One of the ways to connect with your reader is to make them feel something. Creating an emotional connection can make a lasting impression on the reader, and keep them turning the page. When the reader feels connected with the story or characters she is more likely to recommend your book to a friend!

Show, Not Tell
Many of us grew up doing show AND tell at school, but this is a little different. When writing, we need to show NOT tell. This means that you shouldn’t just write that your character is angry, but create a scene where your character is able to act out that anger by shouting, breaking plates, or getting into a physical fight. The reader will be able to understand better what the level of emotion is when they can relate an action to the emotion.

Start From Scratch
Remember that your reader doesn’t know your characters as well as you do. You’ve been living with these figures in your head for a very long time, years maybe, but your reader is just meeting them. Imagine trying to introduce two friends, one from your childhood and one from work. They wouldn’t care about each other at all at first, but if they sat down to dinner together and got to know one another they would each be able to relate to the other’s struggles.

Picky Picky
Writing is more than just putting random words on paper, connections happen when you choose your words very carefully. Create the relationship you want between the reader and character by showing the exact emotion the character is feeling. Sadness differs from despair, being angry is different than being mad, and a happy character acts differently than an ecstatic one. This goes back to the first point, by showing what your character does in response to the emotion you allow the reader to really understand the depth of the emotion.

Connect with Eric Brent in The Right Guard before On Ice hits shelves!