Character Emotion

Emotion is the secret of holding a reader, the difference between a slow or dynamic recounting of a story. When you feel the emotion inside, so will your readers. By giving descriptions of emotion, it helps the reader feel part of the story as if he were actually there himself. Emotions of a character can help us feel satisfied because we can feel what the character feels.

When emotion and feelings are left out of a story, we can feel let down. Emotion is part of our lives, so why ignore such an important element in a story? But remember: Show, don't tell.

Whether writing your family history or a fictional novel, emotions bring a story to life. If a character had to defend her home from marauders, how did she feel? If an outlaw challenged your great grandfather, what were his feelings deep down inside? If he was faced with a grizzly bear in the wild, how did he react? These are questions that you must research. Read about other people's accounts, so you can adequately describe your character's feelings during a situation.

Imagine what it would be like to see a grizzly bear coming toward you, forcing you to quickly hide behind a boulder. Surely you wouldn't feel calm in a situation like this. The last thing you want is to be discovered. Maybe your chest constricts as fear overtakes you and beads of sweat begin trickling down your back or forehead. Perhaps you begin trembling and your face turns pale. An author must show how the character felt, describe his quickening pulse, rather than say he was frightened.

When you describe the effects of intense emotion, it helps the reader feel as if he were a part of the story, as if he were actually there himself. It can be difficult, however, for an author to know exactly how the character felt unless he or she had been in a similar situation, and that's where research comes in. After researching stories about people who have been faced with a similar situation, the author can describe the emotions and feelings of a character and thereby make the reader feel as if he were experiencing the event himself.

In one of my novels a bear charges after my character. After much research, I found that some people who had been faced with a grizzly bear froze when the grizzly stood on its two hind legs, and some shook for half an hour after shooting the grizzly in self-defense. Others, who were used to the wild and had had experience defending themselves from grizzlies, did not react the same way. Many described what the grizzly looked like just before they turned and ran. That helped me describe this frightening situation since I had never been faced with a grizzly before.

After reading my description at a "Family Legacy" lecture, there happened to be two different women in the audience that had been faced with this same situation. They said that I had adequately described that terrifying experience as if they had relived that day once again. If I had not done my research, then they would have said to me, "You don't know the half of it."

Emotions of a character can help us feel satisfied because we can feel what the character feels. For those writing their own autobiography or a fictional story, don't forget descriptions of love. You know what it feels like to be in love or to be loved, so describe it. Your heart swells within, sending a warm feeling down your spine, and making you feel as if life was worth living.

If we can adequately describe the feelings of love, then perhaps we can awaken that remembrance in others who have forgotten what it was like to be in love. These descriptions can remind readers of the love they once had for their mate, awakening those feelings once again. After the reader puts down the book, he or she will have a feeling of satisfaction. Remember, emotions are part of life and can be an essential part of your story.