Welcome to part two of Thriller Extravaganza. I’m so excited to have craft guru Margie Lawson guest posting today. Several months ago, I was lucky enough to win one of her lecture packets from Jenny Hansen’s blog, and it made a huge impact on my writing. I LOVE that she chose to talk about visceral emotions, because understanding this tricky concept took my writing to the next level.
A big THANK YOU to Stacy Green for inviting me to be her guest today!
Visceral Rules!
By Margie Lawson
Let’s talk visceral!
First, I’ll SHOW, then I’ll TELL, then I’ll SHOW and TELL.
SHOWING:
Romily Bernard, 2012 Golden Heart Winner, and multi-Margie-grad
Find Me, Romily’s debut Young Adult novel will be published Sept. 2013
- Then I hear the car door slam and my heart rides up my throat with spurs.
- “We have a visitor.” Weird how my voice sounds flat and confident when my insides are churning and liquid.
- I rub my thumb over the frayed binding, irritation pinching all my insides like I’ve got mosquitoes eating their way out.
- There’s a flickering under my scalp, a tingling across the back of my neck. My annoying mosquitoes have grown into spiders. They’re crawling all over my skin.
TELLING:
A visceral response is a physical manifestation of emotion.
If you’ve taken some of my online courses, or heard me present a full day master class, you know a key to writing a page-turner is visceral emotion.
You know a scene carries psychological power when you use several scene components, including visceral responses.
You know when emotions in a scene are high, POV characters need to get out of their heads to get in to reader’s hearts.
Visceral responses include, but are not limited to:
- stomach clenching
- heart pounding
- rapid and shallow breathing
- pulse racing
- adrenaline surging
- legs weakening
- throat tightening
- mouth drying
- face flushing
- nausea imminent
- chest tightening
- equilibrium failing
- hear blood rushing
- vision narrowing
Visceral responses are involuntary.
You can’t keep your face from flushing. You can’t keep your mouth from going dry. You can’t keep your chest from tightening, your heart from pounding, your vision from narrowing.
If visceral responses are clichéd, the scene loses power.
If there are too many visceral responses, the scene loses power.
If variations on the same visceral response are overused, the scene loses power.
Time Out for a Teaching Point on Rhetorical Devices!
The paragraph starting with—You can’t keep—Is an example of anaphora.
The next three lines below that paragraph, the ones ending with—the scene loses power—that’s an example of epistrophe.
Now – back to visceral responses. 😉
When a POV character experiences a strong emotional stimulus, they will have a visceral response. And that visceral response presents immediately.
Visceral responses are experienced first. Always.
When there’s a strong emotional stimulus, people don’t act first.
People don’t think first.
People don’t speak first.
People experience a visceral response first. It’s immediate.
If your characters experience a visceral response first, your scene will be more credible.
We want readers hooked, glued, secured, emotionally immersed in our stories. We want readers viscerally engaged.
SHOWING AND TELLING:
Melanie Milburne, USA Today Bestselling Author, and multi-Margie-grad
Deserving of His Diamonds?
- Gisele’s heart tripped in her chest like a pony’s hoof in a pothole.
Analysis: Fresh writing, Simile, Alliteration, Compelling cadence
- Gisele felt a butterfly wing-like flutter pass over the floor of her belly.
Analysis: Fresh writing. Specificity. A subtle play on the cliché, butterflies in stomach, but it’s fresh and light and connotes something positive. Compelling cadence.
- Her legs felt like dampened paper, barely strong enough to hold her upright. Her spine was loosening, vertebra by vertebra, until she felt sure she would melt into a pool at his feet. Where was her resolve? Where was her anger? They were like cowardly soldiers retreating from the frontline of battle.
Analysis: Fresh writing, twice! Simile. Specificity. Several points amplified multiple times. Two rhetorical questions. Amplified simile backloaded with power word: battle. Compelling cadence.
Barbara O’Neal, Seven-time RITA Winner, Inducted into the RWA Hall of Fame
The Garden of Happy Endings
- Elsa paused on the threshold, feeling a dense, dark energy swelling from somewhere, through her. Dizzy, she closed her eyes and put a hand on the door to steady herself.
Analysis: Fresh writing. Amplified feeling. Alliteration, twice. Body language. Recovery. Compelling cadence.
