How Readers Become A Blubbering--Grab-a-Tissue Mess

AND WHY WE WANT THEM TO...

Engaging readers in an emotionally driven scene becomes the key to a memorable story whether the means is humor, sadness, scary, enraged, true love, etc,.

In fact, mistakes can be forgiven even outweighed if the reader has memorable pieces of story to recall. 

The scene can be goofy, over-the-top, or corny as long as the reader is elevated to give an emotional response.


My all time favorite emotion scene is the opening of Romancing the Stone. 

The character's name is Joan Wilder. She is a world famous author of romance stories. Her editor is bugging her to finish the next best seller. 

Romancing the Stone-IMDB

Scene: Joan is sitting in her apartment at a flimsy table. She has headphones on and is reading this last scene of her completed work out loud: Jesse, the hero of all her stories, rides over the hill just in time to save the girl. He kills the bad guys then scoops her up on his horse and they ride into the sunset. Joan is a blubbering mess as she reads "The End."

Her emotions are over the top spilling out her eyes and pumping laughter from her lungs. Joan searches her house for a tissue, willing to use toilet paper, paper towel, anything and only finds reminder notes to buy more tissue. As a last resort she blows her nose in a post-it stuck to her fridge with one word written on it--tissues.  

I WANT TO BE THIS KIND OF WRITER!!!

DON'T YOU?

How can this be achieved?

1. Show don't tell.
2. Paint scenes in 3D...yea even 4D
3. Present character's POV with their gut perceptions. Not what is necessarily proper but what he or she really does in each scene. Make men men. Women can be tough and feminine. People die, weep mournfully, laugh uproariously, belch in public, fart, trip, stutter, and even do things right!
4. Show don't tell.

To demonstrate we happen to have a few published Alley Cats who are excited to share an emotion powered exert from their book:

From: Shadowed by Grace by Cara Putnum--

She crept toward her mother's narrow bed but couldn't force herself to look into her mother's eyes, not when the woman had read her every though with a glance from the moment Rachel had first breathed.

I still can't write his name, as if the very act of doing so will cause him to evaporate like the mist. I can't because when I am with him, I am alive. It is as if I hold my breath until the next moment he is with me. Too long and I feel sick as if I will expire from lack of air.

From:  In His Grip by Amy Leigh Simpson-Coming Spring 2016--

         After the violent shriek of the tires and deafening roar of twisting steel all had fallen silent. Her screams had faded to intermittent hiccups and sniffles. The eerie hush of the falling rain like a blanket of white noise smothering the wreckage. Minutes or hours might have passed as her small body, suspended inches from the crushed roof of the car, wriggled against the cutting pressure of the seat belt. Then a groaning sound. A snippet of hope that her parents had survived. She whimpered, fresh tears dripping in the already frozen tear tracks down her forehead. Never had a sweeter sound graced Joselyn’s ears than when her father’s gruff accent assured her she wasn’t alone.

         “Charisma? … Joselyn?”

        “Daddy. Oh, daddy, I’m here. I’m—I’m scared.” She shivered hard, trembling uncontrollably from the cold that had long ago soaked through her winter coat.

        Her father didn’t assure her everything would be all right. Somehow she knew nothing would ever be all right again.

From A Side of Hope by Krista Phillips—

       Air lodged in her lungs. Her body refused to breathe. Blood rushed to her head, and the world tipped on its side.

       Her hands grasped for something to hold her up and fell upon the back of the chair. It didn’t make sense. Why was Adam here? Today? After all these years?

       Reuben stood, arms folded across his chest, giving the new guest a fierce look. “Tilly, you know this guy?”

      The man with dark hair and sharp gray eyes fiddled with his hands for a moment then shoved them into his pockets. He looked—older. Age had only agreed with him, though. Light lines creased his eyes. His jaw was still strong and solid, covered by short stubble that begged for a razor. Gone was the immature “boy” whom she’d once thought she would love forever. In his place was a man whose presence threatened to destroy everything. “I—I didn’t realize you had this much company.”

      Words jumbled in her brain. “It—it’s my birthday. I didn’t know—I mean, they surprised me.”

      Stew, Allie’s husband, flanked Adam on the other side. “Tilly, who is this guy?”

