Comments on: How to make readers cry, in six steps http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/25/how-to-make-readers-cry-in-six-steps/ about the craft and business of fiction Sat, 11 Feb 2012 19:56:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Therese Walsh http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/25/how-to-make-readers-cry-in-six-steps/#comment-115268 Therese Walsh Wed, 27 May 2009 13:07:18 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/25/how-to-make-readers-cry-in-six-steps/#comment-115268 Thanks for the comments, everyone! Maya, you touched on something important here: What affects one person may not affect another, but authentic writing has great power. Smart advice, Juliet. Vic, I'm glad you saw this and that the post was helpful to you! It was a great question that really made me think. :-) Thanks for the comments, everyone!

Maya, you touched on something important here: What affects one person may not affect another, but authentic writing has great power.

Smart advice, Juliet.

Vic, I’m glad you saw this and that the post was helpful to you! It was a great question that really made me think. :-)

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]]> By: Vic K http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/25/how-to-make-readers-cry-in-six-steps/#comment-115223 Vic K Wed, 27 May 2009 02:28:06 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/25/how-to-make-readers-cry-in-six-steps/#comment-115223 Oh wow - this is fascinating - I've been waiting for this article since the question about topics was first asked. Thank you very much Therese, that was both insightful and useful. I'm going to print it out and paste it to my forehead! One of the scenes that I cried over (seemingly endlessly) was during one of Juliet's novels - The Daughter of the Forest - when Sorcha was raped. I defy anyone to read that scene and not cry. And the advice that Juliet mentions above - the keep the adjectives out - is very evident in that scene and I think the emotion is starkly exhibited because of it. In my own work, I think I've ticked some of the six steps but not all of them. Looking back, I always have the keep it primal point happening, but I often forget to make the journey difficult enough. And there's my lightbulb moment for the day... *ting*. I think the tragic events coming up in the storyline could be more personal and would be more powerful for that. Hmmmmm... lots of food for thought here, both in the article and the comments. Thank you everyone! Oh wow – this is fascinating – I’ve been waiting for this article since the question about topics was first asked. Thank you very much Therese, that was both insightful and useful. I’m going to print it out and paste it to my forehead!

One of the scenes that I cried over (seemingly endlessly) was during one of Juliet’s novels – The Daughter of the Forest – when Sorcha was raped. I defy anyone to read that scene and not cry. And the advice that Juliet mentions above – the keep the adjectives out – is very evident in that scene and I think the emotion is starkly exhibited because of it.

In my own work, I think I’ve ticked some of the six steps but not all of them. Looking back, I always have the keep it primal point happening, but I often forget to make the journey difficult enough. And there’s my lightbulb moment for the day… *ting*. I think the tragic events coming up in the storyline could be more personal and would be more powerful for that.

Hmmmmm… lots of food for thought here, both in the article and the comments. Thank you everyone!

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]]> By: thea http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/25/how-to-make-readers-cry-in-six-steps/#comment-115171 thea Tue, 26 May 2009 16:51:00 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/25/how-to-make-readers-cry-in-six-steps/#comment-115171 I remember reading an interview a long time ago with LaVerle Spencer. She wrote Morning Glory, and that book made me cry. In her interview, they asked her what makes someone a best selling author and she said, simply, that you had to "make them laugh and make them cry." I remember reading an interview a long time ago with LaVerle Spencer. She wrote Morning Glory, and that book made me cry. In her interview, they asked her what makes someone a best selling author and she said, simply, that you had to “make them laugh and make them cry.”

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]]> By: Melanie http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/25/how-to-make-readers-cry-in-six-steps/#comment-115165 Melanie Tue, 26 May 2009 15:03:42 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/25/how-to-make-readers-cry-in-six-steps/#comment-115165 I just read TTW a couple months ago and LOVED it. During the final scene I actually set down the book, got tissue, and readjusted myself because I knew I was about to bawl like a baby. 1000 Splendid Suns also had this effect on me. I just read TTW a couple months ago and LOVED it. During the final scene I actually set down the book, got tissue, and readjusted myself because I knew I was about to bawl like a baby.

1000 Splendid Suns also had this effect on me.

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]]> By: Juliet http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/25/how-to-make-readers-cry-in-six-steps/#comment-115117 Juliet Tue, 26 May 2009 03:28:15 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/25/how-to-make-readers-cry-in-six-steps/#comment-115117 There are two places in Dorothy Dunnett's work where I always cry, even on multiple re-readings. Each relates to the death of a child, and each is written with what I would describe as poetic understatement. One occurs in the 'human chess game' scene of Pawn in Frankincense. The other is at the end of the last House of Niccolo book. As a writer I never consciously think of what will tweak a reader's emotions. I just write the scene as well as I can, trying to be inside the characters' heads. My only craft advice on this topic is that understatement is the key - go easy on the adjectives. It's very easy to make these emotive scenes rather overwrought! There are two places in Dorothy Dunnett’s work where I always cry, even on multiple re-readings. Each relates to the death of a child, and each is written with what I would describe as poetic understatement. One occurs in the ‘human chess game’ scene of Pawn in Frankincense. The other is at the end of the last House of Niccolo book.

