Monday 10 January 2011

I Has Feelings

Over the weekend I was editing my MS and making sure I'd packed enough emotion or, as I like to call them, feewings (sorry, I also watched The Princess Bride. Now I keep thinking of the wedding ceremony!)

Anyway, it made me think how important feelings are in our writing. We need our characters to express emotion so we, as readers, can connect with them. If they don't show me they care, why should I?

We need intense, emotional close-ups to keep us hooked. How do you do that? Don't worry, I know a man who can help: 


Vandermemes from James Van Der Beek


Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to convert 'sheer panic' into words for my WIP.


21 comments:

Jamie Grey said...

Ha! I saw these over the weekend and they cracked me up! I really need to work hard on my emotional subtext - it's so much easier for me to write plot driven stories that I always need to go back and layer in the feelings myself! Good luck with the editing :)

Renae said...

This was hilarious! It's so easy to get wrapped up in the story and forget to show the emotion. Great points!

Stina said...

I've been focusing on emotions a lot lately in my writing. Maybe that was part inspiration for my blog post today. :D

Sarah Ahiers said...

ahh yes, the vandermemes. I saw these a few weeks ago on Jezebel and have saved them for possible future use

Amparo Ortiz said...

I LOVED this!! Saw it over the weekend and died! He's such a good sport, isn't he? Not everyone is willing to make fun of themselves :D

Best of luck with your edits!!

Creepy Query Girl said...

oh that's fun! lol.

Colene Murphy said...

HA! Awesome! Oh...Princess Bride...love.

Ellie Garratt said...

LOL. I enjoyed that. Thank you!

Kimberly Franklin said...

Ah, I really want to see it but I can't at work. I'll have to come back! :)

Christina Lee said...

Except when you use the word FEEL too much in your WIP like do *sigh*

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Pictures are worth a thousand words but somehow you have to show that emotion with many fewer words.

Janet Johnson said...

So helpful! Now I know where to go when I can't figure out what an emotion should look like. :)

Carolina M. Valdez Schneider said...

Eager beaver...hahahaha! That was awesome. I never watched Dawson's Creek. It annoyed me. But he's such a cutie, isn't he? I think he's even better looking now. What a fun guy. Will try to learn that o-face :P

But you're right--emotions are a must in writing! It helps us connect with the characters.

Lisa Galek said...

That video was hilarious!

Good luck converting sheer panic into words!

Shannon said...

LOL. This was awesome.

Oh man.... The eye roll. This is too funny. The O face. Thanks for sharing!

Vicki Rocho said...

Love it! I'm thinking he might just have to join the virtual harem, what a cutie - and with a sense of humor...I can always use a man like that! LOL

Katrina L. Lantz said...

That is freakin awesome!

Great inspiration for writing there!

Sondrae Bennett said...

I laughed so hard! Dramatic Dawson... fantastic. Thanks for sharing!

Jayne said...

How about "arrant alarm", or "downright dread". Maybe "rank revulsion. There's always "peed my pants".
Sorry, I'm rather emotionally drained at the moment.
Funny post -just what I needed!

WritingNut said...

Lol... that was awesome! I LOVE Princess Bride! :)

Hannah said...

You are so right. I figure if I can make myself cry or creep myself out then I'm doing an okay job. But if I'm bored writing and bored with my characters, others will feel the same.