      She blinked and swallowed. What should she say? Most people—those few who would even remember him—probably thought Adam a good-for-nothing guy who was long gone years ago.  No one had even mentioned him for well over a decade, and no one, not even her best friends, knew her secret.

      Her eyes set on Adam again, and suddenly the years slipped away. She was twenty-two and facing the man who chose a career over love and shattered her heart into a million pieces in the process. Words stuck in her throat, hollow and lifeless. She blinked. The only thing she could think to say was the truth. “I’m sorry. Everyone—” She looked around, her eyes touching on confused and bewildered faces. “This is Adam. My husband.”

From: The Thorn Keeper by Pepper D. Basham

      David moved to miss the scalpel, but the blade pierced into his forearm, producing another bite of pain. With as much force as he could muster, David slammed a fist into Clayton’s face, sending the man and his crutch sprawling off balance and onto the floor.

      Clayton growled, reaching for another bed rail to regain his balance, and grabbing the blanket covering poor Mr. Sacks instead. The new arrival attempted to slide back in his bed, as far from Clayton as he could, but the madman turned the scalpel on him. Blood riveted from Clayton’s nose as he hovered over Sacks. David charged forward to make another attack, but Catherine’s sudden appearance behind Clayton froze him in place. She hadn’t made a sound. Careful and precise, she raised a white ceramic bowl into the air, and without hesitation, smashed it down onto Clayton’s head.

      Time slowed. Clayton stared at David, a look of pure surprise then curiosity crossing his face, before he crumbled to the floor in a massive heap.

      David looked up at Catherine, who looked back at him with as much of a wide-eyed expression as he must have shown. She released a long, slow breath as if she’d been holding it since they entered the room.

As a writer inundated with edits, deadlines, etc, you may not even realize the extent your driven scene or paragraph impacted a reader to respond outwardly. In their own setting with your book in hand, she burst out laughing. He gasped. She yelled a warning. He screamed the right way to turn. The book was slammed shut while the reader gained their composure. THEN curiosity forced them to open the cover again.

Pumping up emotional scenes to spring to life is crucial because they drive readers to want more. Read more. Laugh more. Hope that the character will live, kiss, make-the-right-choice-to-the-last-page more. 

Of all the scenes, chapters, paragraphs, sentences, words a writer writes--these emotion soliciting response portions are the most important. Because they are memorable.

Are you pumped???

I can't wait to read your comment(s)!

 *******************************************************************************************************

Rock climbing, white-water rafting, and hiking top Mary's list of great ways to enjoy a day. These can be found in her stories as well.

Mary writes young adult mystery/suspense, is honing marketing and writing skills, and loves to pen missionary and tell Bible event stories on her ministry blog, God Loves Kids. She has finaled in several writing contests.

Visit Mary at her website, blog, and her ministry blog to families: God Loves Kids. Or chat on Facebook or Twitter

All subscribers to Mary's newsletter will receive her new short story an intriguing suspense/mystery. Come, read a good story. To get your free gift, sign up for the newsletter at Mary's website or:

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Rejection: Rooting Out the Lies and Replacing them with Truth

Gualberto107 from freedigitalphotos.net

My inspiration for this series is Charles Stanley's Emotions and a fabulous study of Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst, along with over 40,000 other women. Both of these resources have helped further cement the need for more of the "capital T" Truth in my life.
 Do you believe any lies in your writing life?

How do we inspect these lies and replace them with truth?

We need a thorough grounding in God's word  until the lies begin to lose their power.

Lysa TerKeurst says, "The more we operate in the truth of who we are and the reality that we were made for more, the closer to God we'll become."

You open up your inbox to find only deep disappointment. Perhaps (if you're lucky) its the "golden ticket" of rejection letters filled with helpful information to help grow your story. Maybe its a form letter. Or maybe you don't hear anything at all...and as the days, weeks, months go by...the kernel of hope inside you shrivels.

Perhaps for a moment, or a day or two...or maybe even longer...you forget about your True Source of Hope. You let the barrage of words drown out the One who is the Word whispering in your ear even in the midst of your doubts.

Have you bought into any of these lies?

Lie: I just wasted a whole bunch of time on this story, and its worthless.

TRUTH: Allen Arnold wrote a wonderful post for the Alley here about how writing is dancing with our father. It is never a waste.

