Mary Brotherton

Everyone has to deal with emotions. Sometimes, these feelings can cripple or motivate a writer. The next time you feel bogged down in despair, anger, or frustration – write what you are feeling!

If you are overcome with happiness or giddy with excitement, take time to write about your thoughts and dreams.

Even if you don’t have a need for them at that moment, when you find yourself stuck for how to describe a scene for a character who is angry, sad, annoyed, filled with joy or nervous you will already have the ideas in a file.

Mark a folder “feelings” or “emotions” and the next time you can’t think of how to express what your character is feeling, how he or she feels or what is happening – go to your file and find out.

Be sure when you write about your emotions, you use as many details as you can.
* What made this particular feeling manifest?
* Was anyone else involved in the scene?
* Where were you?
* What were you doing before you started to feel the particular emotion?
*What happened after the initial emotion subsided?
* Did you go anywhere or do anything as a result of the feeling/emotion?

Try to remember as many details as possible.