By Leslie Lindsay

I have this novel that I have been working on for about two years.  Wow.  That sounds like a long time now that I really stop and think about it.  But really, I have been busy raising kids, writing and publishing a non-fiction book, and well…this one has taken the backseat.

So, just recently I dusted off the old file it was housed in my laptop and began working it.  And let me tell you, it brought back a deep, rumbling of emotion.  I don’t know how it worked that way, but it did….

My armpits grew damp, my fingers a little sticky on the keys, my heart raced a bit as I developed twists, even just typing out dialogue got my panties all in a bundle.  And I loved it.

Writing with emotion like this requires several things:

1)  A clear time and place.  Put yourself there.  Remember if you have ever been in a situation in which you are writing about.  Close your eyes and visulize it.  Smell it, feel it, hear it.  Now write about it.

2)  A strong need/desire of your character….a problem, a feeling of love, hurt, anger, jealousy–all very intense feelings.  Write about how they feel, show the emotion through the character’s actions, behavior, responses.  It’s such much more fun that way.

3)  A time limit.  Don’t just sit at your keyboard staring and hoping inspiration will strike.  It won’t.  Tell yourself you are going to a) write this scene to completion b) write for 20 solid minutes without stopping to analyze or c) write till your bladder can’t take it anymore.  It’s urgent.  It comes out onto the paper (or screen) better and faster.  Trust me, it will get your heartrate up.  And that makes for good writing.

So, what are you waiting for?!  I know you’ve got something dying to come forth right now.  Write on, Wednesday!