As a writer I never consciously think of what will tweak a reader’s emotions. I just write the scene as well as I can, trying to be inside the characters’ heads. My only craft advice on this topic is that understatement is the key – go easy on the adjectives. It’s very easy to make these emotive scenes rather overwrought!

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]]> By: Jaela http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/25/how-to-make-readers-cry-in-six-steps/#comment-115094 Jaela Mon, 25 May 2009 21:38:57 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/25/how-to-make-readers-cry-in-six-steps/#comment-115094 Hey, I really liked this. I've never really thought about the process of making the reader cry . This was interesting to read. Please check out some non-fiction writing contest we are having at www.memoirsink.com. One of the contests is an element writing contest with the theme: Water. Hey, I really liked this. I’ve never really thought about the process of making the reader cry . This was interesting to read.

Please check out some non-fiction writing contest we are having at http://www.memoirsink.com. One of the contests is an element writing contest with the theme: Water.

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]]> By: Stace http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/25/how-to-make-readers-cry-in-six-steps/#comment-115062 Stace Mon, 25 May 2009 17:24:27 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/25/how-to-make-readers-cry-in-six-steps/#comment-115062 Great, well thought out article. Very helpful. The one that makes me cry every time is Guy Gavriel Kay's Tigana, and I can see exactly how the guidelines you lay out here lead to my response to Dianora's story. Thank you! Great, well thought out article. Very helpful. The one that makes me cry every time is Guy Gavriel Kay’s Tigana, and I can see exactly how the guidelines you lay out here lead to my response to Dianora’s story. Thank you!

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]]> By: Rachael http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/25/how-to-make-readers-cry-in-six-steps/#comment-115040 Rachael Mon, 25 May 2009 14:24:26 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/25/how-to-make-readers-cry-in-six-steps/#comment-115040 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (the last one) makes me cry every time. I spent half of that book in tears. I've made myself cry while writing a particular scene. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (the last one) makes me cry every time. I spent half of that book in tears. I’ve made myself cry while writing a particular scene.

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]]> By: Cathy J http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/25/how-to-make-readers-cry-in-six-steps/#comment-115032 Cathy J Mon, 25 May 2009 13:21:40 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/25/how-to-make-readers-cry-in-six-steps/#comment-115032 The Time Travelers Wife also made me cry like a big baby several times. I was so caught up in the emotions that I did not really think about the author planning to make me cry. Thank you for this wonderful blog. The Time Travelers Wife also made me cry like a big baby several times. I was so caught up in the emotions that I did not really think about the author planning to make me cry. Thank you for this wonderful blog.

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]]> By: Maya http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/25/how-to-make-readers-cry-in-six-steps/#comment-115028 Maya Mon, 25 May 2009 12:53:47 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/25/how-to-make-readers-cry-in-six-steps/#comment-115028 Great ideas!! One book that recently made me sob was CERTAIN GIRLS by Jennifer Weiner. All of Weiner's books have made be cry, actually, but this one made me sob-- for one of the completely unexpected surprises that you mention here. I honestly felt ravaged after reading that book... I was mentally drained for the rest of the day as if it had happened to me. And I even felt a bit upset afterwards at what Weiner had done-- I wanted her to be kinder to Cannie than that! Still, it was yet another amazing book and that huge connection I feel with Weiner's characters is what keeps me coming back to book after book. I cried during GOOD IN BED (which deals with the same characters much earlier) over something simpler-- I think I cried at the moment Cannie realized she was loved. (I'm not a very emotional person, either... or rather I tend to be really selfishly emotional, in that I cried over not passing my Israeli driving test but not over saying goodbye to my family when I moved to Israel... I know, that makes me sound horrible... but it says a lot when a book makes me cry! I also think that I could figure out the reasons that *I* cry I could channel them more powerfully into my writing.) My sister cried when she read one of my earlier manuscripts... it's a project I've actually put aside for now, but I still remember that as one of the most meaningful compliments I've ever gotten. Great ideas!!

One book that recently made me sob was CERTAIN GIRLS by Jennifer Weiner. All of Weiner’s books have made be cry, actually, but this one made me sob– for one of the completely unexpected surprises that you mention here. I honestly felt ravaged after reading that book… I was mentally drained for the rest of the day as if it had happened to me. And I even felt a bit upset afterwards at what Weiner had done– I wanted her to be kinder to Cannie than that! Still, it was yet another amazing book and that huge connection I feel with Weiner’s characters is what keeps me coming back to book after book. I cried during GOOD IN BED (which deals with the same characters much earlier) over something simpler– I think I cried at the moment Cannie realized she was loved. (I’m not a very emotional person, either… or rather I tend to be really selfishly emotional, in that I cried over not passing my Israeli driving test but not over saying goodbye to my family when I moved to Israel… I know, that makes me sound horrible… but it says a lot when a book makes me cry! I also think that I could figure out the reasons that *I* cry I could channel them more powerfully into my writing.)

My sister cried when she read one of my earlier manuscripts… it’s a project I’ve actually put aside for now, but I still remember that as one of the most meaningful compliments I’ve ever gotten.

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