- Tamsin sat through the sermon with a brick in her belly.
Analysis: Fresh writing. Fun metaphor. Alliteration, twice. Compelling cadence.
- Her lungs pinched hard enough that she had to cough, like an old lady, to get air.
Analysis: Fresh writing. Visceral response used as a stimulus. Amplified with simile. Backloaded with power words: to get air. Compelling cadence.
- A sense of anticipation skittered over the top of her skin, brushing the back of her neck, her elbows, her belly.
Analysis: Fresh writing. Alliteration. Specificity. Anaphora. Asyndeton. Compelling cadence.
Darynda Jones, 2012 RITA Winner, and multi-Margie-grad
Third Grave on the Left
- A rush of delight rippled down my spine and pooled in my abdomen. My pulse accelerated by a hairsbreadth, just enough to cause a tingling flutter in my stomach
Analysis: Fresh writing. Visceral responses, amplified multiple times. Specificity. Visceral response used as a stimulus for another visceral response (pulse accelerating triggered tingling flutter in stomach). Compelling cadence.
- A vise locked around my chest and was inching closed. My periphery darkened. I could barely breathe, and I needed out of there.
Analysis: Three basic visceral responses. First visceral response intensified. Two others in separate sentences. Shared need to leave, implying things would get worse if she didn’t leave. Compelling cadence.
The last examples I’ll analyze are the four by Romily Bernard that you read in the opening of the blog.
Romily Bernard, 2012 Golden Heart Winner, and multi-Margie-grad
Find Me, Romily’s debut Young Adult novel will be published Sept. 2013
- Then I hear the car door slam and my heart rides up my throat with spurs.
Analysis: Fresh writing. Shared stimulus and response. Amplified visceral response twice. Backloaded with power word: spurs. Compelling cadence.
- “We have a visitor.” Weird how my voice sounds flat and confident when my insides are churning and liquid.
Analysis: Fresh writing. Complex dialogue cue. Complex visceral response. Parallelism. Compelling cadence.
- I rub my thumb over the frayed binding, irritation pinching all my insides like I’ve got mosquitoes eating their way out.
Analysis: Fresh writing. Shares stimulus (the book) and amplified visceral response. Implies creepy/scary feelings, without saying she was creeped out or scared. Backloaded with power. Compelling cadence.
- There’s a flickering under my scalp, a tingling across the back of my neck. My annoying mosquitoes have grown into spiders. They’re crawling all over my skin.
Analysis: Fresh writing. Picks up visceral thread from half-page above. Visceral amplified multiple times. Mosquitoes to spiders, implies danger intensified. Compelling cadence.
Excellent examples from all the authors!
This blog shared some ideas for using visceral responses. You got to taste a few dishes from my visceral response smorgasbord.
Lots more to learn about writing visceral responses. I dig deep into visceral responses in these two online courses:
- Empowering Characters’ Emotions
- The EDITS System: Turning Troubled Scenes in to Winners!
The next time I teach Empowering Characters’ Emotions is February. But the Lecture Packet can be ordered any time through my web site.
I teach The EDITS System course Sept. 24 – Oct. 19.
Please check out my online courses and presentation schedule. I’m presenting in Denver, Houston, Seattle, and Washington D.C. this fall. I hope to meet some of you in one of those cities this fall – or somewhere next year. Atlanta?
BLOG GUESTS: NOW IT’S YOUR TURN!
POST A COMMENT AND YOU MAY WIN a Lecture Packet or one of my online courses from Lawson Writer’s Academy!
I’ll post the name of the LUCKY WINNER tonight – at 9PM Mountain Time.
Post a comment – or just say “Hi Margie!” – and you could be a WINNER!
—Make sure you leave a comment for a chance at winning an awesome gift from Margie. Don’t forget to enter the THRILLER EXTRAVAGANZA GRAND PRIZE giveaway of either a silver spot in Kristen Lamb’s WANA International Blogging or an Amazon Gift Card and a bag of healthy goodies.
***IF YOU ARE A NEW COMMENTER, YOUR COMMENT WILL NEED TO BE APPROVED. DON’T WORRY IF IT DOESN’T SHOW UP RIGHT AWAY – I’LL GET IT:)
Lawson Writer’s Academy now has 37 courses and 12 instructors. LWA courses are taught in a cyber classroom from Margie’s website, www.MargieLawson.com.
