5 Tips for Evoking Emotion in Writing
Bestselling author Rebecca Yarros coaches writers on how to create believable emotion in this article.
No matter what genre we write in, we all have the same goal—we want to bring our readers along for the journey. How do we get there? By reeling them in with their emotions. Think about your novel as a roller coaster. Sounds odd, but trust me.
Here are my top five tips for evoking emotion in readers.
5 Tips for Evoking Emotion in Writing
1. Give them someone to root for
It all starts with our protagonists. We need our readers to feel connected—to care. Struggling with a difficult hero or heroine? Don’t despair. Even the most unlikeable character can be relatable with a quick “save the cat,” moment early in the plot. Think about who they are as they’re waiting for the coaster to begin and why they’re there. A little backstory can work wonders.
2. Use deep POV
By using visceral emotions, we can bring our readers right into our character’s head. Does their heart quicken as the coaster clicks up the first hill? Does their stomach rise into their throats as the coaster drops? Giving physical cues to the reader takes them out of the spectator position and into the seat with your character.
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3. Up the ante
Where are your stakes? What is your protagonist going to lose if they don’t succeed? Is this your character’s only chance to overcome their fear of roller coasters? The bigger the stakes, the more your reader will be invested in the outcome.
4. Go along for the ride
If you’re strapped in with your character on that roller coaster, then it’s far easier to nail those same emotions in your writing. Ride with your characters, instead of watching them ride. The golden rule is golden for a reason—show, don’t tell.
5. Twist the plot
Drop the bottom out of your roller coaster, throw in a loop no one saw coming, and your readers will never forget the journey.
Rebecca Yarros is the Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of over ten novels, including The Last Letter and Great and Precious Things. She is the recipient of the Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence for Eyes Turned Skyward from her Flight and Glory series and can survive on coffee and peppermint bark when necessary. Rebecca loves military heroes and has been blissfully married to her now-retired apache pilot for nineteen years. She’s the mother of six children, ranging from first grade to law school, and is somehow surviving the teenage years with three of her four hockey-playing sons. When she’s not writing, you can find her catching her sons’ games at the hockey rink or sneaking in some guitar time. She lives in Colorado with her family, their stubborn English bulldogs, and a Maine coon kitten who rules them all. Having fostered, then adopted their youngest daughter, Rebecca is passionate about helping children in the foster system through her nonprofit, One October. For more information visit rebeccayarros.com.
