The success of a book has a lot of contributing factors. A
killer plot. Enticing characters. Cool settings. Unique idea… But one factor, in
my opinion, anyway, stands out above the rest.
Emotion.
Anger, joy, sadness, hate—emotions are a large part of what
makes people read. At least, that’s the case with me. I want to pick up a book
and feel something. I want to fall in
love. Be angry when the hero and heroine are thwarted. I want to Snoopy Dance
when the bad get gets his due. Who wants to finish a story where you can’t
connect with the characters? If I don’t feel some kind of emotion, it’s all
over.
Apathy is the death
of a book.
No truer words have ever been spoken. When the reader isn’t
emotionally invested in what happens to the characters, the whole thing becomes
pointless. How many times have you put down a book because you just don’t care?
It's okay. We've all done it. I’m not just talking about love here, either. Hate is just
as good, and sometimes, more powerful. When you're emotionally invested in a
book, and you come across an uber-baddie, don't you worry what devious plot he
has in store for the hero and heroine? Don’t you find yourself imagining ways
to pick him off?
(Wait—that’s just me? Um… Never mind then.)
This is a huge part of why I write in the young adult genre. The emotions are amped. Everything from a character's first love and heartbreak, to their struggle to find themselves in the world. So many firsts. So many passionate emotions. SO MANY FEELS!
And that's why we read. To feel. To connect. As long as readers
feeling something, then I’ve done my
job. From cheering your favorites on as they pursue their quest, to screaming
in frustration when the bad guy gains the upper hand. A handful of tissues, or
the urge to yell at the page. If you walk away feeling, then I’m a happy puppy.
What about you guys? Is there a particular book or fictional
character that has evoked a strong emotion?