Upcoming Courses from Lawson Writer’s Academy:
1. Aug. 20 – Sept. 28: Fab 30 in 40 Days: Advanced Deep Editing, A Master Class
Instructor: Margie Lawson
2. Sept. 1 – 30: Story Structure Safari
Instructor: Lisa Miller
3. Sept. 3 – 28: Writing Compelling Scenes
Instructor: Shirley Jump
4. Sept. 3 – 28: Steampunk A-Z
Instructor: Suzi Lazear
5. Sept. 24 – Oct. 19: The EDITS System: Turning Troubled Scenes in to Winners
Instructor: Margie Lawson
Margie Lawson —psychotherapist, editor, and international presenter—developed innovative editing systems and deep editing techniques used by writers, from newbies to NYT Bestsellers. She teaches writers how to edit for psychological power, how to hook the reader viscerally, how to create a page-turner.
Thousands of writers have learned Margie’s psychologically-based deep editing material. In the last seven years, she presented over seventy full day Master Classes for writers in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Please contact Margie if you think your group might be interested in having her present a master class for them.
For more information on Lawson Writer’s Academy, lecture packets, full day master classes, and the 4-day Immersion Master Class sessions offered in Margie’s Colorado mountain-top home, visit: www.MargieLawson.com.
beverlydiehl
Great tips here. One note – you mention it, but don’t overuse the same visceral description. One novel I read had the main character’s stomach churning so often that *I* began to feel queasy.
Stacy Green
Margie’s section on visceral emotions in her DEEP Character Edits package is what really clicked with me. She does a great job of breaking down samples. And yes, it’s really easy to latch on to a few and overuse. Thanks!
Margie Lawson
Beverly —
Excellent point. Worth both of us mentioning it. 🙂
Overusing the same visceral response, or using variations, will not wow agents or editors. Using just the right amount of fresh writing, including visceral responses, will wow agents and editors.
Thanks for being the first to post a comment!
Demon for Details
Hi, Margie!
I’m fascinated and stirred by your articles, and rejuvenated by the lecture packets which are currently wreaking major changes in my WIP. Thanks.
Faith
Stacy Green
Her lecture packets are an essential tool for writers. Thanks for stopping by!
Margie Lawson
Faith —
Fabulous! I bet you are adding shelves in your brain to hold the new editing material. 🙂
If you’ve taken my BIG THREE online courses, or Lecture Packets, I bet you’d love my Fab 30 class. It’s an Advanced Deep Editing course. The BIG THREE are prerequisites, and I limit the enrollment to 30.
Fab 30 class members are such strong writers, they could be Olympic finalists in fiction writing.
The BIG THREE:
1. Empowering Characters’ Emotions
2. Deep Editing: The EDITS System, Rhetorical Devices, and More
3. Writing Body Language and Dialogue Cues Like a Psychologist
Thank you for sharing your enthusiasm for deep editing!
Jodie Renner
Wow! Thanks, Stacy, for inviting Margie Lawson to guest blog. Margie, it’s obvious you’re an excellent instructor with wonderful insights. So glad I just discovered you! About the visceral reactions – that is so right on! I’ve been encouraging my writer clients to insert these, first, before anything else. Then maybe a Damn! or What an idiot! or other instant thought reaction (italicized for a direct thought) before the other reactions and words start. Let’s see/feel/hear the character react immediately!
I’ll definitely be checking out your online courses, Margie. I’m a freelance content and copy editor specializing in suspense-thrillers, who’s always looking to improve her skills, and I know I will from you!
Stacy Green
Jodie, you’re welcome. So glad you liked the post. As I said, her lectures are great and she does a fantastic job of breaking down what works in popular fiction.
Good luck, and thanks!
Margie Lawson
Jodie —
Ah — You’re describing Dwight Swain’s Motivation Reaction Units. 🙂
I look forward to working with you in a class sometime.
Thank you for chiming in!
Demon for Details
Hey, Margie!
Apparently my first comment was lost … ? No matter. I’m learning a LOT from your lecture packets and will happily dive into more if I win.
Cheers, Faith
Margie Lawson
Faith —
Not lost. Just delayed. Thanks for posting again, just in case!
Janet B
I am already a fan of Margie. I would love to win one of her lecture packets. She shares great techniques to racket your writing to the next level.
Stacy Green
Glad you could stop by! And yes, her techniques are a major asset to writers. Good luck!
Margie Lawson
Hello Janet —
So glad to hear you’re a fan! Thank you, thank you!
Kathryn Jane
Thanks Stacie, and Margie,
Counting down to October in Seattle while continuing to soak up all the education I can!
Kathryn
Stacy Green
You’re very welcome. Thanks for stopping by, and good luck!
Margie Lawson
Kathryn —
Glad I’ll get to meet you at the Emerald City Writer’s Conference!
Thanks for chiming in!
romilybernard
Great post, Margie!! I especially loved Darynda’s examples. Have always learned so much from your workshops. Thanks for all your help!
Stacy Green
Darynda is a fabulous writer. Thanks for commenting, and good luck!
Margie Lawson
Romily —
I’m still excited about you winning the Golden Heart!
I’m so proud that you’re a Margie grad. 🙂
So fun to use your examples. Stellar writing!
Kathleen Groger
I’ve taken numerous courses with Margie. She is amazing and a gracious teacher. I love how her teaching methods ‘speak my language’.
Stacy Green
She is very gracious and easy to work with. Good luck on winning today, and thanks!
Margie Lawson
Yo Kathleen!
I’m so glad we got to meet smile-to-smile, and spend time together at National.
You’re as dynamic in person as you are on the page!
I’m looking forward to working with you, and your characters, in Fab 30 again. See you in class on August 20th!
Megan Kelly
Hi, Margie! [waving from STL]
I love when you SHOW us. The lesson sticks better. As usual, I have to return to my wip and inspect it for VRs.
Stacy Green
Yes, Margie has a real knack for explaining things so they resonate. She is awesome at breaking down examples. Thanks!
Margie Lawson
Hello Megan!
I remember meeting you in St. Louis! When I read your name, I see your smile.
Glad you’ll check your WIP for Visceral Responses! I bet you’ll check to be sure they’re fresh too. 🙂
Jennifer Lewis Oliver
Stacy, you always bring the best to your blog don’t you? I’ve heard wonderful things about Margie’s lecture packets and courses. I dream of one day participating in the Immersion Master Class – just one of the many goals on my list. 🙂
Margie thank you for sharing your knowledge and wisdom!
Stacy Green
I try, Jennifer! Thriller Extravaganza is very lucky to have so many great writers and teachers. I think Margie’s lectures are essential for a writer in any stage. I learned so much from the one I was lucky enough to win. Good luck!
Margie Lawson
Hello Jennifer!
I hope attending an Immersion Master Class moves up higher on your list!
But three lecture packets and/or online courses come first. 🙂
Thank you for chiming in!
Callene Rapp
Great reminder about how we feel the visceral response first, before we even know what we think or are going to say. And great examples of how to write it! Thanks, Margie!
Stacy Green
So glad you enjoyed the post, Callene. Thanks so much for stopping by!
Margie Lawson
Hey Callene!
In 31 days, you’ll be on the mountain with me in Immersion class!
Your writing will be as great as the examples in this blog. Award-winning!
Jenny Hansen
My favorite thing about your posts, Margie, is you make me reach for “more.” More emotion. More creativity. More body language. Thanks, friend. I’m all about “MORE.” 🙂
I need to start on your packets to reach my 2013 goal of an immersion class…
Jenny Hansen
p.s. And thank you, Stacy, for having Margie as a guest today. Not only do I appreciate the shout out, I needed to read this for a scene that’s giving me trouble. 🙂
Stacy Green
You’re so welcome. Thanks to you for helping me discover Margie. Good luck with the scene!
Jenny Hansen
And I thank Laura Drake and Fae Rowen for bringing her home to me. 🙂
Margie Lawson
Yo Jenny!
So glad I finally got my rib-crushing hug from you! You’re soooo fun and cool and smart and giving and creative. Miss you!
I love making you reach for more and more and more!
