Raw Emotions

It is important when writing to infuse emotion into your scenes and characters. It can be a tricky balance to find but when it comes together it make a world of difference as readers connect with those characters on a deeper level, find themselves rooting for or against the character as well as letting their heart open to being a part of the story. As an author you want the reader to be raw when they experience your work and feel what the characters are feeling.

One thing that happens when we write those scenes sometimes is that we ourselves will feel those same feelings. We will cry when a character dies, or is reunited with a long lost loved one, We will laugh at their jokes and smile that evil grin when the perfect revenge plot comes together. Yes, emotion is a vital part of our profession. In our regular lives however it can be a debilitating force.

Today has been a difficult day indeed. Today would have been my father's 65th birthday. He passed away nearly ten years ago and for some reason this year is hitting me like a ton of bricks. I tried earlier to focus that energy into my writing but when the writer's emotions are that raw t can overpower the creative side. I found myself simply staring at the blinking cursor while a stream of tears rolled down my cheeks. Needless to say it has not been a productive time.

I think that is a lesson in writing though. There are times we just have to step back and allow life to wash over us. Not everything is fuel for a book. Not everyday will be a break through kind of day. Sometimes you need to sit there and feel, stop pushing and simply be. Writing is as natural as breathing for some of us. The stories aren't going to disappear because we took a day or two to be in the real world. They will simmer in the background until we are ready again. It isn't a sign of weakness or that pesky writer's block forcing itself upon us, it is us being human.

I have never been a fan of those vulnerable days but I am doing my best to accept them. They are a part of me and allow me to connect with things in my own life that shape me as a person and perhaps will lend themselves to a scene down the road. I am just trying to enjoy some memories and allow that emotional side to come out of its controlled cage today and understand that feeling those things, letting them take charge for awhile doesn't make me less of a writer but instead more in touch with my humanity.