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Writing Emotion

Using the Objective Correlative to Evoke Feeling

Rosalyn N. Eves

About the Course

The best books connect with readers by engaging their emotions. But how can writers effectively incorporate emotion into their writing? While "show, don't tell," can help, that only gets writers so far. This presentation moves beyond "show, don't tell" by introducing writers to a technique sometimes called "the objective correlative" that uses objects, metaphors, setting, gestures and more to evoke a powerful emotional response from readers, allowing them to feel with characters instead of simply observing them.

Your Instructor

Rosalyn N. Eves

Rosalyn N. Eves

Rosalyn N. Eves has a PhD in English and teaches writing at Southern Utah University. She is also the author of several young adult novels--the historical fantasy trilogy, BLOOD ROSE REBELLION (Knopf BFYR), a YA historical BEYOND THE MAPPED STARS (Knopf BFYR), and an upcoming Regency romantic comedy called AN IMPROBABLE SEASON (FSG/Macmillan).

Course Contents

Chapter 1: How to Convey Emotion
Chapter 2: Object
Chapter 3: Metaphor
Chapter 4: Situation
Chapter 5: Movement and Gestures
Chapter 6: Sensory Details

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