Into the Fire

Who knows why some of us are more emotional than others? Only God. Emotion is essential to writers because they have to be able to convey it to a reader in diverse circumstances. Some of us automatically display our emotions and others of us have learned to – or naturally do – conceal our emotions while still others of us aren't easily prone to emotional responses to many situations. 

Writing emotional moments in literature requires a deft touch. How much is too much resulting in sappy prose? How little is too scant resulting in a bevy of non-reactions from readers which tends to disengage most from the seriousness or importance of the scene?

I confess to my sappy nature – crying at certain commercials, almost anything military or having to do with animals, saying goodbyes, demonstrations of real love, and not the least of which is sheer gratitude to God for his graciousness and benevolence to me. And the list goes on. No wonder I write love stories, huh? Because I feel deeply, I do my best to make that emotion (those kinds of emotions) roar off the pages of my novels where necessary. I can't tell you whether or not I accomplish it without being sappy or sentimental or even melodramatic. I could say the evidence of my own tears at some of the scenes I've written is inconclusive because of my ability to cry – and feel it deeply – at any given moment. 

Romantic notions aside, the emotions created from rage and anger, resentments and bitterness, jealousy, lust, power-seeking, whatever one might experience, all of them must pack the proverbial punch on the page of a book. They must take the reader to that place in their emotional makeup which puts them in the middle of the conflict with the character(s). 

There can be no hard and fast rule for conveying these emotions regardless of what they are. Instruction can add insights as to what might work on a page such as short sentences, phrases, or halting one word expressions. Designed to create or assist with emotional revelation simply by the structure of the words must also carry the impact because of the specific words used. 

Sometimes it's a daunting task: getting just the right amount of emotion to take the readers on the journey you intend for them and hope they have. Not an easy road to write but a necessary one.

Lord God, thank you for giving me this emotional makeup. I feel deeply but I know it's not even close to what you feel. The pain you endure to save the human soul – I can't imagine it. Thank you, Jesus. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.