When you wrote your memoir, did it make you cry? Did you sometimes feel sad as the words appeared on the screen (or paper)? Did you feel extreme joy at some points in the process? Perhaps you even stopped writing a time or two just so you could spend a moment remembering a lovely experience or composing yourself after thinking about a sad one. <\/p>\n
If you did not feel the emotion of the experiences in your story while writing it, then neither will your readers. They will find your story flat\u2014perhaps, only mildly interesting. Your story is probably more of a narrative\u2014this is what happened\u2014without any depth. You are probably telling your story\u2014relating the surface details\u2014without showing what happened\u2014pulling the reader into the story through raw emotion. You might be sharing your story in a superficial way rather than with any real passion. You may be glossing over your story instead of giving it the depth that will actually involve the reader\u2014make him or her care. <\/p>\n
Readers don\u2019t get all that interested in the fact that your dad beat your mom, especially if that\u2019s all you say about it and then you talk about going to school the next day. But take the reader into your frightened mind and let them see through your eyes what exactly took place and how you felt about it and what you felt when you stepped down out of the school bus and faced your friends the next day, and you have accomplished your goal as an author\/storyteller.<\/p>\n
If you want to involve the reader in your story, you have to get involved yourself. You must feel the pain you are writing about and experience the joy. If you don\u2019t, your readers certainly won\u2019t.<\/p>\n
Create an assignment from this concept this week. Take a look at your memoir in progress or your short story. Does it pull at your emotions? If not, go in search of words and phrases that will paint a picture\u2014that will evoke emotion\u2014that will make readers care about the characters or the situation.<\/p>\n
In order to develop and foster this skill, I recommend getting involved with a writers\u2019 critique group. Read your work often and listen to what others say. Let your peers help you to develop your writing.<\/p>\n
For added help with this aspect of your manuscript, contact me\u2014I am offering discounts to those who truly need the help and who truly cannot pay full price. I can also work with you on those other pesky editorial problems that so many writers adopt\u2014misuse of words and punctuation, spacing problems, muddy writing\/lack of clarity, using the passive voice, inconsistencies in the manuscript and so forth. PLFry620@yahoo.com. Email me for a manuscript evaluation.<\/p>\n
Also order my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book <\/em><\/strong>and study the self-editing section. Order the book here: Further, if you want a hands-on lesson in self-editing, check into my NEW self-editing course\u2014which is still not posted at my website. Contact me and I\u2019ll send you the description and other particulars; PLFry620@yahoo.com. <\/p>\n Catscapades Update<\/strong>
\n http:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/rightway.html<\/a> <\/p>\n
\nA writer\/friend\/reviewer\/cat person commented last night that she read Catscapades, True Cat Tales <\/em><\/strong>and absolutely loved it. And, she said, so did her cat. She sent a picture of Belle enjoying the book. I\u2019ll post it at my Catscapades blog soon.
\n http:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades<\/a> <\/p>\n