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Post by Oliveman on Nov 15, 2007 19:19:46 GMT -5
I've been writing some pretty emotional scenes in my book recently, and I've found it to be a pretty draining experience. What's this like for you in any sort of writing - poetry included?
Now granted, I've seen the question "How do you evoke emotion in the reader?" And also seen the answer, many times: "By feeling that emotion yourself. If you can't do it for yourself, you can't do it for your reader."
I don't think it's quite that simple. I mean, if you get too emotionally into it, how can you can concentrate on writing, if you, say, keep wanting to burst out and scream, and then run around the room naked? Not that I've ever had that particular experience.
I mean... it's one thing to feel the emotion yourself and want to express it, it's another to pull the reader into feeling it, too. Thoughts?
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Kyle
Full Member
~~~~~ Trust Beyond See ~~~~~ "One light will tear apart the night"
Posts: 204
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Post by Kyle on Nov 15, 2007 19:38:35 GMT -5
At the least, a mental scene that arouses emotion in you has a good chance to arouse emotion in the reader; however, you must effectively communicate that scene.
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Post by Oliveman on Nov 15, 2007 21:44:57 GMT -5
I'm thinking that it has alot to do with circumstance. If you put in the appropriate ingredients for the scene, emotion will trigger. It won't trigger if you only show a character in an emotional state. If you show that the character has good reason to cry, and then watch as the character tries to hold back their tears, and then fails - something like that would elicit crying from the reader, maybe.
We need examples!
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Post by misslissy on Nov 16, 2007 17:45:36 GMT -5
I guess for me personally, I've never questioned emotional scenes, thoughts, or ideas. By nature, I am (and I'm guessing neither of you two would or could deny this), a very emotional person. For me, writing emotional scenes is a thrilling experience. It makes me feel more alive than anything else does in writing. I come alive when my characters do and when I can write an emotional scene without feeling alive, well then, neither is my scene alive.
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Post by Oliveman on Nov 16, 2007 17:56:25 GMT -5
What about when you feel emotion while writing the scene, and someone else doesn't?
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Post by misslissy on Nov 17, 2007 0:21:14 GMT -5
Then I've failed my goal as a writer and as a reader.
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Post by eliflauta on Nov 18, 2007 13:22:31 GMT -5
Oliver, I'm pretty sure you HAVE felt that first feeling you mentioned ;-) Emotional scenes can be easy for me to write, because I am very susceptible to outer influences of any kind. All I have to do is get some music that fits the mood, maybe a scent or viewpoint too, and I'm good to go. However, if I can't get myself into the right mindset, the scenes are exceptionally difficult. I find that, if instead of me giving life and shape to the scene, the scene begins to grow onto me and absorb me completely into it, and then I am confident I have succeeded in producing an emotion that readers will respond to. Of course, it always needs editting later like everything else that I have ever written, but it's there.
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