I ran into a couple of writer friends yesterday, one of whom usually comments on the blog. They each said they had read the last post, but hadn't left a message.
Too chaotic to ask why not, but I wonder -- did the subject of breaking through emotional walls put them off???
I find the quest in the question posed in last week's post a worthy one. The closer we get to ourselves emotionally, the closer we can get our characters. I found a list of emotions I'll share below. Try exploring these emotions with your protagonist.
The key is not to ask yourself what you would do in the situation, but ask yourself what you would do if you were the character in the situation. Always bring the emotion through the character herself.
Identification with the protagonist is paramount to creating a compelling read, whether a novel, screenplay, memoir, or a blog. Readers identify with characters, through the character's emotion.
Exhausted
Confused
Ecstatic
Guilty
Suspicious
Angry
Hysterical
Frustrated
Sad
Confident
Embarrassed
Happy
Mischievous
Disgusted
Frightened
Enraged
Ashamed
Cautious
Smug
Depressed
Overwhelmed
Hopeful
Lonely
Lovestruck
Jealous
Bored
Surprised
Anxious
Shocked
Shy
Did I miss any???