Tag: feelings

Categories
Romancing Your Story

Does ‘Sweet’ Mean Boring?

The first reaction I get when I tell another romance writer that I write sweet love stories is often a blank stare, then a small grin and a murmured, “Hmm … is there a market for that?”

The short answer: Yes.

Because sweet doesn’t have to mean boring and flat. There can be plenty of sexual tension in a sweet story. The parameters of what’s acceptable, even in Christian fiction, has widened considerably in the last few years.

I recently read a book by a popular author that left the door wide open during the consummation scene. There was nothing graphic, but also no doubt what was happening. Another of my favorite historical authors took us up to the moment of consummation, slammed the door, then opened it again the next morning to show the reader that the night did not go as expected. (Not coincidentally, both of those books were from the same publisher.)

How do we put passion and tension on the page without graphic descriptions and naming body parts?

It’s all about the feelings. Both physical and emotional.

  • Tummy flutters: yes.
  • Tingling lips: yes.
  • Heightened awareness of the other: sure.
  • Blood rushing: depends on where. 😉
  • Longing for closeness: Yep.
  • Feeling safe or as if coming home: Absolutely!

Let’s dissect a kiss scene.

This is from my novella, BROOKE RUNS AWAY. It takes place near the end but is not the final scene. The plot centers on a reality dating show. We’re in Brooke’s point of view.

I cleared my throat. “You can visit me. I … I’d like that.”

“Really?” He reached for my hand, then pulled me to stand next to him.

His gaze drifted to my lips and my stomach fluttered. (A SMALL PHYSICAL RESPONSE)

We’d laughed. We’d bowled. We’d shared meals and dates.

We’d never kissed. (TAKING A MOMENT TO LET THE TENSION BUILD)

He bent his head and I lifted my mouth to meet his.

Our kiss was soft at first, tentative. (TWO SMALL, LIGHT ADJECTIVES) Then he deepened the contact, pulled me closer, as if after one taste, he had to have more. (A SIMILE TO COMPARE THE KISS TO SOMETHING KNOWN)

I threaded my arms around his neck and met his want with my own. (NOT GRAPHIC, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT SHE MEANS)

After a long moment, we pulled back. He rested his forehead on mine. “Wow.” (A SHORT RESPITE)

I had no breath left, so I smiled. (ANOTHER SMALL PHYSICAL RESPONSE)

His gaze darkened (AGAIN, NOT GRAPHIC, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT HE’S THINKING) and he let go. “Wait here.” He strode back to the house. (WAIT … WHAT?? A COMPLICATION)

I watched Austin’s back disappear through the kitchen door. Was it something I said?

For the first time since we stepped outside, I noticed the camera and its steady red light.

No.

Our conversation, our questions, our kiss … they were private. (UH OH)

My breath caught in my throat and my pulse pounded, urging me to run, run, run. (ANOTHER, STRONGER PHYSICAL RESPONSE) 

Try this exercise on your own.

Dissect some kiss scenes from your favorite books. Figure out what emotions, feelings, and sensations the author conveyed. Then go over your own scenes. What can you add? What can you delete? How can you keep tension on the page?

Because while sweet romance may not “pulse and throb,” it’s never boring.

Carrie Padgett lives in Central California, close to Yosemite, but far from Hollywood, the beach, and the Golden Gate Bridge. She believes in faith, families, fun, and happily ever after. She writes contemporary fiction with romance. Carrie and her Stud Muffin live in Central California with their cat and dog and within driving distance of their six grandchildren.

You can find her online at:

Twitter: CarriePadgett
Instagram: carpadwriter
Facebook: WriterCarriePadgett
Amazon Author Page: Carrie Padgett

Categories
Copywrite/Advertising

What Aretha Franklin Taught Me about Copywriting

When I heard that Aretha Franklin had passed away, I felt the urge to listen to her hits. After some R-E-S-P-E-C-T, I came across You Make Me Feel (Like a Natural Woman). Aretha sings about her man and all the little things he does for her. All those little things add up to the big thing: how the man makes her feel. When it comes to love, that’s the main point: how a person makes you feel.

The same is true in copywriting. Yes, you describe a product or service in a blog post, email, website, or a social media post. But the company or product isn’t really the main thing. The main thing is how the customer or client feels.

I first came across this idea while listening to Donald Miller interviewed by Dave Ramsey. Donald Miller told business leaders that they are not the hero of their company. The customer is. Whatever a business is selling, it needs to be communicated by how it makes the customer the hero.

In his book, Building a Storybrand, Donald Miller says, “If we position our products and services as anything but an aid in helping people survive, thrive, be accepted, find love, achieve an aspirational identity, or bond with a tribe that will defend them physically and socially, good luck selling anything to anybody. These are the only things people care about.” And what are these things? Feelings.

The same concept applies to all kinds of writing, not just copywriting. William Kenower in his book Fearless Writing: How to Create Boldly and Write with Confidence puts it another way. Kenower says to writers: “you are a merchant dealing in emotion.” In a novel or a short story, there is an appropriate time to end in sadness or loss. The difference in copywriting is you are moving the reader from their negative feelings into the feelings of the hero. Feelings of triumph and belonging. Feelings of victory.

So what does this actually look like in copywriting?

Before I write anything about the business or product, I imagine how the reader feels. Why did they Google the topic I’m writing on? What problem do they have in their life? How does that problem make them feel? Then I write a few simple feelings statements at the top of my page so I can keep them in mind as I write.

For example, if I am writing about air conditioning repair, I think about what it feels like on a summer day when your air conditioning is on the fritz. I’m sweating. I’m frustrated. I’m afraid of how much it’ll cost. I am impatient—I want it fixed NOW! I jot down these feelings at the top of the page.

If I am writing for a senior living facility, it may be the children of the seniors that are reading what I’m writing. They are worried about their parent’s health and safety. They are stressed out caring for their job, their kids, and now having to take care of their parents, too. They might be in conflict with their parent since they are trying to talk them into to moving to a facility. They feel a burden of responsibility to do the right thing for their parent.

Once I have those feelings listed at the top of my page, then I describe the product, service, or topic from the writing assignment. Keeping those feelings of the reader at the top of the page guides me to describe the product or service with words that soothe the reader and enable them to be victorious over their situation.

Once I am finished describing the product or service, if the assignment calls for it, I end with a call to action that tells the reader what to do so that they can be the hero. Like “call to schedule an appointment so your family feels cool again” or “contact us to give your mom the best care possible.”

Lastly, I go back to the beginning feeling words and turn them into a short story, just one or two sentences long, that describes a situation that will sound familiar to the reader. This short story serves as a hook to grab the reader’s attention. It makes the reader say, “yes! That’s exactly how I feel!” so he will read on.

Writing copy with feeling takes more work than simply describing the product or service, but your copy will yield results that other copy doesn’t. And business owners notice when your copy is the most effective. Next time you write copy, picture your reader crooning like Aretha, “you make me feel…” Identify their needs. Make them the hero.

In addition to copywriting, Rachel Schmoyer writes about finding simple truth in complex parts of Scripture at readthehardparts.com. A pastor’s wife and a mom of four, she is involved in the children’s ministry in her local church. Rachel is represented by Michelle Lazeruk of WordWise Media. You can connect with Rachel on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

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.