Writing - Emotion

 Unless you are writing an instruction manual on how to plait fog you will need emotion in your work. That simple fact takes us back to writing from where you're at. Emotion is an essential tool in engaging readers. 

Of course, numerous emotions and levels of emotional reaction need to be understood if not experienced, if they are to be used in writing. In reality, the vast majority of us do not experience the types of emotion associated with war or great deprivation but there are many examples from whom we can learn. In fact, today while writing this, there was an interview with girls attacked by a knife-wielding murderer in Southport last summer. The emotion on the teacher's face was palpable and her words took the viewer back to the horrors of what she had been through. 

The negative emotions are possibly the most difficult to handle and describe but there are examples that can help. Few of us have experienced extreme fears, but reading can supply some help. 

The more positive emotions such as happiness are probably easier to apply in your writing and thankfully we all will have experienced some level of joy in our lives. Similarly, sorrow and loss touches everyone at some point in their lives and is available to creative types. 

There is no doubt in my mind that emotion will improve the quality of your work and provide readers with the tear-generating, side-splitting opportunities that you want when being entertained by the written word. 

God Bless