Cynthia Robertson
Oh this is wonderful stuff, Stacy. I’m going to share this link with my workshop!
Stacy Green
Yay! They’ll learn a lot – Margie’s courses are essential. Thanks, and good luck:)
Margie Lawson
Cynthia —
Glad you liked this blog. It’s an itty bitty taste of the psychologically-based deep editing that I teach. Check out the PUBBED MARGIE GRAD BLOG on my web site.
I hope you check out my courses sometime too!
Tiffany A White
Stacy, thank you so much for having Margie!! I always love reading what she has to say. I need to check out these classes and/or packets!!
Stacy Green
You’re very welcome, and yes, you should. Will change your writing so much – certainly did mine. Good luck, and thanks!
Margie Lawson
Hey Tiffany —
Thank you.
Lots more learning opportunities await you. 😉
vicki batman
Hi, Margie and Stacy. Margie, you were so great at RWA WF. I love your workshops.
Stacy Green
Hi Vicki! Thanks – so glad you could stop by! Awesome you got a chance to see Margie at RWA:)
Margie Lawson
Hey Vicki!
Thank you!
I had the best time presenting a workshop for RWA WF! Great group!
Natalie Hartford
Amazing! Thanks so much Stacy for hosting the guest post.
I am with Jenny, whenever I read Margie’s post I want MORE and to be better. To dig deeper. To push harder. To challenge myself even more. They are inspiring and motivating and at the same time, so educational because by SHOWING, we totally get it.
Thanks you two!! Wonderful post.
Margie Lawson
Natalie —
I love teaching by Showing, Telling, and Showing & Telling.
I teach writers how to understand concepts, develop analytical skills, make what they learned work for them, fit their voice and style, and apply what they learned to their WIP, in the right place, in the right way.
That’s a long sentence. But it covers what I wanted to say. 🙂
Thank you for sharing that you like how I teach!
Stacy Green
You’re so welcome, Natalie. I hope you enjoyed it, and you’re right, Margie’s posts are always very inspiring!
Conda V. Douglas
Great stuff as usual! I credit you, Margie, as being one of the premier instructors in this field, and as one who helped me write to another level–the published level, thanks!
Margie Lawson
Conda —
Wow! Thank you for your compliments!
Kudos to you on your writing success!
I hope to see you again sometime. In Boise? In Denver?
Stacy Green
Thanks so much for stopping by and pimping out the post, Conda!
DV Berkom
Margie Lawson is fabulous-really makes you think at such a deep level about your writing! This was a great post. I’d LOVE to win one of her packets…
Margie Lawson
DV —
I dig deep into analyzing writing. And I dig deep developing techniques and systems for writers to strengthen their writing.
I’m a psychologist, I always dig deep.
Glad you liked the blog!
Stacy Green
Good luck, DV, and thank you for stopping by!
J.Q. Rose
Thanks so much for sharing this shot-in-the arm post. I needed this and will definitely look into the classes offered. Excellent information.
Margie Lawson
Hello J.Q. —
Thank you!
I love teaching and connecting with writers. Glad my deep editing resonated with you!
Stacy Green
You’re welcome – so glad so many people have stopped by to learn from Margie. Thanks!
Susan Dunn
Hi, Margie,
Loved meeting you at RWA WF mini-con. This is fabulous information. Thanks for sharing, and thanks Stacy for dragginh Margie over here. I’ve ordered your first lecture packet, too. On emotion.
Margie Lawson
Susan —
I fully enjoyed the RWA WF mini-con!
Glad you liked this info too.
Have fun digging deep in the Empowering Characters’ Emotions Lecture Packet!
Stacy Green
You’re very welcome, Susan. I’ve learned so much from Margie and would love to meet her at a con one day. Thanks!
Darcy Crowder
Hi Margie! It was great to see you in Anaheim and your workshop was fabulous. 🙂 Great tips and writing examples. I love Romily’s work and can’t wait to read her book next year. Thanks for a great blog.
Margie Lawson
Hey Darcy!
Rooming with you at National was way too much fun!
I love Romily’s writing too.
Glad you enjoyed the blog!
Catie Rhodes
I always love reading your examples, Margie. It gets my brain percolating with all sorts of interesting ideas. Also appreciated the reminder that visceral comes right AFTER the stimulus and that the character has no thought, no words, and no action BEFORE the visceral.
