Friday, February 29, 2008
Emotionally Speaking
When I’m not sitting behind my keyboard, or helping my eight year old with vocabulary words, I most likely can be found in the operating room. Just like any of you, there are some things I enjoy about my job better than others. I chose nursing as a career for the same reason I want to be a writer. I love the emotional aspect of both professions. In nursing I love bonding with my patients in the preoperative area before I take them back to surgery. Most of the time my patients never remember who I am because they are sedated before they ever see me. It doesn’t matter to me that I’m usually never named on a patient survey as a nurse who delivered quality care. It’s rewarding enough to know that I reduced their anxiety before they drift off to sleep. A little gesture such as holding their hand, or telling them that I will be with them during the entire surgery is enough to alleviate a lot of the anxiety that they experience. I treat my patients the way I would want to be treated.
The same applies to my writing. I write what I like to read. I love books that include emotional scenes that grip the heart. I give the best of me to my readers. I love writing emotion and I want it to be evident in my writing. As writers we all deliver with pride, what we do best. It doesn’t matter if what we write well, is humor, suspense, erotica, or inspiration, we excel when we are in our element. In these moments the words flow, and you become one with the keyboard.
Movie directors use actors to create a scene that provokes the most emotion for viewers. With one touch, one expression, or one tear, they can tell the story without dialogue. As writers we don’t have the liberty of cinematography, but we do have the beauty of words. If we do our job well, we can produce just as much of an impact, and possibly more than a director on a movie set.
Even though I will never be a real movie director, in my world I direct my character’s actions on the page. I’m as happy as a pig in mud when I’m knee deep in emotion and angst. There’s something about creating a scene that can evoke emotion, and make your readers want to either throw the book across the room, or grab the nearest Kleenex. To me it gives the story substance, instead of a plain cheese pizza it’s like ordering a meaty supreme.
Here’s a slice of my pie…
He was everything in a man I didn’t need, but like a pair of designer shoes-he was addictive.
He took a step toward me and I totally expected him to kiss me, but he stopped a millimeter away from my lips.
“I’m not sleeping on the couch tonight. I want to keep an eye on the outside, in case you have a visitor.”
I nodded and willed him to step away before I made a fool of myself. I was tired of being strong. Tonight I needed his strength and he had more than enough to give. It didn’t matter if he was on the couch or in my bed.
I needed him.
I leaned forward and rested my forehead on his lips. His hands skimmed up my arms and into the hair at the base of my neck.
“You okay?” He asked.
I pulled away and looked into his steel blue eyes. “I’m good.”
He nodded, and walked away. He reached the door and turned to look at me. “Call me if there’s a problem.”
The door clicked shut behind him and I was alone. I didn’t know what scared me the most, the stalker getting to me, or starting to feel dependent on Maverick. I clicked off the lamp next to the couch, walked over to the window, and pulled the curtain back. I saw him slip inside his truck and flash his lights. I slowly stepped away from the window, and let the curtain trail through my fingers.
I swallowed the emotion lumped in my throat. For the first time in my life I felt vulnerable, and I didn’t like it. My life was compartmentalized and this was screwing with the system. I looked at the sheets tucked perfectly on the couch, topped with a pristine white pillow. I walked over and sat down, closed my eyes, and leaned my head back against the cushion. I inhaled and caught the clean, all male scent of Maverick on the sheets.
A tear slipped out of the corner of my eye, and I let it go.
Do you like writing or reading emotion the best? If you don’t like writing emotion, what do you feel you write well?
The same applies to my writing. I write what I like to read. I love books that include emotional scenes that grip the heart. I give the best of me to my readers. I love writing emotion and I want it to be evident in my writing. As writers we all deliver with pride, what we do best. It doesn’t matter if what we write well, is humor, suspense, erotica, or inspiration, we excel when we are in our element. In these moments the words flow, and you become one with the keyboard.
Movie directors use actors to create a scene that provokes the most emotion for viewers. With one touch, one expression, or one tear, they can tell the story without dialogue. As writers we don’t have the liberty of cinematography, but we do have the beauty of words. If we do our job well, we can produce just as much of an impact, and possibly more than a director on a movie set.
Even though I will never be a real movie director, in my world I direct my character’s actions on the page. I’m as happy as a pig in mud when I’m knee deep in emotion and angst. There’s something about creating a scene that can evoke emotion, and make your readers want to either throw the book across the room, or grab the nearest Kleenex. To me it gives the story substance, instead of a plain cheese pizza it’s like ordering a meaty supreme.
Here’s a slice of my pie…
He was everything in a man I didn’t need, but like a pair of designer shoes-he was addictive.
He took a step toward me and I totally expected him to kiss me, but he stopped a millimeter away from my lips.
“I’m not sleeping on the couch tonight. I want to keep an eye on the outside, in case you have a visitor.”
