Emotional Writing

There are three kinds of feelings when reading a story: boredom, interest, and wow! To become a successful writer, you must create the wow feeling on as many pages as possible, and this requires writing that engages the reader emotionally. In his best-selling book, screenwriter Karl Iglesias explored the working habits of A-list Hollywood scribes. Now, he breaks new ground by focusing on the psychology of the reader.

While writers might disagree over showing versus telling or plotting versus pantsing, none would argue this: If you want to write strong fiction, you must make your readers feel. The reader's experience must be an emotional journey of its own, one as involving as your characters' struggles, discoveries, and triumphs are for you. That's where The Emotional Craft of Fiction comes in. Veteran literary agent and expert fiction instructor Donald Maass shows you how to use story to provoke a visceral and emotional experience in readers.

UPDATED 2022 EDITION! These two bestselling writing and editing handbooks, “The Writer’s Guide to Character Emotion” and “The Writer’s Guide to Character Expression” have been updated and combined to create one remarkable single volume! This comprehensive edition contains descriptive writing tools to help writers craft a riveting novel that instantly grabs a reader’s attention. Writers will gain the essential skills needed to craft realistic emotions, visceral responses, and body language to deepen characterization that you can easily and quickly apply to your own writing. ...

Learn Fun and Creative Ways to Enhance Your Descriptions! The advice, tools, and reference lists in this writing guide for fiction authors will inspire writers to create original and vibrant descriptions of characters, locations, weather, and mood that can greatly enhance anyone’s storytelling, whether you’re writing adult fiction, young adult fiction, or children’s books. Fictional and real settings are much more effective, dramatic, and evocative when they’re visible, auditory, olfactory, and tactile. Character depictions are much more imaginative, lifelike, and vivid for readers ...

Creative writing is not a talent you’re either born with or not—it is a craft that can be built, sharpened, and mastered through deliberate practice. The stories we remember—the ones that live inside us for years—were not accidental. They were engineered with emotional resonance, intentional structure, and a storyteller who understood how to guide the reader’s imagination without ever letting them see the strings.

Let me guess: you have everything about the writing art pretty much mastered except one of the most important skills--infusing emotional impact in your writing. You enjoy seeing your characters change and grow, and you love the story you've created, but your beta readers or editor can't seem to feel much emotion for them. Been there, done that. We're in the same boat, so you're not alone.

Learn to Improve Emotional Descriptions, Create Believable Settings, and Craft Powerful Descriptive Writing. This guidebook is a companion to the first volume in the Fiction Writing Tools series, "The Writer's Guide to Character Emotion" on descriptive writing and Deep POV, with Immersive Writing Techniques. Within this in-depth writing craft book are practical tools on how to apply descriptive writing to create realistic settings, visceral responses, and lifelike characters. Included are lists and advice on: Setting Descriptors Character Personality Traits Character Development Descriptive...

Most writers struggle with creating a captivating story. The fastest way to improve your writing skills is by applying the Deep Point-of-View technique, which can transform any novel from mediocre storytelling into riveting prose. This fiction writing guide includes hundreds of amazing ways to use “show don’t tell” to submerge readers so deeply into a scene they will experience the story along with the characters. Plus, this useful author resource includes a thesaurus with inspiring word choices! Writers will learn to: Revise Shallow Writing Deepen Characterization Craft Realistic ...

"Catherine Gildiner is nothing short of masterful—as both a therapist and writer. In these pages, she has gorgeously captured both the privilege of being given access to the inner chambers of people's lives, and the meaning that comes from watching them grow into the selves they were meant to...

"Sumptuous prose and a mind-blowing twist will make sure that readers don't forget The Professor's Wife, an unsettling psychological thriller wrapped in a provocative dark romance." -IndieReader Carl Bingham is a lonely British Literature Professor who has sworn off love and sex since an affair with a student at Skidmore College almost lost him his tenure and reputation. Camilla is a young artist who sits in his classroom, mesmerized by his voice and appearance. Despite their age difference, they fall in love, marry, and feed each other's physical and emotional needs. But when secrets and ...

