E IS FOR EMOTIONS AND EXPERIENCE ( CONT ’ D )
Why keep the notebook ?
You might not have immediate need for any of these impressions , adjectives or adverbs when they catch your attention , but when you need something special you have references from your own experience or imagination . A favorite that I jotted down , just because I liked the sound of it , was “ like an old dowager attempting to keep her dignity .” It was from some old 1940 ’ s movie on late night TV , but the image stuck with me . Later I used it in Devil ’ s Dance to create a visual image of a shabby sofa with arm caps covering the worn spots . A description of a dowager wasn ’ t related to a sofa , but the image of hanging onto the last bit of dignity was clear .
Drawing upon your own emotional experiences
When placing a character in a situation that is emotional , whether the scene is one of love at first sight , terror , or delight at seeing a new baby , the deep emotional reaction must be felt . Your character must feel it so the reader can as well . That reaction isn ’ t one sided . It ’ s both physical and mental . You can soar to the heights or drop to the depths . You might swell with pride or be reduced to tears . That is the mental side . What are the physical reactions ? Does the stomach twist in spasms ? Is the person so happy they actually feel a bit lightheaded ? That ’ s where the writer becomes the method actor .
Write what you know
You ’ ve probably heard that saying so many times you ’ re sick of it . Still , the majority of us have had experiences that produce these emotions and physical reactions . Your own experience may have no direct relationship whatsoever to the actual mechanics of the scene you ’ re in the process of creating , but the feelings are the same . Your notebook becomes your personal databank
To grasp those feelings , forget about how to relate your memory to the scene in your manuscript . Instead , as you picture it , enter what happened to you or what you experienced in an “ Experiences ” section of your notebook . While you are writing down your own feelings , let your mind roam free . Capture the emotions that surge back as the memories take hold . Now you have a record of what that emotion feels like . Surprisingly , it can be applied to a multitude of manuscripts , because the basics are the same . Let ’ s say the reaction was surging thoughts . The only difference , is they become the thoughts that apply to that particular situation and will vary with the storyline . But , the thoughts still surge .
GETTING IN TOUCH WITH EMOTIONS
Pride
Anger
Frustration
Doubt
WRITERS ’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
PAGE
11
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2016