Luke 19:11-27 the parable of the talents asks us what are we doing with the spiritual gifts he has given us. Even though writing isn't listed as a spiritual gift in the Bible it is a gift to be used for his purpose in the body. It would be wasteful not to be writing. God has put this desire in you.


Lie: Maybe I'm not meant to write.

TRUTH: Ashley posted this quote on facebook just today and it is worth repeating.

"The things you are PASSIONATE about are not random, they are your CALLING." -Fabienne Fredrickson

Do you love to write? There's your answer. I don't think you would be here if you didn't.

Lie: My writing isn't going anywhere. Its not influencing anyone.

TRUTH: Even if you think your writing has not affected anyone else, it has probably changed your own heart in ways you haven't even realized. God uses our ministry as a gift to minister to us what we most need: conviction, encouragement, sharpening, a sense of His love and hope.

Perhaps your writing is not meant to change and move the masses...right now. Perhaps not ever. Are you OK with that thought? God wants you to continue on with him as your guide. If he is calling you to write all you will gain on the journey will be well-worth it no matter what the outcome. Because you will grow closer to your Heavenly Father in the process.

Lie: Justifying the criticism in the rejection

TRUTH: We need to accept the areas where we need growth, even when it hurts. Almost all criticism has a valid component, so take from it the stone of wisdom to put in your pocket.

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. -Philippians 3:12

This is one of my favorite Bible verses because it encourages me to press on in all that I do. Not because God needs our writing or anything else we can give. But because I want to be my best for him in all I do so it will be a witness to others of the hope that is within me.

Your acceptance of criticism and responding with a note of appreciation will help you grow. We need to surrender the areas of our writing that need growth instead of being prideful of what we have obtained so far and allowing ourselves to stagnate.

Take each comment and turn it into a practical application.

For instance, I need to grow in my grammar. I will study a high school grammar textbook weekly and apply what I've learned about sentence structure and punctuation.

Positive action steps might include: attending a conference, seeking out someone who is better than me in a particular area of writing (and isn't mentoring a benefit for all areas of life as well?) and humbling myself to ask for their help, reading a book on writing, or even putting aside the money for professional advice.

Lie: My worth lies in what someone else thinks.

TRUTH: People pleasing is a lie that can saturate us in many areas of our life. Because we have not let the truth infiltrate and overflow that God has made us for His own pleasure. We hear so much about the audience of One, but are we really only singing for him? Are we allowing his whispers to drown out in the possibility of other's applause?

Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

If God is for you, how does that speak into all these lies?

If God loves you with a love that is shouted out through nature's beauty and whispered in our moments of despair, how can we allow any room for these tiny thorns of lies that spring up in our minds and hearts?



Are there any lies of rejection you've heard whispered from the enemy, in your writing life or any other aspect of life? Share any that I missed.

Do you have favorite scripture you meditate on to speak truth into your writing life?

Julia writes contemporary fiction to mirror truth. A former assistant librarian, she now channels her card cataloguing skills into homeschooling her elementary aged littles and writing for Library Journal. She has reviewed for a variety of websites for several years.

Dealing with Rejection, Envy and Other Not-So-Fun Writer Emotions

I was planning to write this post on Downton Abbey, but I'm feeling rather disenchanted (give me one good reason not to give up on it...and if you tell me a new suitor for Mary I'm going to scream).

However, as we've been going viral in this household (and I don't mean in a marketing kind of way) I've had more time than usual to read.

Charles Stanley ministries offered me the opportunity to review his new book entitled Emotions. With main topics such as rejection, envy, and discouragement I almost immediately saw parallels to the writing life and some of the emotions we deal with in this ministry. In the next few posts I would like to share some things I've learned from Stanley's book.

"God created you and me with the capacity to experience the full gamut of emotions so we could enjoy life, share our inner being with others and reflect his image. They were given to us as a gift so we can interact meaningfully with our heavenly father and the people we know." (Chapter 1, Emotions by Charles Stanley).

What a great thought not only for our own emotions, but also with our characters. We want them to have the full gamut of emotions and if we hold back emotion in our own life, how can we write rich characters that will minister to others.

Stanley says, "God knows you perfectly, sees your scars, and fully understands the reason you react to situations the way you do." (Chapter 1, Emotions).

