Enthusiasm and passion have driven your writing, allowing you to pour your heart and soul into every chapter.
Now that you have finished your book…Stop! Have you added empathy – expressed how the character is feeling?
One of the most effective ways to communicate with your reader is through story-telling. Creating strong bonds and connections gives a glimpse into the lives of others. This is the most effective way to understand the feelings (wants/needs) of another person.
Turning your vision into emotion takes dedication and persistence. Empathetic writing is one of the most powerful tools a writer can employ, crafting a world and a cast of characters who evoke genuine emotion. Humanizing writing for reader’s enjoyment is an art.
Empathy enhances realism.
Empathy occurs when the reader crawls into the book, takes on the feelings of your character. Write with emotions. When a proud woman is shamed, the reader should feel the churning in her gut. When a shy man is mocked, make the reader feel the buzz of panic in the base of his skull. Empathy doesn’t just clarify motivations and reactions, but defines a character’s fundamental nature.
Humane story-telling
Well-written empathy turns a story into a deeply emotional experience for the reader. It is the writer’s job to emotionally tie the reader to a character and make that connection worthwhile.
An important part of empathetic writing is to ensure your stories remain humane.
Edit with Empathy
Editing is all about priming it for your reader, polishing phrases, using the best words, bending the structure to make what you have written the best for your reader.
“Linda has published sixteen books. She blogs about the publishing world, posts useful tips on the challenges a writer faces, including marketing and promoting your work, how to build your online platform, how to get reviews and how to self-publish.”