Rossis - Emotional Beats: How to Easily Convert your Writing into Palpable Feelings

Show, dont tell, everyone says.

Why?

Because of the way our brains are wired. If you dont name the emotion you are trying to describe, the emotional resonance is actually much stronger. As soon as you name an emotion, however, your readers slip into thinking mode. And when they think about an emotion, they distance themselves from the actual experience of feeling it.

So, the next question is, how ? How can we show anger, fear, indifference, and the whole range of emotions that characterize the human experience?

Until a few years ago, the answer might have been simple: add an adverb. For example:

He fearfully stepped onto the ladder.

This is simple and unassuming. But, for todays author, unacceptable. Lazy writing, your writing coach would say, suggesting instead that you use a beat. For example, you could describe your characters actions along the lines of:

He placed one uncertain foot on the ladder and raised his body. Will it hold, he wondered. He closed his eyes for a second, expecting the worn step to give way. When it didnt, he placed his second foot on the next step. His temples felt damp. He resisted the urge to wipe them, his fingers clutching instead the railing even harder. The ladder held. So far.

Much better, right? It is richer; immediate; deeper. It draws the reader in; makes them want to read more.

Lets see another example:

Sally felt anxious.

This is a perfect example of a sentence just begging for a beat. So, how about using one to show us instead of telling us?

Sally clutched the hem of her dress, then forced herself to release it and straightened the fabric with long, nervous strokes.

Isnt that more engaging? Still, there is a little more fun to be had.

Beats are great when used as an alternative to dialogue tags. Instead of using the tired ol he said-she said , you can use a beat to indicate whose turn it is to speak. Adding dialogue to the previous example, is there any doubt it is Sally doing the talking?

Sally clutched the hem of her dress. I dont know. She forced herself to release the dress and straightened the fabric with long, nervous strokes. I really dont know.

You can use beats this way not only to avoid excessive dialogue tags, but also to color dialogue with any sort of emotionin the case of poor Sally, nervousness.