A question to authors

[ricky]

Are you moved emotionally by your own work when you read it later?Does it even bring tears to your eyes if the scene warrants it?

[Nephylim]

Gods yes. I often read my own stories and because I know the emotions that went into it I get the same emotions out of it.

 

I have often cried buckets when writing and probably a bathful when reading it again... or maybe that is the other way around.

[ricky]

Gods yes. I often read my own stories and because I know the emotions that went into it I get the same emotions out of it.

 

I have often cried buckets when writing and probably a bathful when reading it again... or maybe that is the other way around.

 

You have no idea how relieved I am to hear you say that. I was wondering if I should be headed for therapy.

 

well perhaps this doesn't answer that particular question completely . . . but on this portion of it anyways, it does.

[Tipdin]

Yes, I am often moved by my own work. I have such a terrible memory that I will read something that I wrote months earlier and, not remembering it, laugh or cry as if experiencing it for the first time.

 

In fact, I started writing as a form of therapy - just to get my emotions out or to clarify my thinking. My journaling transformed into story telling.

[Agaith]

If it has come from something that I have written that I have experienced (like my poems) then yes I can become emotional. But in my story I can detach myself somewhat so I dont get overwhelmed.

[Cia]

I can't really answer that poll. I guess I've never been that involved in my stories to just hit the emotional side of it when I read. I'm always too caught up trying to figure out better ways of writing the actual content to be moved by the drama the charactes are embroiled in. Maybe my writing would be better if I were more emotionally involved. Now that I sound like a total robot, I do cry at other people's stories. When the emotions are something I can relate to the waterworks can actually be pretty bad.

[ricky]

I can't really answer that poll. I guess I've never been that involved in my stories to just hit the emotional side of it when I read. I'm always too caught up trying to figure out better ways of writing the actual content to be moved by the drama the charactes are embroiled in. Maybe my writing would be better if I were more emotionally involved. Now that I sound like a total robot, I do cry at other people's stories. When the emotions are something I can relate to the waterworks can actually be pretty bad.

 

You can answer it then. You don't have the emotional investment.

And that's alright, someone has to remain sane.

[Mark Arbour]

You can answer it then. You don't have the emotional investment.

And that's alright, someone has to remain sane.

 

Cia? Sane?

[ricky]

Cia? Sane?

 

Shush! I'm trying to placate her. She scares the beejeebers out of me.

[Cia]

Smart man Ricky. Mark is obviously suicidal.

 

Seriously though, I do use my emotions and memories of emotions of events in my life that have happened for my characters ands stories. Some of the things I've written have happened to me and other things are made up but I've found it makes it easier to write how something affects a character if you've experienced it. And sometimes I have to step back from writing something until the memories calm but I don't think I've ever actually had the character's plight move me so much that I cried. I think I get too focused on thinking, 'okay, so when this happened I felt fear and anger or whatever and that caused this sort of physical reaction' and how would that best be related to the reader in the character's reactions. Maybe when I have more experience as a writer and have to think less of how to get it across I will become more immersed into the characters themselves.

Edited October 23, 2010 by Cia

[ricky]

See! Told you she was scary!

 

And I agree that we write best what we know. Try writing about something you're clueless about. See what kind of hole you can dig for yourself.

 

I think we all use situations we have been through or near in our writing. Of course this tells us that Mark Arbour is one kinky well laid sob.

[Nephylim]

See! Told you she was scary!

 

And I agree that we write best what we know. Try writing about something you're clueless about. See what kind of hole you can dig for yourself.

 

I think we all use situations we have been through or near in our writing. Of course this tells us that Mark Arbour is one kinky well laid sob.

 

 

I'm afraid I have to disagree. Some of my best, and most fun, writing has been about things I have never experienced. (I'll leave you to guess which) But I do agree that we tend to use emotions and situations we have experienced.... so what does that make me

[ricky]

I'm afraid I have to disagree. Some of my best, and most fun, writing has been about things I have never experienced. (I'll leave you to guess which) But I do agree that we tend to use emotions and situations we have experienced.... so what does that make me

 

A great writer, a fantastic person and a key piece in making the world a little better than before you got here.

 

I did not mean that you must have experienced everything you write. Not at all.

