Ivy Keating's Blog - Posts Tagged "feelings"
Feelings
Writing a novel, authors are mindful to 'show' what a character is experiencing versus 'tell'. But, why is this strategy critical when it comes to feelings? Showing helps the author create characters with depth, and we're more apt to love the players we can relate to - whether they're good or evil.
How a character responds to events will enhance their development by giving us clues to their emotions. One of my favorite scenes in 'Sarana and the Dark King' is when Sarana, on the eve before battle, literally lets her hair down in front of Cabe. This simple act lets the reader know something inside her is changing. It's a moment when her inner strength triumphs over vulnerability. If I simply wrote, "Sarana felt empowered," the reader would be deprived of the vision of her going from weighted-in-fabric to exposed and free. We gain insight into her emotions, and we can contemplate our own.
Take a moment and think about how your favorite hero or villain copes with the world around them. Note that, even if your character is in a Science-Fiction world, it's their feelings that you can consistently relate to. In 'Camouflage' I can assume no reader has ever been chased by a deadly, prehistoric creature; however, "showing" description can cause a reader to clench their jaw or widen their eyes. We can experience joy, love, hatred or terror, from a safe distance. When you reflect on a story, and think about your favorite scene, it's often your emotional reaction that heightens its significance.
The author that writes their story by "showing" rather than "telling" will give readers greater insight into their character's feelings. The impact on our own emotions is what transcends a novel from good to heart-pounding fantastic!
How a character responds to events will enhance their development by giving us clues to their emotions. One of my favorite scenes in 'Sarana and the Dark King' is when Sarana, on the eve before battle, literally lets her hair down in front of Cabe. This simple act lets the reader know something inside her is changing. It's a moment when her inner strength triumphs over vulnerability. If I simply wrote, "Sarana felt empowered," the reader would be deprived of the vision of her going from weighted-in-fabric to exposed and free. We gain insight into her emotions, and we can contemplate our own.
Take a moment and think about how your favorite hero or villain copes with the world around them. Note that, even if your character is in a Science-Fiction world, it's their feelings that you can consistently relate to. In 'Camouflage' I can assume no reader has ever been chased by a deadly, prehistoric creature; however, "showing" description can cause a reader to clench their jaw or widen their eyes. We can experience joy, love, hatred or terror, from a safe distance. When you reflect on a story, and think about your favorite scene, it's often your emotional reaction that heightens its significance.
The author that writes their story by "showing" rather than "telling" will give readers greater insight into their character's feelings. The impact on our own emotions is what transcends a novel from good to heart-pounding fantastic!
