Writing Emotional Fiction

“You are never too old to learn more than you already know and to become able to do more than you already can.” -Isaac Asimov

Hello, Everyone! Audra here.

No matter how long you’ve been writing, there’s always something new you can learn. I’ve been scribbling stories since elementary school. Obviously a romantic at heart because even then, my stories were based on love with HEA. My high school creative writing teacher told me I had better come up with something better than the “sap” I’d been turning in if I expected to get an A in her class! (BTW, a simple, short hiaku, that left me no room for sap, earned the A…go figure).

Anyway, as I was saying, learning is a lifelong endeavor. If you just complete the first draft of your first novel, or celebrated the 50th published work, there are always methods and techniques to be explored. Or reviewed. Or studied. If we don’t make an effort to continuously hone and experience our writing, our work might go the way of so many authors I’ve read recently who pump out series stories at the rate of light and sound. One particular series of 7 books - from an author I’d discovered through BookBub - made me think about not finishing the series by the end of book 4, but I was invested in the setting and the potential (and I had already prepaid for the entire series), so I skimmed through the remaining books and then unclicked the “follow” button on Amazon.

What drove me to do that? Predictable plot; cookie cutter characters; inevitable lack of tension.

We put a lot of time, effort and, well, us, in our books. We don’t want people to unclick “follow.” We want them to wait eagerly for our next work.  

So friends, we need to stay up with the current plot topics, desirable locations for settings, AND most of all... 

I belong to a writer’s group that meets monthly. Since COVID, we alternate our meeting between virtual and in-person. Every other month, I drive to the in-person meeting where we’ve chosen a craft book to be read over two months and then we discuss it at our next meeting, and then put into action some of the techniques at the following meeting (January - April, June - August, October - December). 

We are currently studying a Donald Maass book, The Emotional Craft of Fiction. Now, I’ve read Donald Maass books in the past and always thought them dense with information and opinion - a real slog-fest, if you know what I mean. I know I've burned calories just trying to comprehend the nuggets of wisdom he buried in the text. 

on Amazon

This craft book was different. I think the Don relaxed a bit in his tone and technique because for as much as I procrastinated reading the assignment, I found the book easy to navigate and remarkably astute.

Here are a few nuggets of wisdom I’ve gleaned:

In Chapter 3: The Emotional World, he points out we experience life as feelings. Shouldn’t our characters, as well? We’ve all heard and understood the wisdom of getting to know our characters before we drop them into their own world, right? But do we really? Have you truly had a heart to heart with H/H and discovered their fears, their triumphs, their insecurities, all the life struggles they’ve endured up to the point where you write the first sentence of your book? 

• When we bring our characters’ true feelings to the surface, we may connect with a tiny spot of truth within the reader. 
• When we share a bit of ourselves with the reader through our characters, we are adding that human element to our story that only a human author can endow. 
• When our characters respond to conflicts and triumphs throughout the plot as their upbringing (perhaps yours?) has shaped them, we engage on a whole new level of relate-ability with the character.

In Chapter 5: The Emotional Plot, Maass points out even airtight plots can fail to engage the reader emotionally. The reader needs personal stakes to make the story matter. Establish the inner need or yearning that drives the character early in the book. 

Let the reader know the inner and outer journey of the character comes from an emotional place deep inside them. Don’t be afraid to put yourself in each and every novel you write. After all, how can these characters come up with the EMOTIONS to carry a novel when they don’t have any experience?

In Chapter 7: The Writer’s Emotional Journey, underscores how important it is to our characters and our books, to draw on our own rich experiences in life. If you don’t think the inner you has a way of shouldering its way on to the page, you have another think coming! Your mood, your experiences color your novels more than you realize. Your morals, your virtues, your spirit bleeds through the themes of your books whether you recognize it or not.  

I want to share with you the last paragraph of Chapter 7, page 201 paperback:

The Emotional Craft of Fiction

Hope is the core gift we give our reader. If you are an author writing romantic fiction, isn’t hope the best gift you can ever offer your readers?

Yeah, I’ve been accused of being sappy and writing it. Thank you very much! I’m the self-proclaimed Queen of Sap and I embrace the title completely. 

How about you? How are your emotions and experiences showing in your novel?

*   *   *

Audra Harders writes "rugged stories with heart" featuring fearless men who haven't a clue about relationships, rescued by ladies who think they have all the answers. In real life, she's married to her own patient hero, has two adult children, and a very strong-willed Corgi. She began writing right after her second kidlet was born, and sold her first book to Love Inspired mere months before that same young adult graduated from high school. Surviving those years in between reminds her God does have a plan for her life...and that He has a tremendous sense of humor. You can visit Audra at:

Website: www.audraharders.com