Jen here:
Story world
Story world, quite simply, is the world your story takes
place in. In Star Wars, it’s a galaxy
far, far way. In my book, Coming Home,
it’s 1881 Oregon. It can be as complex as an invented world or as simple as the
street blocks between home and school. But a different story world will create
a different type of story at every level.
Description
How are your readers going to know your story world unless
you tell them about it, right? Wrong. Long (or even short) amounts of
description just for its own sake pulls your reader out of the emotional
experience. It’s like taking them aside to explain things. Again, if they are
in your hero’s skin, they will experience it with your hero. Reveal it like
bread crumbs, just dropping a bit as it’s needed.
Senses
One of the best ways to let us know that we are in the
hero’s skin is through the senses. When you are editing a scene, think a moment
about what information all five senses are giving your POV character. Sight and
touch are easy and the most overused. But what about smell and taste? You can
pull on deep emotions with those. They often evoke strong memories, and you can
use that to your advantage. Don’t forget about hearing too.
However, you don’t want a laundry list of all the senses.
When you are taking stock, think about which two senses will evoke the greatest
emotional experience for your reader. Where in the scene would be the best
place to put those senses? Where would they evoke the strongest reaction?
The key is not to just include the senses for the sake of
it. But to give them to the reader as a clue as to how the hero is feeling. It
all comes back to feelings. The more we know what the hero is feeling, the more
we can relate and feel like we are there and in her skin.
Warning: only
include things the character can see, hear, touch, taste, and smell. Don’t
write “if only she knew what was waiting for her around the corner.” She can’t
see it, so she doesn’t know about it. Neither do we. “She didn’t notice the car
following her.” If she didn’t notice it, neither did we.
Even if she can see it, do you need to include it? If you
tell us about something, we are going to think it’s important and relevant. So
only mention the book on the sidewalk if it’s going to be important or if it’s
important that your character noticed it.
Now, what does your character do with this information?
Sometimes it’s enough to mention the smell of Mom’s apple pie. But what about a
math book laying open on the sidewalk in front of the house? What does your hero
think about that? What does she think it means? Is she confused, scared, mad,
happy? How would your hero view it differently than other characters? The interpretation of the sense stimulus is
just as important the stimulus itself.
Writing emotion follows naturally from writing about the
senses because the senses often trigger emotions. And we need to treat writing
about them the same way.
Like with any writing exercise, the first step is to just
write and be in your creative brain. Then when you’ve had time to let it sit,
go back with the editor brain. Be as concrete and descriptive as you can be. Go
over every adverb. Can you make the verb stronger? Can you say it in a fresh
way?
I bet you can. Now go write something awesome!
Jennifer and the other Pencildancers have just released Worthy to Write: Blank Page Tying Your Stomach in Knots? 30 Prayers to Tackle That Fear. Jennifer's latest books~ Protective Custody: A cop burned by love falls for a key witness in a crime implicating the town’s rich and powerful. Coming Home A strong- willed young woman must discover her brother’s killer before she’s the next victim. The prequel, Be Mine, is also available. Can a simple thank you note turn into something more? Get the first chapter of Coming Home and Protective Custody at www.JenniferVanderklipp.com
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