I nodded and willed him to step away before I made a fool of myself. I was tired of being strong. Tonight I needed his strength and he had more than enough to give. It didn’t matter if he was on the couch or in my bed.
I needed him.
I leaned forward and rested my forehead on his lips. His hands skimmed up my arms and into the hair at the base of my neck.
“You okay?” He asked.
I pulled away and looked into his steel blue eyes. “I’m good.”
He nodded, and walked away. He reached the door and turned to look at me. “Call me if there’s a problem.”
The door clicked shut behind him and I was alone. I didn’t know what scared me the most, the stalker getting to me, or starting to feel dependent on Maverick. I clicked off the lamp next to the couch, walked over to the window, and pulled the curtain back. I saw him slip inside his truck and flash his lights. I slowly stepped away from the window, and let the curtain trail through my fingers.
I swallowed the emotion lumped in my throat. For the first time in my life I felt vulnerable, and I didn’t like it. My life was compartmentalized and this was screwing with the system. I looked at the sheets tucked perfectly on the couch, topped with a pristine white pillow. I walked over and sat down, closed my eyes, and leaned my head back against the cushion. I inhaled and caught the clean, all male scent of Maverick on the sheets.
A tear slipped out of the corner of my eye, and I let it go.
Do you like writing or reading emotion the best? If you don’t like writing emotion, what do you feel you write well?
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45 comments:
Wow. That's incredible. *wipes eyes* I need that allergy medicine.
I've never thought about this question before but I prefer to write angst than read it. Don't get me wrong, I love to read it. But when I write it, I get a different sort of satisfaction. And it helps that I know eventually it will all be alright.
I know that when I read but I don't know how. My heart races and I get all antsy. Then it's hard to make out the words through the tears.
Writing it is ... different. I don't know how to explain it, but I just feel like I've accomplished something good and it makes me smile.
Thanks for making me think about this and thanks for that snippet. The beauty of it is perfect to lull me to sleep. LOL!
Oh yeah, it's midnight. Just in case this comment looks weird in the morning. *g*
Descartes was wrong when he said "I think therefore I am"
He should have said 'I feel therefore I am.'
I think that capturing emotion on the page is difficult. If there was a simple formula it would be grabbed by the AI (artificial intelligence) guys to give emotion and 'inner feeling' to their robots. Facial expression, tears etc are easy to reproduce but are only superficial indicators. I suspect that the trick is to connect to the reader so that you can tap into the reader's emotions.
Afraid your passage didn't quite do it for me Lisa, but I am stuffing sausage into my mouth before setting off. I will read it again tonight after a soothing scotch....that may be the way to connect! *g*
I have had several ops in my time and the smiling face of the nurse as the anaesthetist says 'count to five' is what I always remember.....wonderful caring people.
There Terri, your post doesn't look so weird now!
That's very good, Q. I feel therefore I am. Much more accurate.
I'm awake now and the scene still tears me up. Dang. *g*
Oh, I know this is more for yesterday's topic but if you are looking for a good crit of the first 10 pages of your MS, Kathryn Caskie is giving one away today over on the Romantic Times Book Review forum.
Kathryn writes funny and entertaining historicals and is a sweet lady to boot. Just cut and paste this link into your browser if you'd like to try for the crit.
http://www.romantictimes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13836
Ter, I think as writers we all connect well to what we like to write, but it's different when we read it on the page as someone else's work.
When I read a really good emotional passage I feel the wow from it, and to me it doesn't get any better unless angst ties into the scene:)
I'm glad you teared up at my passage, that's the best compliment I could receive.
Q, I feel therefore I am, that's perfect. You are so right tears without emotion are wasted saline:)
It's okay that it didn't evoke an emtional response for you. I think the way we respond to certain words on a page is individualized.Maybe it just didn't pack the emotional punch for you that it should have.
That was beautiful! When are you getting published? What do you mean it's not done yet?
I think I prefer to read angst than write it. I feel so...worn out just writing it, since I have to pull feelings from within, and I don't write very fast...so I'm stuck with these emotions for hours. I can read and be done in 20 minutes; I may think about the scene later--think "Wow, what a great scene" but I won't be as emotionally torn as I was in the moment of the scene.
I always need sleep after an emotionally draining scene...which is what I consider angst to be: emotionally draining.
*grins* And I love cheese pizza--esp 5 cheese pizza.
I prefer to write emotion than experience it myself. I'd rather not read it, but I like to torture myself, so I find myself rereading all the emotional points in a book. Emotion shows what kind of character they are. You write emotion beautifully. You always have.
What I like to come away with is emotional satisfaction. It doesn't have to have a HEA but it has to be resolved. I need a book to touch me emotionally, deep in my heart, make my stomach twist in knots, make my heart beat a little faster. And not many books do that for me.