Margie Lawson
Hello Catie —
Yay! I got your brain percolating!
Thanks for letting me know the blog worked for you.
Barbara Rae Robinson
Hi, Margie–I’m always happy to add to my file of examples from Margie blogs. Keep ’em coming!
Barb
Stacy Green
Hi Barbara! Glad you enjoyed the blog and thanks so much for stopping!
Barbara Rae Robinson
Hi, Margie–I’ll try again to post. First one disappeared. I’m always ready to add to my file of Margie blog posts. I love the examples you find!
Barb
Margie Lawson
Hey Barb —
Always great to connect!
Thanks for chiming in. I’m smiling. :-)))
Pauline B Jones
Fun examples. I enjoyed the blog post very much. It is so hard to find a fresh way to write those emotions. I find I have to push past first, second and even third idea before I start to find the fresh stuff.
Margie Lawson
Hello Pauline!
You’re right. Writers have to work harder to write fresh.
And it’s soooooo worth the brain cells!
Stacy Green
LOL. Write=right!
Stacy Green
You’re write, it’s really hard, but I think Margie has a great way of helping us understand how to do it right. Thanks!
Karen McFarland
Stacy, what a wonderful idea to host Margie! I crawled here today since you know I’ve been sick all week. But I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to learn from Margie! Thank you for sharing those examples Margie. I hope to one day take one of your classes! Thanks Stacy! 🙂
Margie Lawson
Hello Karen —
Thanks for crawling all the way to the blog when you’re sick!
Glad you enjoyed the blog.
I bet I’ll see you in one of my classes someday. 🙂
Stacy Green
Thanks so much, Karen. I wanted a craft expert for Thriller Extravaganza and couldn’t think of anyone better. Hope you feel better as well:)
Melanie Milburne
Hi Stacey and hi Margie!
Thanks for the great post and for using some of my work.
For anyone worrying or nervous about doing Margie’s courses – just do it. You will be amazed at what you’re capable of once you get going. Writing is a craft and like any other skill you need to keep working at it.
Thanks again!
Margie Lawson
Hey Melanie!
I appreciate your talent, your ongoing commitment to honing your writing craft, and your 30+ books. WOW!
I also appreciate you for championing my courses!
So fabulous to spend time with you at National. Can’t wait to see you next summer too!
Stacy Green
Hi there! Thank you for stopping by! And I agree – while her courses can be intimidating, there is SO MUCH to be learned from. And I second Margie’s WOW on your 30+ books. Amazing!
Jacqueline Corcoran
I’ve talked up Margie on my blog, that she is one of three writing instructors I really recommend after taking a ton of classes!
Margie Lawson
Hey J C!
I remember you! But it’s been a while since you’ve taken one of my courses.
I bet you’d love Fab 30: Advanced Deep Editing, A Master Class.
I’d love to deep edit 30 pages of your WIP! Check out Fab 30. 😉
Thanks for recommending me to your friends!
Margie Lawson
J C —
I wanted to add — I’m presenting a full day master class for Virginia Romance Writers in February. Maybe I’ll see you then!
Stacy Green
Awesome to know. Thanks so much for commenting:)
Claudia Shelton
I had just finished some rewrites before reading this post. Having attended one of Margie’s workshops previously, I have retained some of what I learned. Imagine how happy I was to see you talk on viseral responses which I had just incorporated into my manuscript!
Margie Lawson
Claudia —
Kudos to you! Which workshop did you attend?
I hope to see you in an online course sometime. Nudge. Nudge. 😉
Melinda S. Collins
Oh, I just loved, loved, loved reading these examples, Margie! I love how you SHOW us how to write visceral responses instead of TELLING! 🙂 Thank you for another great guest post! And thank you to Stacy for hosting you today! 😀
Margie Lawson
Hello Mel!
You’ll be at my house for IMMERSION in one week!
Can’t wait to meet you and work, work, work with you.
Love your enthusiasm, and your writing. 😉
Stacy Green
That’s my favorite thing about Margie as well, and that’s why I’ve been able to learn more from her than any other craft expert. You’re welcome, and thanks!
