Monday, July 6, 2015

Monday's Links to Writing & Marketing Blog Posts

6 WRITING TIPS YOUR READERS LOVE—THAT INTENSIY DRAMA LINES

By: John Krone

According to classic drama theory there are several factors that greatly impact a stories emotional pull. Writing a novel that sells millions of copies usually requires an ability to deliver emotional impact. Best Selling Author Veronica Roth is one author who does that well.

I love to read her writings and learn from her style.  She often uses facial descriptions and touch descriptions to impart emotional drama in her books. She may write a line such as “I felt his fingertips squeezing my arm”.  That line on the surface doesn’t appear like much.

Here’s how it reaches through the pages and imparts an emotional tug.

The subconscious mind would see that phrase quite differently. For instance the fact that the character is even thinking about “his finger tips” touching her anywhere, reveal the focus of the characters thoughts.

As a result, it also puts the readers imagination on that same thought. The reader then elaborates on the connotations of that scenario.  Readers identify themselves with the characters they read about. It’s been proven in lab testing, that’s why I say that. This then leads to other thought patterns.
So the reader begins to imagine someone touching their own arm with their fingertips as well. It all happens under the surface as they’re reading the line.  In the subconscious mind. Research has shown that thoughts of elaboration may carry on for moments after the line has been read.

In fact, very specific “touch” brain regions get involved.  When the reader reads the words “finger tips”, those regions in the readers brain that normally deal with their own finger tips touching in real life, actually get activated.

A touch sensation is created by that line “finger tips squeezing my arm”. It occurs within the readers senses.

There’s a bonus too.  What also occurs is the visual aspect of the reader having to envision the words they are reading. So a picture of the hand and finger tips on the characters arm is painted in the readers “minds eye”.

That’s how great story lines captivate a reader.  Through these textual neural processes.

There are several writing techniques that can accomplish it, once the basic structure of the story concept is in place.  That’s the first step, to establish a character type. Their values and weaknesses are often established early in the story.

For example, a common character type that has good emotional magnetism, is the “Reluctant Hero”.  Someone that is sort of forced into a situation they don’t want to be in. Hollywood often uses this type of character in film.  The Bourne Identity is one story example. Bruce Willis also made a reluctant hero in the action story of Die Hard.

The character first would have their values established.  That comes early on in the story, because those values will be challenged.  So we need to know what they are before they’re challenged.  The reader needs to know what the character is about. What they stand for, and why.  This makes the challenge more relevant and dramatic, because it helps them understand what the character is feeling. A challenge is one of the 6 spices.

So here are the 6 spices:

. . .

Read the full article HERE!
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Happy writing and running, Kathy
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