This was such an interesting read - so many great tips! I love the idea of free writing as a character in first person. It reminds of a 'hot-seat' thing we would do when we studied plays and you'd have to answer questions as the character to try and get inside their head. Always brought up interesting stuff and a great way to figure the characters out as a student - love the idea of doing it as a writer too. Also, I'm definitely a crier - books, films, songs, the occasional advert, a dog being a dog... (I know, painfully cool).
Wow -- love the idea of the hot seat. That makes so much sense to me. Haha!! You and I sound like we cry at all of the same things. So glad you liked the issue!
I really enjoyed reading about your process and also your book recommendations in this post. Any book that makes me cry is an automatic 5 star! You've made me want to watch the Talented Mr. Ripley again! I'm overdue for a rewatch. Have a great weekend :)
OMG you have to rewatch it. There's something about that movie. I've never read the book -- even though I adore the author -- I just love that film so much. The colors, the clothes, the scenery, the actors. It gets me so in the mood to begin again.
I've noticed that books, movies, and music will hit me differently based on my current mood, or what I'm currently going through, so there's a lot of timing involved.
It's the musicals that hit me the hardest. Hamilton, Dear Evan Hanson, Les Misérables, Rent
Thanks, Paul! Thanks for reading!!! I find it so amusing that you cry at Broadway shows. I rarely cry at them, something about other people seeing me cry maybe keeps me from shedding tears as much. We did see Kimberly Akimbo recently and John was laughing so hard at me because I couldn't stop crying but we were in a theater of people sobbing -- so it made it better at least. :)
I'm reading this and avoiding writing, but now I'm excited to get in there and make my reader feel something, damn it! ;) A reader told me she teared up reading my last substack and I was like, wow, that's GOLD!
"Adele is a master at getting me to reach into my inner depths." SAME. She is my creative hero. I'm a similar age to her, so her age albums have been guideposts in my life. I've never thought of listening to her to help me go emotionally deeper in my writing though. I may have to try this! Thank you. Interestingly I can't remember the last book that made me cry, but two that stick out for me are A Man Called Ove, Fredrik Backman and Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian <3
This was such an interesting read - so many great tips! I love the idea of free writing as a character in first person. It reminds of a 'hot-seat' thing we would do when we studied plays and you'd have to answer questions as the character to try and get inside their head. Always brought up interesting stuff and a great way to figure the characters out as a student - love the idea of doing it as a writer too. Also, I'm definitely a crier - books, films, songs, the occasional advert, a dog being a dog... (I know, painfully cool).
Wow -- love the idea of the hot seat. That makes so much sense to me. Haha!! You and I sound like we cry at all of the same things. So glad you liked the issue!
I really enjoyed reading about your process and also your book recommendations in this post. Any book that makes me cry is an automatic 5 star! You've made me want to watch the Talented Mr. Ripley again! I'm overdue for a rewatch. Have a great weekend :)
OMG you have to rewatch it. There's something about that movie. I've never read the book -- even though I adore the author -- I just love that film so much. The colors, the clothes, the scenery, the actors. It gets me so in the mood to begin again.
Thanks for the great tips Brooke!
I've noticed that books, movies, and music will hit me differently based on my current mood, or what I'm currently going through, so there's a lot of timing involved.
It's the musicals that hit me the hardest. Hamilton, Dear Evan Hanson, Les Misérables, Rent
Thanks, Paul! Thanks for reading!!! I find it so amusing that you cry at Broadway shows. I rarely cry at them, something about other people seeing me cry maybe keeps me from shedding tears as much. We did see Kimberly Akimbo recently and John was laughing so hard at me because I couldn't stop crying but we were in a theater of people sobbing -- so it made it better at least. :)
So many golden nuggets and great books here! I sobbed while reading The Light We Lost.
Thank you, Jules! I also cried at The Light We Lost. But I honestly fall for every writer's emotional punch. I'm an easy target as a reader. xoxoxo
I'm reading this and avoiding writing, but now I'm excited to get in there and make my reader feel something, damn it! ;) A reader told me she teared up reading my last substack and I was like, wow, that's GOLD!
"Adele is a master at getting me to reach into my inner depths." SAME. She is my creative hero. I'm a similar age to her, so her age albums have been guideposts in my life. I've never thought of listening to her to help me go emotionally deeper in my writing though. I may have to try this! Thank you. Interestingly I can't remember the last book that made me cry, but two that stick out for me are A Man Called Ove, Fredrik Backman and Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian <3