The Writer's Room

The Writer’s Reading Room

Caption for Social Post November Writer’s Room:

The second Writer's Room is happening on Thursday, November 21.

After an hour of reading to settle in, we’ll dive into our 1-hour mini-workshop, “Sitting in the Emotions.” We'll explore the raw layers of the human condition and how they shape our writing, if we dare say so. Bring your book and a notebook. We’ll provide exercises and some take-home inspiration. #WritingWorkshop #CreativeWriting #EmotionInWriting

The evening will be hosted by novelist Selin Varol of @varolpublishing.

Selin is a Turkish-Dutch writer with a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing.

Check for more info and the structure of the evening at:

www.culturehub.art

When: Thursday November 21 at 19.30

Entrance: €5,-

Full=full

Tickets available on Eventbrite or at the door. Check the link in bio.

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Structure: Sitting in the Emotions

Reading Hour:

We’ll begin with an hour dedicated to reading. Feel free to stroll in, grab a drink, find a comfortable spot, and start reading at your own pace.

Speaker Notes Selin:

Introduction: The Imagery of Emotion in Writing

Janet Burroway suggests that depicting emotions authentically is crucial for impactful storytelling. Rather than simply labeling a feeling, we can explore how emotions become a part of our physical and sensory experience, allowing readers to feel these reactions through the body of the character.

Donald Maass emphasizes the importance of emotional subtext, which arises when characters show but don’t explicitly state their emotions. Subtext brings depth, revealing unspoken truths and underlying conflicts that resonate with readers on an instinctive level.

In life, emotions are complex. We might laugh at funerals or cry at weddings, which reflects how our feelings can shift and even reverse in moments. Emotions rarely come one at a time; they blend and evolve, creating a dynamic emotional experience.

Exploring Secondary Emotions

Today, let’s dive into the layers beneath surface-level feelings, moving beyond primary emotions to capture the secondary ones, where emotions are seldom pure and often nuanced. We can take inspiration from stories and films—like Pixar’s Inside Out—which illustrate how emotions overlap and create richer, more realistic experiences.

Prompt Exercises

Prompt 1: Embodying Emotions

Using techniques inspired by Hoffman and Byron Katie, let’s draw an emotion and write what it evokes in us without naming it directly. Focus on how this feeling is expressed through subtle gestures, glances, or even specific word choices, helping us capture emotion in a more controlled way by avoiding direct labels.

Prompt 2: Detailing Discomfort

In this exercise, we’ll focus on a recent experience of discomfort, such as feeling too warm on a train or burning a hand while cooking. Describe this physical sensation precisely, anchoring it in the body and giving it shape through sensory details.

Prompt 3: Directly Naming Emotion

For the final prompt, let’s openly name and explore an emotion by beginning with, “I felt completely [emotion]…” and telling a short personal story around it. This allows us to contrast with the earlier exercises and practice naming emotions clearly yet meaningfully.

Closing Q&A

Reflect on the experience: Did you find it enjoyable, challenging, or surprising? How did approaching emotions in these ways affect your writing process?

Closing Q&A (10 minutes)

1.How did you feel during the exercise—was it enjoyable, difficult, or something else?

2.Did you find it easier to describe the object visually or emotionally?

3. Did you discover anything new about the object through this exercise?