Descriptive Emotion From Deep in the Brain

Writers paint words across the page not only to describe a physical setting but to elicit emotion. A reader might visualize people gathered around a coffin but what words will get him or her to feel emotions such as grief or love toward the deceased? 'Tears' are a concrete detail that sinks into the middle layer of the brain. Intellectually the reader knows the character is showing grief but a writer wants the reader to experience that grief as well. Rich, sensory detail goes deeper to achieve that desirable emotional connection in a fully engaged reader.

In her book  Word Paining, Rebecca McClanahan talks about the three-layered brain. Readers need to go beyond the neocortex that categorizes information and into the mesocortex which allows them to feel it or they will not care about the characters or what is happening. Grief or love is too big a topic. Break it down, shrink it with small details that authentically describe--not label or explain--through the use of active verbs with concrete and sensory detail. This takes practice. Great description is worth all the revision it takes.

Don't get bogged down in the mists of abstract emotions. Use the senses and be clear with concrete images.

True Emotion

  This promises to be a momentous week for me and my family. Grandbabies number twelve and thirteen are scheduled to arrive. Separate sets of parents—not twins. Talk about excitement! I can almost smell sweet baby scents and practically feel buttery, soft skin under my fingers by just thinking about it. These events will encompass a gamut of emotions from the wonder of holding a sweet bundle in my arms to the sorrow of letting one of them return to his Heavenly Father. That’s right. One of these grandsons has a serious heart condition that would require multiple surgeries to prolong his chance for more time on this earth. Emotions I’ve never experienced will likely course through my body within the next few weeks.

  Two choices were presented to the couple once the diagnosis was made and after much pondering and prayer, they have elected not to go through with the first surgery. Human judgments have and will be passed on them for this course of action. It’s part of what people do because emotion drives them. In the end, the only factors of importance deal with coming to the same peaceful conclusion between husband, wife, and God. All other emotions that might be hurled at them are legitimate feelings even while the choice is not for others to make. When faced with the same situation a different time, there could be an equally right, opposite conclusion.

  Just as there are no blanket judgments right for any given situation, there are no emotions that can be easily dismissed without a catalyst or cause. This is as true in real life as it is for our fictional characters. Characters should feel real emotions—good and bad, proper or not—according to their personalities and experiences. Writers strive for readers to feel an emotional connection with their characters. Readers will pass judgment as to whether this was accomplished based on their own frame of reference and experience. This may be why I connect to a character that you do not and vice versa. We don’t all love the same books or characters, but the overall popular ones are those characters who show emotion that rings true with each reaction.

  I can’t help but think that each of our emotional experiences not only helps us feel deeper empathy for real life people but can help us connect with fictional characters we read about or bring to life through our written words.

Compelling Characters and Emotion

Characters are meant to be loved, hated, pitied, envied. If a character does not evoke some emotion for the reader, he/she is flat and forgettable. The story will not hold a reader's interest. Readers need to care enough about the character to feel emotion throughout the story. This can be done on different levels. There is no way to cover this subject in a few paragraphs and I don't pretend to be anywhere near an expert, but here are a few things to think about:
1. Show emotion, don't Tell. Let us see the character's feelings through their actions and facial expressions.
2. Connections are made when the character feels real. She has a strength and a flaw. He is believable and shows growth over time.
3. Something movitates the character. Use strong emotion to drive them to the goal. Does fear, vengence, or love spur the hero on to recuse the princess and how will you show that? What are the goals of each major character? Emotion adds drama as the character moves toward a goal.
4. The Point of View of the character whose perspective is being shown can give the imformation about himself (as well as about setting and plot). Make what is relevant to the character become relevant to the reader. We learn more about him through his eyes while emotion seeps into the picture that the reader sees.
5. Give the guard at the door, the pharmacist, the waitress a brief description or characteristic worth mentioning to create visual images in minor characters. You don't want to introduce each attendee at the party, but we can form an opinion or get an emotional glimpse by an action such as a woman fluffing her hair.
My thanks to Elana Johnson and her challenge to write about characterization. Check out the other bloggers who posted this topic today. Put all that info to use and Bam!--you've got compelling characters. (I wish it were as easy as it sounds but improvement is certain with knowledge and effort.)