Loved the snippet. Never thought I wouldn't.
Q's comment got me thinking. (Esp since I've watch I Robot like a dozen times; I find it fascinating how they make the robots seem so lifelike...) I think the reason emotion is hard to "fake" is that you have to have a soul.
Whether we have souls is up for debate with many people, but I do believe we have them. (But then I believe ghosts exist too, even if I've never seen one.)
Anyway, I think it's our souls that humanize us, and that can't be duplicated or faked or cloned. (Which is probably the biggest reason why scientists claim 'souls' can't possibly exist.)
You threw me off with the pizza comment so I had to go back and figure it out. I LOVE plain cheese pizza! LOL! But then, I'm vanilla so that's no surprise.
Great blog Lis!
I am with Hellion, I prefer reading it to writing it. I always feel silly being sentimental, or as if the feelings I'm writing might sound silly to a reader, so I usually just write actions and dialogue and hope it still moves the reader, but I'm not sure it's the same sort of angstiness.
As far as what I write well, I don't even know just yet. I think my dialogue is pretty good. We'll see as I go.
I agree about the souls, but I belive in ghosts and angels and stuff too, so I might be biased.
And I liked Q's I feel therefore I am. I think Rousseau said that, correct? I always thought that odd as he's an Enlightenment dude, but, whatever. They're not known for being in-touch with their emotional sides....
Sin I'm with you, I love rereading emotional passages in my fav books. It gets me everytime.You are so right, emotion can define a character. Thank you for the props. *hugs*
Hellion, I'm no where near having anything to submit, let alone use the world publish in my vocab, but you're a sweetie for saying it.
I like cheese pizza too! You're comment about I Robot reminded me of the droids in JD Robbs In Death series. They are so close to being human, but if you look close enough their movement, and expressions look almost forced. It's amazing to me how she writes the futuristic aspect of the series so well. I can't wait until we have cars that can go vertical and fly over the rest of the traffic!
Marnee, Thanks hun:) I see your view perfectly about emotion wearing you out when you write. I totally buckle at action scenes. *bowing in awe of Sin* When I'm done writing an action sequence I could sleep for 12 hours straight.
Hellion, I totally agree about writing from the soul and creating characters with a soul. You have to connect characters to one another- as in soul mate. I totally beleive in them. Someone who finishes your sentence, or loves the little things in life that make you who you are. It's not about the big ways they connect, it's the little things that count. We've discussed that before, when you don't prompt an individual and they do special things for you every day of the year...that does it for me.
just popping in---funeral to go to---I love writing emotion and reading it... It's not easy to pull off. You know? hmm.... might have to steal this blog topic from you, Lis... lol
My whole second book is an emotional pull..from death, to rape, from death, to massacres... to more death---to heart retching love to more death.... ;)
before I go...lol... you are probably thinking what's the point of all that? If I'm going to cry writing it...I want to pull that reader into the book and make them feel everything my protagonists are feeling! so far.... my CPs are feeling--my job is done...though it needs to be cleaned up a bit...lol!
Action scenes just seem to wake me up. I love writing action. It makes the time go by so fast. Makes the pages fill up quicker. And the adrenaline gets to pumping. My heart starts racing. Action is where I exceed. Car chases. Holding a gun to someone's head. Breaking into a house. All things I love to write about and more. :)
Writing my character crying seems to drain all the energy from me. I wonder if it has something to with me never crying. I always find it weird that it's hard to write my characters with the ability to cry. I hate crying. And I dislike my characters doing it.
Has anyone checked this woman for a vagina?
*blinking* Why? You want to?
Tiff- I'm very sorry to hear you just came from a funeral.
I'm like you. I have to feel it in the reading in order to justify it. If I'm reading back my scene and I just don't feel it making me want to cry, if it doesn't pull on my black heart, then I tweak it until it does. Emotional scenes should wash over a reader and wrap them tighter into the story line.
Unfortunately for me, that's the best offer I've had in months.
*sigh*
I would but, you know, the price of a plane ticket on such short notice and all. Plus, the monkey scares me. Both of them. *g*
At least it's not like the monkey Lisa sent us last night. I swear, I had dreams about being lost in the jungle.
I could give you more offers babe, but then you'd never invite me over again. *grin*
Ugh! Don't remind me. Talk about much needed landscaping. I'm going to have to burn that image out of my brain.
BTW - I could be moving in a few months. Everyone is invited over. Just be prepared to lift and carry lots of boxes and a small bit of furniture and appliances.
I hate my character crying too. I lose respect for them. (How sad is that?) *LOL*
It was our hardened upbringing, Sin & I--and hers was harder! You don't cry. There's no point to it.
LISA! Two vagina transplants - STAT!
hehehe...I've just always wanted to say stat. Couldn't resist.
And I didn't mean have the HERO cry. What the hell?!
