Do you cry at your own writing?

I cry with my own characters, other people's characters, good Bell Telephone commericals, songs on the radio, songs I sing in church... okay I practice until I get the tears out of my way before stepping up in front of the congragation and singing a song that tugs at my heart strings too much, but yes I get involved.

I think the closest I've got to crying over my characters was after 2 days straight of writing a 'short story' (it was more novella length by the time it was done). I think I was depressed and moping around for a few days after that one recovering. Having said that, I tend to be far too internalized for my own good!

I figure if I can generate emotion and that is what, in part, readers are looking for... to become involved in caring what happens to the folks we write about... then I will be doing a decent job. I had a couple of people read parts of my novella... and one gal was given chapters 1-9 and came back wanting more. That, I figured was a good sign. :oops: And sometimes I konw that we write about things that are bothing us... they become situations that bother our characters and if we can work through them via our characters... and some where down the road we make money from it all... well, who needs a shrink then, huh! :lol:

Not usually while I'm writing although it's happened, but I've had it happen more often when I've gone back to read something I'd written. If it doesn't move me (in the appropriate places) who will it?

Thats the strange thing though, isn't it, Miss Write? Or is it just me? Stuff that I've sort of passed over and thought nothing of has hit some of my readers in a deeper way. I agree you definitely have to be feeling something when you're writing, but it seems like half the challenge is getting through to the reader, even when you don't know you're doing it.

I think you are right. One of the goals is GETTING To the Reader. And if we do... I too think we have done well. I know that if we get the reader involved in what is happening to the char. then they will give a hoot if you... kill someone off... if so and so finds happiness... if so and so breaks someone's heart. Guess that is a good sign the reader is wrapped up in something we write. :shock: 8) KL

Sometimes during the initial inspiration period. I'll be in the shower or driving or lying in bed at night and the story that plays out in the head will get me going- not crying, but that tight throat and rapidly blinking eyes feeling. I've only cried while writing one chapter in one story- after puttign it off for three months because I got physically ill trying to write it. When I finally did write it, I cried the whole time. I hate crying. It makes me get sick, every damn time it happens. So then I'm miserable and I have some sort of situational flu!

I'm writing a not-erotic novel and a number of scenes get me teary. Old fart 60+ male. must be doing something right.

No, but I cried through Maui's story God Damn It!

Absolutely!! I don't think that's a bad thing. Our goal as writers is to create believeable characters. If we can relate so strongly to our own characters that we cry with them and root for them and feel joy with them then we don't have to wonder if our readers will. That's half the battle, isn't it ? If our readers love our characters then they will want to keep reading. Also we write because there is something in our souls that need healing, and writing is cathartic. It doesn't matter what we write, the very act of writing helps us to figure ourselves out. It's almost like we are living vicariously through our characters.

I did, and I still do every time I read it, as the pregnant heroine of the story watches her lover's gory public execution by beheading. :( (Set in 17th century English civil war perhaps I should add)

Being a big, burly, knuckle-dragging, insensitive, macho-type guy, of course not. However, I do whimper a lot during rewrites. Bayou Bill 8)

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