In my editing of Legend of the Protectors, my friend, Tes Hilaire, asked me to work on my visceral reactions. Okay, if I knew what they were, it would make it easier to work on them. So I did my research and came to the conclusion, this was a very important part of writing. So, hence this blog post.
What is a Visceral Reaction?
Ebbi Thomas at Effective Mind Control dot com had the answer. These “reactions are triggered by emotions within milliseconds, ahead of your conscious awareness. Adrenalin increases to prepare your body for a fight or flight response. Your heart beats increase to improve blood supply. Blood pressure rises and breathing changes. Acidity increases in the stomach. Your excretory system prepares to clear toxin. Your endocrine system produces the adrenal hormone cortisol.
A visceral reaction occurs quickly, before you become aware of it. Paul Ekman, the famous emotions scientist, reported ‘We become aware a quarter, or half second after the emotion begins. I do not choose to have an emotion, to become afraid, or to become angry. I am suddenly angry. I can usually figure out later what someone did that caused the emotion.’ The nervous system processes all the available information and drives you to anger, or despair, within just half a second. Each visceral response occurs before you know it. Nature also provided laughter to counter this response.”
Well, our characters can’t always laugh off these reactions to keep from getting a stomach ulcer, but that’s okay. We need to be aware of these reactions and add them in our writing.
That said, I’m working on this and hope to improve my writing with Visceral Reactions.
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Sarah is writer looking for an agent. She is currently working on novel # 4, editing novels 2 and 3, and querying novel # 1. For more insight to her work, visit: http://legendoftheprotectors.wordpress.com/ or http://legendoftheprotectors.blogspot.com/
4 Comments so far
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Good for you! Way to research!
[Reply]
By Liz on 10.05.09 9:48 am | Permalink
Awesome!! I’ll def work on that =) Thanks!
Definitely good research. So many things we don’t think of…
[Reply]
By Eden Tyler on 10.05.09 10:23 pm | Permalink
Not sure if this qualifies as visceral, but I remember a visit to the doctor’s office that might come close.
I was there to have some stitches removed. Location: below the belt, but not quite at my “lady place.” The nurse had dabbed some type of disinfectant on the stitches, saying the doctor would be right in for the procedure. The minute she closed the door, I felt a fire that crawled over my skin like hot lava. There I was, half-naked, alone, and freezing everywhere, except for the blaze on my belly. Fear, anxiety, helplessness. It washed over me like a bad brew.
The feeling was gone by the time he walked in the room. The experience stayed with me much longer.
Ginger B.
http://coppertopcollins.blogspot.com
http://www.gingerbcollins.com
Ginger B. Collins´s last blog ..Off the Wagon and Craving Something Different
[Reply]
By Ginger B. Collins on 10.06.09 1:47 pm | Permalink
I had a similar experience Ginger. But the pain lasted longer.
But great use of imagery there. And I think that counts.
[Reply]
By Sarah on 10.07.09 11:33 am | Permalink
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