Angela Booth's Writing Blog: Weekly Writers' Journal Prompts: Get emotional

Books: Write Fiction

Angela Booth: Short Fiction Secrets: How To Write And Sell Short Stories (Selling Writer Strategies Book 2)
Writing short stories is a fun and easy way to get started writing fiction — you can get paid to write, in your spare time. If you're new to writing fiction, you can learn the elements of writing fiction — short stories are much easier to control than longer fiction.
Angela Booth: Master Fiction Writing: Craft A Novel in 31 Days: Selling Writer Strategies 4
This program began as a 30-day challenge which I organized in 2010. Hundreds of writers joined the challenge; they wrote novels. You can write a novel in 31 days too.
Angela Booth: Step By Step To Fiction Which Sells: Plotting And Scene Magic
What if you could leave boring fiction forever behind you, so that the story in your head becomes the story on the page? You CAN, when you discover the magic of story, plotting, and scenes.

Emotions

As a writer, you need to be intimate with your emotions. If you understand your emotions, you will understand those of others, and you'll be able to portray emotional reactions effectively in your fiction.

Your journal can be immensely valuable as an "emotional" resource.

Use it to explore your emotions: How does an emotion feel in your body? What do you do when you're in the midst of a strong emotion?

This week, gauge your emotions. Label whatever you're feeling. Mostly we're unaware of our emotions unless they become strong, and when they're strong, we can be carried away by them.

Do your best. :-)

Here's an exercise. The next time you get bad news, or stub your toe, or someone annoys you, write in your journal.

Write:

* a brief five-sentence description of what happened - the event which triggered the emotion;

* a description of your physical reaction - blushing, tightness in your chest etc;

* physical actions - did you sit down? Walk around? Smash a plate?

* the aftermath of the emotion and how you feel. Emotions release powerful hormones, and these have a lingering effect. For example, if you're afraid, adrenaline is released, and it can leave you shaking.

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