

  • What are her significant memories of certain areas of the location? What are the sights, sounds, smells, etc. that remind her of these memories, and what is her attitude toward them?
  • Is this her birthplace? If not, when did she move there, and how does it compare with the other places she has lived?
  • How has this location influenced her personality and worldview?
  • Where does your character go during her free time?
  • What street does she live on?
  • What kind of house does she live in?
  • Where does her family fall on the socioeconomics scale?

 

Remember:

 

The setting of a story should be treated as if it were another character, so make sure to research it beforehand.

Then, when you begin to write, highlight on the specific details that will breathe life into your setting. However, make sure that this is presented through the eyes of your POV (Point of View) character.

Through proper developing and portraying your setting, you will give your readers the opportunity to become transported into the story’s location . . . and they’ll never once have to leave the comfort of their own home. 😉

 

 

[bctt tweet=”How to Choose, Develop, & Research a Setting: Part 2 #amwriting #writingtips” username=”tessaemilyhall”]

 

Do you prefer to invent a location, or choose an already-existing one? What’s your favorite part about researching the setting? Let me know in the comments!