WHY is Showing Emotions Continually Challenging? [Day Three of Five Day Series]

5 Day – Emotions in Writing Challenge

WHY is showing emotions in writing so difficult?

Demonstrating emotions in writing can be difficult for several reasons.

The past two days we looked at 1. and 2. from the list below. Today we move along to number 3.

Over the remaining two days, I would like to address each of the remaining reasons with the intention of shedding light on why emotions can be hard to write and more importantly offer ideas on how we can enhance our writing by effectively harnessing emotions in our writing.

So, over the next two days we will delve even more into these subjects being the five reasons showing emotions in writing is challenging.

1. Lack of Nonverbal Cues (face-to-face – Covered here – Day 1)
2. Limited Word Selection (Covered here – Day 2 – Yesterday)
3. Interpretation Variability (That’s our topic Today :)) 
4. Cultural Differences (to be revealed next blog – Day 4), and  
5. Fear of Vulnerability (to be revealed next blog – Day 5).  

Day 3: Interpretation Variability

Decoding Interpretation: Bridging the Gap in Emotional Writing

Emotions are subjective, and interpretations can vary widely. Individual Writers may interpret the same words differently. Words have meaning and writers need to be aware what specific words mean. Even though readers may understand the words they read they still may receive different messages from what we writers intended.

Today we unravel the complexities of interpretation variability in emotional writing. Explore techniques to communicate emotions in a way that transcends individual perspectives and connects with a diverse audience, ensuring your words resonate deeply across different readers.

What evokes a particular emotion in one person may not generate the same response in another. This variability in interpretation can make it difficult for writers to ensure that their intended emotions are effectively communicated. Consequently, we writers face the challenge of finding techniques to express emotions in a manner that resonates with our readers.

Prompt: Use this 👇photo and write what you see…

Look at the photo ☝️above. Imagine looking through a kaleidoscope at the person in the photo above. That photo is what you would likely see.

So, what I want you to do imagine you are looking through a kaleidoscope at the person in the photo. Now imagine looking through the kaleidoscope as representing your readers, while the person being observed represents the emotions you as the writer intend to convey.

In this picture, the kaleidoscope acts as a lens through which the reader perceives and interprets the emotions depicted by the writer. The unique combination of colors and patterns seen through the kaleidoscope represents the reader’s individual interpretation of those emotions.

Now, imagine you as the writer are guiding the person looking through the kaleidoscope. They carefully select and present different aspects, gestures, and expressions of the person being observed to evoke specific emotions. However, as the observer’s perspective shifts, the interpretation of those emotions can vary.

This scenario reflects the inherent variability in how individuals perceive and interpret emotions in writing. The writer’s task is to consider the reader’s viewpoint and adjust their writing, accordingly, ensuring that the intended emotions are effectively communicated despite the potential differences in interpretation.

By understanding this dynamic and crafting your writing with clarity and evocative details, you can influence the reader’s interpretation through the metaphorical kaleidoscope, increasing the chances of aligning your intended emotions with the reader’s perception.

It’s tricky. I am not even sure if I have explained this in such a way as to have you understand what I am trying to convey.

Be Mindful of Different Perspectives:

We need to be mindful of different perspectives. We all have unique experiences, backgrounds and emotions, which affect how we interpret and react to things. As a writer, it’s important to be aware of this variability and consider different perspectives when crafting our writing. We need to take into account that our readers may have diverse ways of interpreting our work too. Aim to create a narrative that allows for multiple understandings.

Show, Don’t Just Tell:

One truly powerful technique is to convey emotions through showing rather than simply telling. Instead, we explicitly state what our characters are feeling. Again, using the overly mentioned vivid descriptions, action and dialogue to bring those emotions to life. By painting a sensory-rich picture of our characters’ experiences we allow your readers to connect with the emotions on a deeper level and form their own interpretations based on their personal understanding.

Is this all too hard?

Try to remember that interpretation variability is a natural part of the reading experience. You may not be able to control how your reader will perceive your work but being mindful, using clear language, and employing effective storytelling techniques can enhance your ability to communicate emotions to your diverse audience.

Was it, Nathaniel Hawthorne who said, “Easy reading is damn hard writing.”?

I do not argue. It is truly hard to make easy reading for your readers.

This was a hard blog post to write but I hope I made it easier for you.

If I did, I would be truly excited. 😉

~Zak~

Photo Credits:
All photos supplied on this post are by Unsplash Photographers – Thank you so much!

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