"Narrators [Megan] Crais and [Connor] Wicks bring the Byrds to emotional heights, perfectly capturing the adult voices of thirtysomethings Wren and Ellis." — Library Journal An emotional, irresistible second-chance romance filled with sparkling humor, big feelings, and "melt your face off...

Unlock the Power Within: Transform Your Life and Reclaim Your Voice with Coercive Relationships: Find the Answers You Seek. Discover the truth behind abusive relationships and break free from the cycle of pain and control. Through personal anecdotes and expert advice, this book will guide you towards healing and empowerment. Gain clarity and understanding as you learn to recognize the signs of abuse Find solace in knowing that you are not alone in your struggle Take back control of your life and break free from the chains of manipulation Release feelings of guilt and shame as you connect ...

KEEP A DIARY Journaling is a technique that can relieve anxiety, organize your thoughts, and unleash creativity. We will see in this book the many reasons why keeping a diary can be beneficial from the emotional side, intellectual development and the psychological reasons why having a diary improves our existence. We will see who has used a journal and also the many ways there are to keep a journal: morning pages, art journal, goals and ideas journal, among many others. You will discover that keeping a diary is already a very different exercise from the one you may have carried out in your ...

Trauma and its effects can feel like a never-ending storm, and there's no safe harbor in sight from the thoughts and emotions that toss and turn so violently and unpredictably in your head. But healing is possible. Your brain can actually rewire these thoughts and emotions. And you can direct that powerful healing process through journaling.

This lucid, compassionate audiobook has introduced tens of thousands of listeners to expressive writing, a simple yet powerful self-help technique grounded in scientific research. Leading experts James W. Pennebaker and Joshua M. Smyth describe how taking just a few minutes to write about deeply felt personal experiences or problems may help improve our mental and physical health.

DAILY INSPIRATION FOR THE HEART AND SOUL A Guided Journal of Spiritual Quotes and Affirmations to Uplift Your Heart, Expand Your Mind, and Illuminate Your Life In a world filled with uncertainty, stress, and constant change, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, disconnected, or weighed down by life’s challenges. It’s easy to lose touch with your inner light and sense of peace. Without intentional nourishment for your heart and mind, life can feel heavy, chaotic, and isolating. You may struggle to find clarity, joy, or purpose, and miss out on the deep, sustaining energy that comes from ...

Sharonda Moore aka Shay has spent her whole life fighting. From foster homes, to heartbreak, multiple deaths around her and the streets that helped shaped her. Just when she finally starts rebuilding her future, everything shatters: a child she loves is in danger, a boy she once cared for is lost to his own darkness with no way to come out of it, and a new love that pulls her into a world far more violent than she ever imagined. As secrets surface and enemies close in, Shay must decide how far she’s willing to go and who she’s willing to become to protect the people she loves. Raw ...

Unleash the art of storytelling that captivates, influences, and transforms. Hypnotic Writing Lab: Amplify Influence with Advanced Story Structure and Tension is more than a guide—it’s a masterclass in crafting narratives that resonate deeply and linger long after the final word. Dive into immersive techniques that combine the power of hypnotic language, sensory detail, and emotional layering to create unforgettable stories. Discover how to structure narratives that evoke emotion, cultivate connection, and seamlessly guide perception. Each chapter and prompt is designed to refine your ...

Escape the turbulent cycle of disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD) and say goodbye to mood swings and emotional turmoil with the practical and evidence-based strategies in this groundbreaking book. Written specifically for parents by a natural health expert and father of a child with DMDD who knows, this definitive guide provides a roadmap to help your child overcome DMDD using natural solutions. Discover what factors cause DMDD and how your child’s brain processes emotions, sensory input, social cues, and situations differently than neurotypical children. Get practical advice ...

Unlock the Power of Poetry to Reshape your Thinking, Restore your Balance, and Reclaim your Life. CBT: SELF-THERAPY POETRY — A Right-Brain Approach to Cognitive Behavior Therapy offers a fresh and creative alternative to traditional self-help and mental health workbooks. Instead of relying on heavy jargon or endless worksheets, it blends evidence-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques with the healing art of poetry — guiding you to challenge negative thoughts, improve emotional health, and develop daily habits that truly support your well-being. Inside, you’ll discover: Poems ...