Second That Emotion: Mark's Resource Roundup
- Mark Bedard
- Nov 10, 2017
- 1 min read
As writers, we often shy away from tapping into our own emotions for fear of what demons we may unleash. Consequently, the emotions in our characters may feel forced, not genuine. On the other hand, we sometimes lay it on too thick resulting in maudlin emotions.
Here are a few of the easiest and most effective ways to tap into your true emotions:
Write about what scares you.
Write about what excites you.
Write about what disgusts you.
Write about what saddens you.
Write about what fuels you.
Write about what angers you.
Write about what fills you with love.
Keep a journal.
Now, how do we keep these emotions real? A story may help. Years ago, at a story conference, I was standing in line for a food truck. Behind me was the wonderful screenwriter/producer Pen Densham. We got to talking and he shared a very important secret about infusing stories with genuine emotion. One day, it occurred to him that on some level he was dealing with his “mother issues” in all his screenplays. (Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, mother issues?) The stories had nothing to do with his mother, but the underlying emotions did.
Tap into those deep emotions and you’ll find your writing will take on an elevated literary style. Your emotions are what makes your writing unique. Be brave. Second that emotion.
Keep writing,
Mark
Resource Links:
Bonus Link:
Parting Thought:
“Writing is easy. You just open a vein and bleed.” ― Ernest Hemingway
Comments