Ever read a book that just got to you so much you found yourself crying or laughing, or cheering? Of course. Now, as a writer have you ever felt an emotion as you were typing up the scene? What did you do, use it or waste it? A lot of writers might decide to take a break while they finish crying or laughing, unable to go on until it passes. Or still others might actually be afraid of such an experience, fear that the emotion of the characters they write might get a bit too real for them to handle. Well, if you’re any one of these, then you’re wasting a very potent writing tool.

There have been many times when, as I’m typing a scene, I begin to feel the emotion of the situation and the characters. The elation as the hero triumphs, the sorrow from someone’s death, to the point where tears begin running down my face until it’s completely wet. Do I stop until it passes? Not at all. What I do instead is grab ahold of this emotion, not let it pass but hold it in place then use it. I channel that emotion into the scene as I’m writing it, and the result is a creation that seems more real to life, a story that will grab hold of the reader’s soul the same way it did yours. That emotion you hold in place and use will help you pick the right words to convey what you’re now feeling. It will direct your passion into something that everyone can see.

But how do you keep from getting overwhelmed from it all? Simple. Always reserve a core of your mind that remains in charge; a neutral observer that will remain apart fro it all. This is your guiding core,the part that not only holds that emotion in place, but directs it, and knows how far to let it fly. Just as other parts of your mind may be thinking in terms of how your various characters would think while your inner core still remains as your separate self, so does this inner emotional core stay a step apart so that you still remain in control. It may take some practice, but it’s worth the effort.

So the next time the passion starts welling out use it, don’t ignore it. It’s the most powerful tool that you will ever find.