Secrets to Writing a Sad Story

My dream, from the time I developed an obsession fordevelop a certain relationship with the actors, so that in
writing stories, has been to write one that can makethe end, the viewer not only likes them but loves them.
people cry. Well, my stories, I hear, have moved aTherefore, she feels their pain and sorrow.
goodly number of compassionate souls.Employ the same in your stories. Make your readers
But really, what are the odds that stories can move adevelop a relationship with your characters. Let them
person to tears? Has the written word got suchidentify with them. Make them love your characters.
power? The answer is a resounding yes!You'll do this more effectively if you develop your
Have you ever read a story of an individual who goescharacters in such a way that your reader seems
through so much adversity that you are touched to thethem as real people with real problems. In short,
point of shedding tears? Maybe not, but I am sure thatdevelop the human side of your characters.
you have read something that is so touching that youIt is important to make your character a
feel the tears squeezing to burst out...compassionate person too. Very few people will feel
However, compared to television, the written wordanything for a villain-unless you develop his humans
seems to pale in its power to move people's emotion.side; if you show that in some situations, he loses his
Television sends a flood of information to the viewer'shard, callous side and reveals real humane emotions.
eyes. Vivid images of the plight of the actors and theirPeople tend to love a good person, and in time, they
evident anguish flash before their eyes. If you havewill feel for him. So if you are writing a sad story, don't
watched a sad movie, you will agree with me that themake your main character a callous villain. When he
screen can easily move someone to tears. Withsuffers adversity, your reader will be like:
mournful music playing in the back ground, even the"He surely got what he deserved!"
most callous of souls are sent into sniffing.Finally, the major trick of the movie industry: a twist in
Let us borrow one or two lessons from the moviefate. You are there watching, and you are quite liking
industry and use that to write moving stories.where everything is going, when BLAAAAAAM! Your
Firstly, television sends clear and vivid images of thefavourite character experiences terrible misfortune,
plight of the actors. No one needs a special educationtragic loss, or even death. And since at this point you
to understand what he is seeing.have developed feelings for the actor, you are moved
The same should be true of your writing if you want itto tears.
to move people. Your writing should be clear andThis you should do too in your story. Just at the point
understandable to your target audience. Furthermore,when everything is going fine and your reader is quite
use graphic language that creates vivid images in theirliking it, i.e. feeling the joy and happiness the character
minds. Help them visualize what the characters areis feeling, BOOOM! tragic and heartrending misfortune
going through and their feelings. Choose the rightattacks. At this point, since your reader has developed
words. Your choice of words is, ultimately, what willa relationship and hence affection for your character,
determine whether your story will have an effect onshe may be moved to tears....
your readers or not.I hope that the lessons we have learned from the
Secondly, the movies industry appeals to themovie industry will help you write better sad stories. I
compassion that is inherent in humans. All of us have acan't wait to read them and be moved to tears!
degree of compassion to those that we care for. SoHey, happy writing!
the movie industry moves to make the viewers