 

OK, I'm telling on myself here. My story Roll Call. I built up Operation tutu in the soccer match and got right to it and realized I knew absolutely zilch about soccer other than it's the ball with all the spots and parents who send their kids out to play it don't want grandchildren.

 

I was in a fix, painted myself into a corner. Those that read it know how I fixed it. (Clever I thought)

 

But that doesn't mean that you can't write about things you know about, yet are complete fabrications. I've never shot anyone with a poison dart but I think I could write about it. No I meant writing about something you are clueless about.

 

But I think you really rock Nephy.

[Andrew Q Gordon]

Are you moved emotionally by your own work when you read it later?Does it even bring tears to your eyes if the scene warrants it?

 

The short answer is yes. If it doesn't affect me later, it was written well enough. Now I am not sure everyone else will feel the same emotion I intended, but if my writing doesn't make me feel what I was feeling at the time, then I don't think I did a good enough job.

 

Case in point, the Fall Anthology - the part where the two separate made me cry three times or so while I was editing it, which goes back to your therapy issue - I mean they aren't real YET I was still crying. Maybe my meds aren't strong enough, Hmmmm.

 

Andy

[Nephylim]

A great writer, a fantastic person and a key piece in making the world a little better than before you got here.

 

I did not mean that you must have experienced everything you write. Not at all.

 

OK, I'm telling on myself here. My story Roll Call. I built up Operation tutu in the soccer match and got right to it and realized I knew absolutely zilch about soccer other than it's the ball with all the spots and parents who send their kids out to play it don't want grandchildren.

 

I was in a fix, painted myself into a corner. Those that read it know how I fixed it. (Clever I thought)

 

But that doesn't mean that you can't write about things you know about, yet are complete fabrications. I've never shot anyone with a poison dart but I think I could write about it. No I meant writing about something you are clueless about.

 

But I think you really rock Nephy.

 

 

Awwww....I'm blushing now. I think I will go read LIC for a good laugh

[JimCarter]

This post has caused me to think a lot more than I thought it would or should.

 

My first thought was that it is impossible to feel that emotion when you wrote the words and know what image you were attempting to implant into the reader's mind.

 

Having said that, some people are just more emotional than others and therefore it can't be impossible.

 

Jim

[Krista]

I've cried once at my own work.

[Jack Frost]

No, never. It's quite unusual that I get all teary for written works or movies or songs... I'm rather cold and secretive about it...

Edited October 25, 2010 by Jack Frost

[ricky]

No, never. It's quite unusual that I get all teary for written works or movies or songs... I'm rather cold and secretive about it...

 

That's rather chilling if you ask me. Frosty even. . . Oh dear me, I'm really having pun with this one aren't I? I better quit before he jacks me up.

 

Oh I really am too much.

[Rilbur]

There are some scenes in my work that I can not reread. Look at chapter 2 or so of Guardians -- the rape scene. I can not reread it.

[AranaDarkwolf]

If my writing DOESN'T move me, I go back and re-write it until it does. I figure, if it doesn't move me, it won't move my readers.

[myself_i_must_remake]

I usually just get mad at my old projects. The movement happens, if at all, during the writing itself. Then I can't be affected by it anymore.

[ricky]

If my writing DOESN'T move me, I go back and re-write it until it does. I figure, if it doesn't move me, it won't move my readers.

 

Interesting. A great sentiment. I think I need to read some of your stuff.

[Greedya]

Being moved by my own work or not depends on the character's eyes through which I'm looking. I feel that my characters are real, so unless I look from a cold-blooded character's pov, I'm moved by my tragic scenes.

[Former Member]

Well, my answer is not indicated by the possible choices.

 

I do reread my work. You absolutely have to if you are published because you have to edit your work personally in order to submit it, then get your edit back for corrections, then the final corrected galley before release. So at the very least, three times, but I do it more often to try to improve what I have by taking away anything which detracts from the story or emotions involved within the characters.

 

Just this week when going over my final galley for a book publishing 7 November, I didn't cry or anything and wouldn't but it was like revisiting friends I know. So I feel a sense of rightness, of completion because I feel this story is fully ready for everyone to read. I felt proud of my characters.

 

I do not purposely write a scene or a character type to try to "move" someone or make them emotional. I will create in characters conflicts and personality traits or mannerisms/speech/behavior which I hope stimulates readers' emotions though. I like to create them as engaging but not emotionally manipulative of readers.