Look, we’ve all been there. You’re staring at a blank page, trying to breathe life into a character who feels about as real as a cardboard cutout. You know they’re supposed to be devastated by their recent breakup, but all you can come up with is “Sarah felt sad.” Groundbreaking stuff, right?
This, my fellow wordsmiths, is where emotional journaling for fiction writers comes in handy. It’s like method acting, but instead of gaining 50 pounds for a role, you’re gaining insight into your characters’ deepest, darkest feelings. And trust me, it’s a lot less likely to wreck your metabolism.
What the Heck is Emotional Journaling for Fiction Writers, Anyway?
Emotional journaling for fiction writers is exactly what it sounds like—journaling, but make it emotional. And fictional. It’s a technique where you write entries from your character’s perspective, diving deep into their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Think of it as Facebook stalking your own creations, except less creepy and more productive.
Why Bother with This Emotional Mumbo-Jumbo?
You might be thinking, “I’m a writer, not a therapist. Why should I care about my characters’ feelings?” Well, my skeptical friend, let me count the ways:
- Depth: Characters with rich emotional lives are like onions—they have layers. And they make people cry. (Okay, maybe that metaphor got away from me.)
- Authenticity: Real people have complex emotions. Your characters should too, unless you’re writing about robots. And even then, have you seen “Wall-E“?
- Conflict: Internal turmoil makes for great drama. It’s why we watch reality TV, people!
- Reader connection: Readers connect with characters they understand emotionally. It’s why we all sobbed when Dumbledore died. (Spoiler alert? Is that still a thing?)
Getting Started with Emotional Journaling for Fiction Writers
Alright, you’re convinced. Emotional journaling for fiction writers is the bee’s knees. But how do you actually do it without feeling like you’re writing bad fanfiction about your own characters?
Step 1: Choose Your Character
Pick a character you want to develop. Ideally, someone important to your story. Don’t waste time journaling as the guy who delivers pizza in chapter 3. Unless he’s secretly the villain. In which case, journal away, my friend.
Step 2: Set the Scene
Choose a significant moment in your character’s life. Maybe it’s right after the inciting incident of your story. Or perhaps it’s a pivotal moment from their backstory. Just make sure it’s emotionally charged. “Janet goes grocery shopping” probably won’t cut it. Unless Janet has a crippling fear of produce. In which case… actually, that could be interesting.
Step 3: Write, Write, Write
Now, channel your inner angsty teenager and start writing. Let your character pour their heart out onto the page. Don’t worry about perfect grammar or spelling. Real people don’t think in perfectly structured sentences, and neither should your characters.
Emotional Journaling for Fiction Writers: Tips and Tricks
Now that you’ve got the basics down, let’s dive into some advanced techniques to really make your emotional journaling for fiction writers pop:
1. Use Sensory Details
Don’t just focus on emotions. Include sensory details that your character might notice. Maybe the lingering scent of their ex’s perfume makes them nauseous. Or the sound of rain against the window reminds them of childhood trauma. Get specific, get visceral.
2. Embrace Contradictions
Real emotions are messy. Your character might be simultaneously furious at their best friend and desperately missing them. Let them be confused, conflicted, contradictory. It’s what makes us human, after all. Well, that and our ability to binge-watch entire seasons of TV in one sitting.
3. Explore Unexpected Emotions
Sure, your character is sad about their recent job loss. But are they also a tiny bit relieved? Maybe even excited about new possibilities? Don’t be afraid to let your characters surprise you. They’re full of surprises, just like that leftover takeout in the back of your fridge.
4. Use Stream of Consciousness
Let your character’s thoughts flow freely. Jump from topic to topic. Use sentence fragments. Or run-on sentences that go on forever and ever like that one relative who corners you at family gatherings and won’t stop talking even though you’ve been nodding politely for the past hour and you’re pretty sure your leg has fallen asleep but you can’t escape because they’ve got you pinned against the snack table. You know the one.
Emotional Journaling for Fiction Writers: Exercises to Get You Started
Still feeling stuck? Here are some exercises to kickstart your emotional journaling for fiction writers journey:
1. The “Dear Diary” Classic
Have your character write a traditional diary entry about their day. But here’s the twist – they have to mention at least three emotions they felt, and why. Bonus points if one of those emotions is “hangry.”
2. The Unsent Letter
Your character writes a letter to someone they can never send it to. Maybe it’s a deceased parent, an estranged friend, or their celebrity crush. Let them say all the things they’ve been holding back. It’s like drunk texting, but with less regret in the morning.
3. The Inner Monologue
Write your character’s stream of consciousness during a pivotal scene in your story. What are they really thinking as they deliver that powerful speech or kiss their love interest for the first time? Probably something less eloquent than you initially wrote, I’m guessing.
4. The Therapy Session
Imagine your character in a therapy session. What would they reveal? What would they try to hide? And what would make them storm out dramatically? (Because let’s face it, we’re all a little dramatic in our own heads.)
Putting It All Together: From Journal to Narrative
So you’ve filled notebooks with your characters’ deepest, darkest thoughts. Now what? How do you translate all this emotional journaling for fiction writers into actual, you know, fiction?
1. Use It for Character Development
These journal entries aren’t meant to be copied and pasted into your story. Instead, use them to inform your character’s actions and decisions. If you know your character is secretly insecure about their intelligence, that might influence how they react to a challenge at work.
2. Mine for Dialogue
Your character’s journal voice can help you write more authentic dialogue. Maybe they have a particular way of expressing frustration that you can incorporate into their speech patterns.
3. Create Subtext
Now that you know what your character is really thinking and feeling, you can create delicious subtext in your scenes. Your character might say they’re “fine” with a smile, but the reader (and you) will know they’re anything but.
4. Deepen Your Descriptions
Use the sensory details and specific emotions from your journaling to enhance your descriptive passages. Instead of just describing what a room looks like, show how your character experiences it emotionally.
The Dark Side of Emotional Journaling for Fiction Writers
Now, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the potential pitfalls of this technique. Emotional journaling for fiction writers can be intense. You might find yourself getting a little too into character. If you find yourself ugly crying in the grocery store because they’re out of your character’s favorite ice cream flavor, it might be time to take a step back.
Remember, the goal is to understand your characters, not become them. Leave the full psychological breakdowns to your characters, okay? You’ve got deadlines to meet and a life to live. Plus, your roommate is starting to get worried about all the time you’re spending talking to yourself in different voices.
In Conclusion: Embrace the Emotional Rollercoaster
Emotional journaling for fiction writers is a powerful tool in your writerly toolkit. It can help you create characters that leap off the page, grab your readers by the heartstrings, and refuse to let go. And isn’t that what we’re all aiming for? (Well, that and a seven-figure book deal, but let’s focus on one goal at a time.)
So go forth and journal. Dive deep into your characters’ psyches. Embrace the drama, the angst, the joy, and everything in between. Your writing will thank you for it. And who knows? You might even learn a thing or two about yourself in the process.
Just remember to come up for air occasionally. And maybe invest in some waterproof mascara. You know, just in case all this emotional exploration gets a little too real. Happy journaling, you brilliant, slightly unhinged storytellers!