by DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills
Story intimacy occurs when the writer successfully bonds a character to the reader in a relationship that defies the fictional realm. Emotion lies at the center of their attachment by igniting emotions in varying degrees of positive and negative responses—whether conscious or subconscious. The complexity occurs when motivation triggers feelings, behavior, and personality into expressions of specific actions. These unique truths can be subjective or objective but real to the character. The value of understanding emotion means a writer successfully connects the core of our humanity to a character walking through the pages of a story and shows how life’s happenings affect him/her.
Logic anchors at an opposite end of the spectrum from emotions. Emotions don’t rely on a gathering of information, processes, or analysis but internal sentiments based on a sundry of events. Yet, showing a legitimate emotion like anger when someone runs a stop sign and hits your car is a logical reaction. The depth of the anger and how it’s shown and internalized depends on life experiences.
Intimacy draws the reader closer to the story, eliminating boundaries to form an attachment outside what appears logical. A kinship occurs in sympathy and compassion for the character’s plight. The reader escapes their reality to worry, fret, cry, cheer, laugh, celebrate, and a host of other feelings. Those reactions don’t have to match the character’s for the reader to identify with the situation, only relationally connect.
A story that resonates with a reader is buried deep within the character’s spirit. The writer’s job is to bring the adventure to life and pave the way for the reader to recognize a connection point. Sometimes the character tamps down what they believe is impossible for them to achieve. Maybe the character lacks confidence or the tools to accept a challenge. The desire stays buried until an action, or a series of actions, yanks motivation to the surface. What is the character willing to fight for? Struggle to attain? Sacrifice for the betterment of others? Perhaps give up their life to protect? Pose those questions to the character. The answers won’t easily jump onto the page because they are sensitive, personal. A worthy character deserves the right to privacy and to establish trust with the writer before unveiling deep-rooted secrets.
Establishing motivation is the key to creating unique emotions that unlock the character’s true self, the story’s core. Jotting down a goal or a problem to solve means nothing without a vehicle to drive the behavior.
So how do we discover motivation and grasp the heart of a story? Examine what the character wants more than anything in the world. Why? Is the item tangible or intangible? What is its value? Is it realistic? Is he/she afraid to pursue the want? Beyond the want, what does the character need? Is the want a disguise for what is needed for physical, mental, or spiritual well-being? Are the clues in the backstory? None of these are easy to answer and take time and patience.
According to Tonya Reiman in The Power of Body Language, the world and its people share seven universal emotions: surprise, fear, anger, sadness, disgust, happiness, and contempt. Doesn’t it make sense for our character to experience all seven in a story? Even multiple times?
Emotion uses feelings and instincts for the character to draw conclusions about circumstances based on their life. The response begins in the mind where the character chooses what will occupy time and energy. The expression can remain internal and/or manifest externally
The bigger the action that prompted the reaction or emotion, the more intense the response. A character doesn’t experience one distinct feeling but a collection at different levels. We are too complex to fit an established pattern or template. Show the emotions with different responses and reactions that fit the circumstances and the character’s traits. Think back on a highly emotive incident in your life. How did you react and work through the happening? Now imagine walking through the same situation again. Would you respond the same way? Probably not, which is why our characters show varied emotions. That makes them real.
Emotion in a scene must equal the tension and conflict of the story. If there is too much, then the scene is overdone. If there is too little, the scene falls flat. Balance is the key to credibility.
“A writer can never dig too deeply into a character’s life to discover the core of why of a story’s intimacy. Stories can entertain, sometimes teach or argue a point. But for me the essential thing is that they communicate feelings. That they appeal to what we share as human beings across our borders and divides. There are large glamorous industries around stories; the book industry, the movie industry, the television industry, the theatre industry. But in the end, stories are about one person saying to another: This is the way it feels to me. Can you understand what I'm saying? Does it also feel this way to you?” Kazuo Ishiguro
Reprinted from Exploring the Art of Emotion and Dialogue with permission from Bold Vision Books
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She is the former director of the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference, Mountainside Marketing Retreat, and Mountainside Novelist Retreat with social media specialist Edie Melson. Connect here: DiAnnMills.com
Thanks for this reminder to connect with our readers on an emotional level, DiAnn.
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