February 17, 2020
Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions strongly?
When I first started writing the Harmony Duprie Mysteries, I had some early critiques that pointed out her seeming lack of emotions. The thing is, despite her eccentricities, Harmony is a logic-driven personality. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t feel things deeply, she just doesn’t show that side of her persona easily.
It also makes me wonder how often this question is asked of women vs. men, and of female characters vs. male characters. There are still lots of people in today’s world that believe that women are emotional creatures driven by hormones and therefore somehow “less” then men. Obviously, I’m not one of those people.
There are times when writing Harmony is like walking a tightrope. Too much to one side or the other, and I lose what makes her who she is. Just because she keeps her emotions tightly controlled doesn’t make her heartless. It’s just means that she’s weighing her options carefully.
I hold that the same is true for writers. Not every book is driven by emotions. There’s good vs. evil and right vs. wrong. Sure, human emotions play into these plots, but they aren’t necessarily the focus.
On the other hand, emotions are what drive readers to like or dislike the
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characters, to feel a part of their story. If all emotions are stripped from a book (is that even possible?) readers won’t find anything to relate to. And how difficult would it be to write an engaging story with no action and only emotions? There’s the tightrope again.
Back to the original question. I’m going deep here. One of the characteristics of a sociopath is shallow emotions. At the same time, they can be charming and manipulative. And isn’t that what a writer is doing when they write a book? Attempting to manipulate the reader?
Oh, and we’ve entirely skipped the whole idea of non-fiction books that are factual, not emotional. (Text books, anyone? Technical writing?)
So, yes, I believe that someone could not feel emotions strongly and still be a writer. For fiction books, I’m not saying they’d be a good writer, but yes, they could be a writer.
I’d love to hear your take on the topic. Just scroll down a ways. Keep scrolling, you’ll get there. While you do that, I’m off to see what the other authors on this hop have to say.
February 17, 2020
Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions strongly?
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Not sure how they’d write about emotions they don’t feel? I would imagine the majority of the population do feel emotions though. Writing textbooks is different in that you’re writing down facts. Readers don’t want to feel emotion when reading textbooks I would think.
How can someone write a shapeshifter book without be a shapeshifter? 🙂 It’s all in how you use your imagination.
Sure, but the topic was about emotions. If somebody has never felt any emotion, he/she wouldn’t have the experience to write convincingly about it. Shapeshifters are from the fantasy world which anybody could write about because they’ve never existed. However, everyone who isn’t a sociopath would recognise the lack of convincingly described emotions on a page.
“And isn’t that what a writer is doing when they write a book? Attempting to manipulate the reader?”
Oi, ouch, lol. I love that bit. Great post!
Thanks! The truth hurts sometimes.
It’s all about creating emotion on the page and in the reader. It may be easier done from experience, but how many of us are murderers or evil scientists, etc.?
Exactly!
I know someone who self admittedly dislikes people. And he tries to write. It ends up like dry Jack London. Jim Bob ran across the creek. Jim Bob pulled out an arrow. Jim Bob shot the (insert beast here) to make a new loin cloth. Jim Bob continued on his journey out of Fawtband territory so they didn’t take him prisoner. Early on he tried adverbs to no avail. I don’t think, even with the emotion thesaurus at hand, that one devoid of, or disturbed by emotion can write believable emotion. And as for the Academics, or those who write the dusty trials of “fictionalized” history too close to the authenticity line, flat is flat, sorry.
I have written humorous tech and how-to manuals after being fed dry leaves by engineering. It is possible.
Blood and guts and veins in my teeth? Google and Hollywood are your friends. If you have a hard time thinking of chainsaw damage, there are those who haven’t. Reword and baste to taste!