The Writers’ Nook is a place where we, as a group, can provide a safe and positive environment in which to encourage one another and hone our own writing skills.
Emotions in Writing
Why do people go to the movies, or watch television shows, or read books?
The Answer: Because people want to feel emotion. They go to laugh, or cry, fall in love, feel horror, or any other emotion. They go to feel something other than what they feel in their own lives. Now that doesn’t mean that you, as the writer sits there and cries in your beer while you’re writing; it means that to be successful you have to write in such a way that your audience feels emotion. After all, that’s why they picked up the book!
The Handout
Please download and print this Handout. Bring it with you to the meeting, these are the topics we will be discussing. If you cannot access the Handout, contact me and I’ll email a copy to you.
The Challenge
Your challenge after this meeting is over and before our next meeting on October 22nd will be to write and submit a story, poem or essay. Write about anything you want, pull something you’ve written previously and submit that, or you can use one of the following writing prompts:
— She thought he was dead, but there he was standing on the street in front of her, grinning.
— It was his daughter’s child’s wedding day. While the vows were being said, someone from the crowd yelled “I object!”
— Tell us, what is the best way to treat meddlesome people?
Responses
(Members, after reading the following responses, please continue on down this page to Comment on them. This is where we provide feedback to one another; this is one of the ways we learn from each other.)
Fear by Marilyn McAllister
A Mary Twos-day by Tom Wainwright
Fear: Marilyn, I enjoyed your poem very much. You surprised me; I was expecting a poem that elicited emotion from the audience, and I suppose this one does, but it originated as a poem ‘about’ an emotion. And certainly it has the potential to teach others about surviving an emotion like fear. There was one little phrase I’d like to mention: at first when I read the words “rocking havoc” I thought that you probably meant, “wrecking havoc.” But on further consideration, I think I like the term “rocking havoc.” It’s an interesting metaphor, a metaphor in motion and it’s grown on me!
Fear: Marilyn, I have read your poem. Thank you for sharing your very personal journey through it. Visually, I love the form it took on paper, just looking at it.
The content seems so personal. Thank you for sharing your experience through these words you have allowed us to read.
These words encouraged me to be in deep fellowship with you. That was quite an experience. I am glad that in the face of this invasion of fear in your body, you were able to be present to it and were made able to hear from the depth of your heart the ever present OM at the centre of creation. I can feel the strength of that light within that gave you courage to meet an enemy and cause it to leave your body. Very brave indeed! Well written, it gripped me and is allowing me to know you more deeply. Thank you for sharing it. It is written somewhere that true love casts out fear. I wonder if this was not a turning point for you.
A Mary Twos-day: Tom, I enjoyed your story very much, loved the title.
Your metaphors are heart-warming: the angels in heaven made the sun shine on her face, the blonde highlights in her hair trickled silently down, her smile which you didn’t just see — you experienced! They’re all great! It feels like this story is closer to your heart than some imaginary fictional narrative; have you considered writing your memoirs?
Your title doesn’t seem to capture the whole of the expanse of the story though; unless you meant for it to encompass everything that you and Mary talked about on that special Twos-day. It seems to depart from the title as it meanders off into the butt-worn (great metaphor) sofa, Alzheimers, Mary’s childhood, her horse, her lovelife, and so much more — unless of course, these were the topics of conversation on that special day.
I love everything you’ve written but it leaves me with so many unanswered questions: did Mary stay there? Did you share long horseback rides? Did the two of you catch a lot of trout?
Seems like this is not finished; could be argued that it’s a great outline that could be niggled into a full-fledged book?
Yes, Joyce, it could be niggled into a full-fledged book. This story started as a challenge you posted, which got us to fulfill, and morphed into the short story you have experienced. It took on a life of its own and directed me down the literary path of scribing words on a page. I literally thought the storyline daily and even into the shadowy life of half-awakness during the black hours of the night. A Mary Twos-day was taking over my waking thoughts and I either needed to keep writing or end the story – for the time being. Ending seemed to be the best solution at the moment. Thanks for the great feedback.
Tom: You did a great job of eliciting emotions in your story. It’s your call, but maybe you shouldn’t give up on the life of this story too soon.