So a few years back, my beloved older sister got me a book on writing. Over the years, I’ve skimmed through different chapters but now I’ve decided it’s time I read the book in full and share my findings with you all. The first section is about the introduction, which is quite short and thus doesn’t have a lot to it.

So here is The Emotional Craft of Fiction by Donald Maass

Introduction

The big question of The Emotional Craft of Fiction is trying to answer is this: How can I get readers to go on emotional journeys of their own?

The purpose of the book is to delve into the ways and means of creating a powerful emotional experience for readers as they read. Because Readers do not read just read, they respond. Readers do not automatically adopt the Writer’s outlook and outrage. They adopt their own.

(That last part is very true. Around the time I was getting into college, I read “Atlas Shrugged” by Ayn Rand for a scholarship essay. While I can never recommend that book for moral reasons, one thing that upset me about the book is the fact that the main character Dagny has three possible romantic interests but ends up with the one with the least amount of chemistry with her or build up to their relationship. He’s also a Gary Stu. I’m sure Dagny got with him purely because he represented the author’s philosophical ideal, not because their relationship is the one the reader would support the most. Rant over.)