 This week we were back at Thrive cafe with Story Club, my young writer’s workshop. A hybrid class with some attending by Zoom and some in person, we explored ‘deep heart wishes’.  What does our character want most? When Harry Potter looks into the Mirror of Erised, he sees his parents. Knowing a character’s deepest wish helps us understand them, and helps us drive the plot (carry the story forward). Harry Potter’s deepest wish, to connect to his parents, to have a family, could be the motivator for connecting so closely with Ron and Hermione. He creates a family/tribe through friends. The Weasleys become an extended family, inviting him to their home. And Harry, in turn, is incredibly protective of them. Our characters may have deep motivations (deep heart wishes!) that they may or may not realise themselves.
Some possible deep heart wishes:
Thanks to all the young writers who joined, and hope they enjoyed thinking about deep heart wishes.
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 Revealing a character’s emotions on the page is crucial for making them more real to the reader (and sometimes, the writer! How many of us have started to write in a character’s emotions and then realise we don’t actually know how the character feels? This is an exercise that sometimes flags up that I need to get to know / develop my characters more.) Conveying emotion allows the reader to connect with a character, empathise with, route for & feel for them. We can also can convey lessons of the heart when we delve into the world of emotions. What are some ways we can convey emotions in a story? Here are some of my examples for conveying fear:
At Story Club, my young writers’ workshop, we discussed these and more. Thanks to Hetty for bringing in metaphor — a beautiful, creative way to show emotion. A cave can signify so many things (trapped, darkness, feeling stuck). Weather can reflect a mood (a storm reflecting anger/trauma, a rainbow signifying relief). Metaphors like these pulls the reader in further as the whole environment (landscape, setting, weather) conveys the emotion. Wonderful scenes were written by all six story-clubbers, full of emotion. A fiery scene by Mine showed the anger of grief. Amani revealed a more watery concern and sadness. Amber used the ocean to scream out all the stuck feelings, in a climactic scene. Hetty revealed how deep worry can choke us up, our voice turning weak and trembly. Coco laced two dramatic storylines, both with strong emotions, together (new life and new death) and Mika contrasted a tiny robin with a giant dragon, both facing a dark terror. Enjoy reading and writing those emotional scenes, everyone. Don’t forget to dive deep! |
AuthorThis is the blog post of children's author Giulietta M. Spudich. Archives
March 2023
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