Invitations to Plot & Emotion
How our Week 7 Go First Challenge aligns with writing
If you’re following
and I with our Go First Challenge, you know that we’ve been taking it week by week, small step by small step, to let others around us know they’re seen.It’s that small act of kindness, the follow-up question, the invitation… that make the difference between casual observer and engaged listener.
In fact, I’d argue that writing and this week’s challenge (Invite someone!) have more in common than you might think.
Week 7: Invite Someone
You may have noticed our challenges have been getting a little larger in scope as the weeks continue. This is intentional.
By starting small, as Kendra Adachi would advise us, our mental shift to look around us is like a light bulb. It may begin with a flicker and then turn on a little brighter as we pay attention to the people and community around us.
This week, Amanda and I encourage you to invite someone to a short catch-up over coffee, lunch, dinner, a walk to the bus stop, or a playdate in your neighborhood… anything that feels both doable and intentional.
My invitation is to a family we’ve gotten to know over the last few months at church. We’re having them over for lunch on Sunday; since they live in a neighboring town, I thought it would be nice for them to skip the drive back and join us for some simple tacos.
While we eat chips and salsa, we’re going to talk about plot and emotion. What I mean by that is we’ll likely share stories of our week, what’s been happening in our worlds, and then we may even go a little deeper into how we feel about those developments, what’s felt hard or scary and what’s been joyful and life-giving.
Our relationships with others can be the foundation on which we build our best writing.
Building Your Best Story
I love what book coach Monica Cox said about plot and emotion and how they’re interwoven in scenes and chapters. She helps us pay attention to revisions that may lean too heavily on one or the other.
Too much plot, and you’re not going to hang in there with the story because it doesn’t really matter. You are not invested in the character’s “why,” so the adventure gets lost on you around the quarter mark of the novel.
On the other hand, too much emotion can be sappy and feel like a slog. So when you’re editing, it’s important to break down the scenes, chapters, and the transitions between each one, and ask yourself:
Why do I care about this character?
What are this character’s choices saying about his or her emotions?
What’s at stake?
If I gave up reading right now, would I think about the character later while I’m washing the dishes or running on the treadmill?
If you write nonfiction, think about this: Will my reader resonate with this chapter because it’s both actionable (plot) and necessary (emotive)?
Stories & Invitations
In both life and writing, it’s important to pay attention to the details of practical matters and the details of the heart.
You might notice that there are quite a few homeless people in your city and wonder how you can make a difference in their lives. (Plot)
Then, after volunteering at a local soup kitchen for a few months, you start to learn people’s names and stories and what led them to an unhoused life. Your emotions are pulled in, and you care about them as individuals.
(Emotion)
These are points that carry weight both in our writing and in our everyday. When we lose the weight of these, or the balance teeters too far to one side, we find ourselves:
Burned out from too much doing (plot without emotion)
Disconnected (emotion without much doing over a long period of time can lead to becoming disillusioned)
Careless and unfocused (it’s essential to pay attention not just to others, mind you, but also to yourself)
So, as you’re thinking about who to invite this week, consider ways to notice the plot of their life and how they’re feeling about it.
Quick Poll for Writers & Readers
I would love to know what kinds of writing/reading resources you want to hear about! As we wrap up our 8-week series soon, I have a few ideas, but I need to know what strikes you as important and relevant to your weekly life.
Please answer this VERY SHORT poll to help me tailor this newsletter to you, the faithful readers. Thank you for your encouragement these last 4 years!