Hero? Crying? Surely you jest.
If I cry, I'm so mad that even the meanest of serial killers would be frightened. Or so utterly heartbroken and devestated that I couldn't stand it anymore. And only in hiding. Crying is humiliating. I have way too much pride.
Hellion- we're just made of sturdy stuff. Crying doesn't get you anything but a headache and stuffy nose. And another spanking and no supper.
It's not supposed to get you something, it's cathartic. Helps you get emotions out so you don't stuff them all down and one day explode!
It's *cleansing*.
*blinking* All it does is make me feel like an idiot. I avoid it at all costs.
I wasn't talking about my heroes. I was referring to my heroines. I lose respect for them too.
Though definitely lose respect for the guy more. You know, you get one weeper into bed with you--and you're just done with the lot of them.
I express my emotions in other cleansing ways: YELLING, throwing things, shooting people, calling them very bad names. I assure you I'm not stuffing them anywhere where they'll explode.
*Lifting everyone's skirts for Vagina check* Yep you're right Ter, we are the only ones...
I'm with you it's cathartic.
Watch out Sin I'll tie you down and get out the onions again. LOL
To appreciate the pic I emailed you, you have to work in the medical field.
I guess I shouldn't tell you I had Ranger cry once...
Thought I felt a breeze.
Ranger? Crying? Even I know that's wrong.
I had Ranger cry once too. When I killed Stephanie.
That was fun.
Lis- don't make me walk across the street and buy a vibrating vagina to gift to you.
I sometimes think the best would be for Stephanie to do would be die, esp if she continues to be dumbass enough to keep screwing Morelli.
Then I can comfort Ranger.
I'm a giver.
Sheesh people, one doesn't have to be all gooey inside like a marshmallow bunny to be a girl. I'm perfectly happy with my girliness sans crying and whatnot.
Though, I do admit to balling like a baby at sappy movies.
Ter, where you movin'?
I agree, Steph needs to die, if she has to live the rest of her life being tapped incorrectly by Morelli.
I need to comfort Ranger, he needs a girl in touch with her sappy side. *g* One with a vagina...*winking at Ter and Marnee.
I *have* a vagina, thank you much.
LMFAO!!! "tapped incorrectly"
OMG! I know these words. I've lived these words.
Mar - I'm househunting as we speak. Well, I actually just got back from lunch and I wasn't hunting a house but you know what I mean. So, I'm most likely moving in the summer and it looks like I'll be getting closer to the oceanfront.
Yay me! LOL! Oh, and the Captain will most likely be moving in. I'm even lining her up a potential first mate.
That's awesome Terri! It's definitely a buyer's market out there.
And close to the beach, how wonderful. *attempting to hide envious glances*
What self-respecting pirate would live anywhere but near the ocean?
I ask you.....LOL!
If I get one more asinine question about "is the deadline firm?" or "can you check my paperwork to see if it's there" or when that's affirmative, followed with "Well, when will I get my letter?"--I'm packing my box of crap and moving straight to Terri's house this weekend. Dad will just have to groundship my birthday gift back to me.
The birthday present is actually going to your office so just tell them to refuse it. *g*
Hellion, when SOME scientists say that 'souls don't exist' they mean that they are inaccessible to current scientific measurement techniques....just give it time *w*
Actually the soul is very interesting and there is growing experimental evidence to support the Chacra system, Chinese acupuncture points, subtle energy flows etc. Some scientists are even beginning to think there may be more to sex than physics and chemistry...course I've known that for ages! My own theory tends towards electromagnetism ....kind of animal attraction...but some see the soul as rooted in the mysteries of Quantum theory...could you have guessed that? *g*
Marne Jo, I'm ashamed to say that I didn't actually know that Rousseau had said 'I feel therefore I am'. Well there you go, beaten by a French man again!
P.S Just noticed that I missed the Skipper's 21st birthday. Hey I bet that was a riot! Sorry Cap'n I'll try not to do it again....er is that a cat she's wielding? HELP!
*flicks cat* Don't worry, Q, I'm not nearly as deadly with the cat as I look. My whip is more dangerous than my flick, you could say. Mondays are hard to blog-read anyway. Too much work to catch up on first to party.
I'm sorry I didn't quantify my statement with SOME on the scientists like I meant to. I know some scientists do believe in the soul/God/Afterlife, etc.
You might like a book I read recently. It was called Unpredictable by Eileen Cook, and the hero is a short Scottish professor who is a skeptic--but is rather romantic and very heroic/sweet. He definitely gives all short, Scottish professors a good name. *LOL*
Back from my dreary day of old people... I've got more funerals in my family than anyone I know! UGH!
And I make my hero cry, and it works very well... SO THERE, TER! LOL
I cry--I'm over emotional at times thought, so that's kinda normal I guess.
And you *girls* --- are freaking hilarious!
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