From the SRP Editor site:
Here’s the thing about writing fiction: if you’re bored while you’re writing it, your reader will be comatose by the time they get to the bottom of the page. If you’re writing a sad scene and your eyes stay dry, something’s off. If you’re supposedly writing a funny moment and you don’t even smirk, guess what? Your readers won’t either.
Fiction is about emotional resonance. It’s your job to feel it first so the reader can feel it later. But sometimes, the words fall flat even for the person who put them there. Why? Here are five likely culprits and what you can do about them:
1. You Don’t Know Your Characters Well Enough
If you can’t care about them, neither will your readers. If your heroine’s dog dies and you’re shrugging “meh,” that’s a red flag. Spend more time fleshing out who they are, what they want, and why it matters. Make them real enough that when they hurt, you hurt.
2. You’re Phoning It In
If you’re distracted, rushing, or just trying to hit your word count, emotional depth won’t magically appear. Slow down. Sink into the scene. Let yourself live it as if it’s happening to you.
3. The Stakes Are Too Low
Flat emotion often means flat conflict. Nobody cries over someone forgetting their latte order (unless you’ve set it up as a symbol of years of neglect—then maybe). Raise the stakes until it matters enough to punch you in the gut.
4. You’re Guarding Yourself
Sometimes writers subconsciously protect themselves from pain or vulnerability on the page. Newsflash: that’s where the good stuff lives. Drop the armor. Let yourself bleed a little. If it stings, you’re probably on the right track.
5. The Scene Doesn’t Belong
If you’ve rewritten a scene six times and it still feels like cardboard, maybe it’s not you—it’s the story. Sometimes the emotional beat just doesn’t fit the arc, and no amount of tinkering will save it. Cut it. Kill your darlings. Your story will thank you.
Bottom line: If your writing doesn’t move you, it won’t move your readers. Don’t aim for “meh.” Aim for “oh hell yes.” Cry. Laugh. Rant. Sob into your coffee mug. Because if you feel it, your readers will too.
–Mark