How can we think we know the right plan for our own lives? Do we really understand God's timing in those rejection letters? Or when he asks us to place our writing career on hold to raise our children or work overtime to help pay the bills? Proverbs 16:25 says the way man thinks is right leads to death. We have no knowledge of what is right apart from asking for his wisdom.

But the Lord cares deeply about your wounds, every small and large concern on your heart. When we're brokenhearted the Lord delights to heal us and to bind our wounds. What is your wound? The thirtieth rejection letter? Envy for a writing friend who has received rewards? We cover over our envy and it is not healed. Bring it to the Lord, He can handle your honest outpouring of emotion.

Then Stanley advises we can ask the Lord to change any wrong areas of thinking. Our hearts are so dark we often don't even know what they are so we ask the Lord search me and know my heart. Show me if there is any unclean thing in me. (Psalm 26:2-3)

What are the most painful experiences in your writing life?

 Do you have any wounds that remain from them?

 Are there bare emotions exposed when you think of these things?

The wounds are often deeper than we realize, we need the Lord to show us even the depth of them.

What messages  about yourself do you struggle with as a result?

Lately I've had a very hard time sharing my work with the critique group I belong to, often making excuses. The work isn't polished enough. This is my first draft (which is often true, but you get the picture). The truth is I have a pride problem. I make excuses to cover that up. I will grow at my own rate and in the Lord's timing.

What lies do we believe about ourselves, spiritual lies that affect our writing life? Have we accepted the lie that the opinions of our agent, a potential editor, or a critique mean more than God? (We do need to gracefully accept criticism and allow it to change our writing, but I mean something deeper. We can NOT allow it to change how we see our identity, which is never changing. Stanley suggests studying the book of Ephesians and internalizing what God says about us as believers.

Or perhaps we've accepted the lie that we want to be published RIGHT now only so God can use us. God can and will use you right where you are. Don't despise small beginnings. Be willing to humble yourself to allow God to use your writing, even if its not in a way you expect. Last year, writing prayers for a prayer team of 10-12 ladies blessed me far more than writing an article that went to 60,000 libraries. The fruit may not come where you expect or when you expect. The gift fully belongs to God so be willing to let him use it in a way that may seem strange to you. Be willing to be invisible in using your gift for him.

In Chapter 2, Stanley discusses God's purpose for our emotions.

When we feel rejection or fear of the future we are often wrestling with wounds caused by other losses we've faced. Will God fail to supply all we need. He has given us everything we need for life and godliness.

What other wound might you struggle with here, that goes beyond your writing life? Does our next novel need to be published this year so we can provide for our family? No, God is going to supply all we need. Our Jehovah Jireh.

Why do we focus on our disappointments rather than our joys? Spend some time journaling about what God has done in your writing life. How has he shown himself faithful? Then spend some time journaling about what he has done in your life as a whole.

Stanley talks about the fact that if we don't follow we'll always wonder what God could have done through us.

What are some gifts of rejection? They help us realize that our writing gift is only from Him and He is fully in charge of it.

Rejection helps us realize how much we need God. During trials we are apt to pull closer and closer to him.

Furthermore, it helps us to be more aware of our heavenly calling. We remember what the important things are in life, the eternal things. We have acceptance of God through Jesus Christ's shed blood if we are believers. What can the rejection of man do to us? It helps us to realize where we may be idolizing man's opinion above God's.

What about other's successes? Our emotions help us to weep with others, they can also help us rejoice with others. We all have positive experiences we can draw on to help us empathize with other's success. What gift of rejoicing can you bring based on your own life?

Acknowledge what you are feeling. Don't be afraid to give a name to envy, jealousy, pride, bitterness, or other emotions. We need to get in our prayer closet. God has everything we need to deal with these emotions.

What is helping us to deal with rejection and feelings of inadequacy? God alone, or do we look for something else. Its not wrong to drink a mocha, buy a new sweater, or eat a piece of chocolate cake perse but are we bandaging a wound that is meant to be fully healed by God. I admit I struggle with this. These last few months, but those treats don't fill me for long. Not where it matters. They instead leave an empty spot.

