Words, Thoughts and Power

It's amazing how powerful words are - written or spoken.  In books, blogs, magazines, etc, the right words put together, can create one amazingly striking message, or evoke an unbelievably powerful emotion. As a reader, I yearn for this.  If what I am reading does not make me laugh uncontrollably, or cry out in anger or sadness, then I quickly lose interest, as do all readers.  In my own writing I strive to reach deep into my soul and pull out the most extreme emotions, turning it into what I hope is a well thought out and impactful story. One that will have readers wanting more.  The way I see it, if I don't express emotion myself as I'm writing then it's not worth it.

I still remember the day I read a certain part in the last Harry Potter book (SPOILER AHEAD).  Though if you haven't read the books by now, come on!  I have no words for you.

But the chapter where Fred dies is what got me. I ended the chapter, set the book on my bed, and balled my eyes out for a good 20 minutes.  (If you don't remember, Fred was one half of the Weasley twins, always cracking jokes.  I've attached an image below.)



J.K Rowling had a way, with writing the Harry Potter books, that had you attached to the characters.  They felt like real people that you would hang out with at school, if you were lucky enough to be a witch or wizard and go to Hogwarts of course.  The conversations, their distinct personalities, the intriguing prose that set you, the reader, up to be completely devastated if anything happened to these beloved characters.  It was her use of words throughout the series and in that chapter leading up to Fred's death that had me crying tears of sorrow for his life that night.  I use this as an example because it is the moment that affected me most as a reader.  This is what I strive for in my writing.

While my writing style is very different, the emotional aspect is not.  Every writer has the need to pour out their own emotions into their writing, as a way to heal or find closure with whatever the emotion is.  Or emotions are a writer's way of relating to the audience, whether through humor or heartbreak.

Tricia Huffman - Your Joyologist

The same goes in real life.  Our thoughts and words shape who we are and how we experience life.  If you are always thinking negative thoughts, you're not going to have good experiences.  I know this as a fact from personal experience.  I grew up struggling a lot with self confidence and developed a bad habit of always talking myself down in my mind.  That translated in my words and my body language, which in the long run alienated me from a lot of people and experiences in life.  I still work everyday at it, but I am at a much better place and can testify to the amazing difference in my life.  Instead of saying I can't do that, or I don't have time to do what I want, or The world it out to get me, I turn the words around and tell myself I can, I choose what I want to spend my time doing, and I create my experiences everyday so I will make them worth while.

This simple change in thoughts and word choice start to make you realize that it is up to YOU.  It's all in how you CHOOSE to think and be.  It's the same in written word.  The author chooses the right words to pull what they want out of the characters or the readers.  Either way our choices in how we use our words and thoughts are powerful.  There's no other way around it.  So choose to make your words positive and your thoughts self-empowering.  When you're reading a good book, allow the emotions to overcome you because that is what the author intended and you may discover something about yourself that you didn't know before. It's how we relate to each other, don't shut things out or make it a miserable experience.  Enjoy it!  Even if it's difficult or unpleasant.  There is always something to cherish.

I hope this wasn't all over the place.  I thought I was overdue on a post dedicating to my thinking out loud ;p

Alysia