**Thank you to Howard Books and Charles Stanley ministries for sending me an ebook. The opinions enclosed are my honest thoughts. If you are interested in reading, here's a link to Emotions by Charles Stanley. **

Do you have verses that have helped you when you have gone through difficult times in your writing life?

Julia writes contemporary fiction to mirror truth. A former assistant librarian, she now channels her card cataloguing skills into homeschooling her elementary aged littles and writes for Library Journal. She has reviewed for a number of websites for several years.

The Writer and Anticipation

Photo by Master Isolated Images
freedigitalphotos.net

The emotions of the writer run the gambit. We get excited over new story ideas. We get frustrated when we get writer's block. We are ecstatic when we get a request for a full manuscript from an agent or editor. We wallow in the depths of despair when we receive a rejection in our email box. Up and down, up and down, our emotions ride the roller coaster.

But there is one emotion in the writing journey that we tend to overlook because it is subtle.

Anticipation.

When I hear the word anticipation, I am reminded of Christmas Eve long ago. While a pregnant woman was being settled by her husband into a stable, heaven awaited with baited breath for the coming of the Messiah on Earth.

Anticipation.

While a baby lay in a manger, shepherds were hurrying to find the Christ, King of Kinds and Lord of Lords.

Anticipation.

You know the feeling....it is the hopeful expectation of things to come. The longing for something better. The desire for something new and good to come our way. The hope of having our dreams fulfilled.

Writers await with anticipation on a daily basis. We hope for a completed manuscript. We desire contest wins. We anticipate publication. Anticipation keeps us going.

While we write with the expectation of having our dreams realized, so often we let fear and comparison cloud our view. It is like fog creeping across the land, clouding our path and slowing us down. We must learn to slow down and focus on the path. Just keep writing and enjoy the journey, letting the words flow from the heart. The fog will soon dissipate and the way will grow clear once again.

Kindle the fire of anticipation. Just as we should always anticipate the return of our King Jesus not just at Christmas, but all year long, we must keep the anticipation of our writing dream alive.

There is much to anticipate in the coming year. What are you anticipating?

****************************************************************************

This post is brought to you by

 Sherrinda Ketchersid

Sherrinda is a minister's wife and mother to three giant sons and one gorgeous daughter. A born and bred Texan, she writes historical romance filled with fun, faith, and forever love.

Conference Emotions and Some Scripture Meditations

Last year when I attended ACFW, I was raw with fear.

It was a new experience.

I hate talking to large groups. 

Meeting new people causes a tsunami wave to bolt through my stomach.

I hadn't flown on a plane in over fifteen years. 

I had never traveled alone.

And I could continue on...

Last year I did a lot of praying. In my hotel room. In the prayer room. In the dining hall. In the appointment waiting area. And with other people in all of those places.

Praying for others helped me to get through a stressful time for me.

The other thing that helped me was meditating on the Scriptures. I carried little cards in my wallet with Scripture verses and took them out regularly whenever I had a spare moment. 

With conference upcoming, I would like to share some Scriptures to meditate on whether you are attending or not and whatever emotions you may be struggling with this week.

Here are some Scriptures that may help, taken from the ESV version.

Contentment:

Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.-1 Timothy 6:6-7

Fear: 

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.-Joshua 1:9

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?-Psalm 27:1-2

For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.-Psalm 27:5

Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!-Psalm 31:24

God's timing:

Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.-Psalm 25:5

Humility:

He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way. All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.-Psalm 25:10

My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad.-Psalm 34:2

Loneliness:

Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses.-Psalm 25:16-17

God's goodness:

Oh how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind.--Psalm 31:19

Direction:

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.-Psalm 32:8

Hurting:

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.-Psalm 34:18

You have kept count of my tossings, put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?-Psalm 56:8

PRAISE:

I will give thanks to you, O LORD, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.-Psalm 58:9-10

But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of distress.-Psalm 59:16

He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not greatly be shaken.-Psalm 62:2

Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.-Psalm 96:6

Is there any Scripture that has helped you during a difficult time in your writing life? Please share with us.

Julia enjoys writing women's fiction whenever she can find a chair free of smushed peanut butter sandwiches and lego blocks. She is a wife and homeschooling mama of two littles. She also enjoys reading and reviewing books for Library Journal, The Title Trakk, and Christian Library Journal.