Margie Lawson
MARGIE POSTS FOR ANN STEWART:
Margie, it wouldn’t let me post, but great blog. I learn something new every time I read those examples and your deep analysis.
Can’t wait for FAB30 in a few weeks.
Heidi Ulrich
I have taken Margie’s classes and even her immersion class and my writing has really improved! Now, even when writing my first draft, i’m always looking for places for fresh writing, visceral responses, etc. She is awesome!!
Margie Lawson
Heidi —
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
So great to work with you in Immersion!
I hope you’ll be querying SOON.
Stacy Green
Good for you! So glad you’ve had positive results. Thanks for stopping by!
Margie Lawson
Ann —
Thank you! I love working with you and your characters.
Fab 30 starts on Aug. 20th! You just experienced time compression in real life. 😉
Tina Canon
Just wanted to say ‘hi’ Margie. Love your classes! 🙂 –tina
Margie Lawson
Hey Tina —
Great to see you here!
Thanks for the smiles!
Kathleen Doyle
I’m going through edits on one piece right now and shake my head with now many cliched visceral responses I have! Thanks for such a great post on how to show those responses without losing the readers!
Margie Lawson
Hello Kathleen —
Sounds like you’re new to my deep editing. So glad you dropped by Stacy’s blog today!
I forgot to mention in the blog — that most of my online courses (and lecture packets) have over 300 pages of lectures. I dig deep and share tips and techniques and systems to strengthen your writing.
Now you know. 😉
Stacy Green
So glad this post will help you, Kathleen. It’s amazing how easy it is to fall into the cliche trap. Thanks!
Vickie Marise
Always love to learn from Margie! I think what helps me most is seeing how she pulls that lesson into examples from fantastic authors. I see it more clearly with different styles.
Thanks for hosting, Stacy.
Margie Lawson
Hello Vickie —
Thank you!
I love using fantastic examples from amazingly talented Margie grads. 🙂
Thank you for chiming in!
Emily Sewell
Thanks, Margie! Excellent blog with great examples. Very useful. I’ve been in one of your workshops, and I look forward to taking a class someday.
Margie Lawson
Hello Emily —
Thank you! I look forward to working with you in a class someday!
Stacy Green
Thanks for stopping by, Emily. Glad you enjoyed:)
S. J. Maylee
Thank you Stacy and Margie. Love Margie posts 🙂 I bought my first lecture packet, Empowering Characters’ Emotions, recently and it wont be my last.
Margie Lawson
Hello S.J. —
You bought a lecture packet, and now you’re hooked on deep editing.
Very cool!
Thanks for sharing. 😉
Brandie Nickerson
This was so awesome! Thanks for posting
Margie Lawson
Brandie —
Thank you, thank you!
Hope to see you online again.
Stacy Green
Thanks so much for commenting.
Tara Kingston
Hi Margie,
Wonderful article! I always learn so much from your posts. Thanks!
Stacy Green
Thanks for commenting, Tara:)
Margie Lawson
Tara —
Thank you! Lots more to learn. 😉
Rhonda Lane
Hi, Margie – You should see my copy of Craig Johnson’s THE DARK HORSE. EDITS highlighting All Over the first quarter of the book. =:-D I keep the book and highlighters in my bag for those spare moments when I’m stuck waiting somewhere. Amazing what I’ve learned by just doing EDITS on the book. Plus, I stay in practice with EDITS for when I want to apply it to my own writing. But the best part? I got to show it to him last week at a signing. He was a little wide-eyed when he saw all the ink, but I think he got a kick out of seeing it. Take care, and regards to Tiffany.
Stacy Green
That’s so awesome you got to show your EDITS highlight to Craig! And wonderful the system has taught you so much. Thanks!
Margie Lawson
Rhonda —
Wish I could have gone to Craig’s signing with you!
Kudos to you for EDITS System highlighting his book. Excellent learning opp.
You must see EDITS System highlighting in your dreams!
K.B. Owen
Whenever I read a post of yours, Margie, I always feel I’ve learned something! Ah, but applying it …well, that’s my job, I guess…
Thanks for the knowledge and inspiration!
Stacy Green
I feel the same way, Kathy! Glad you enjoyed the post:)
Margie Lawson
Hello KB!
The more great examples you read, the more you train your brain to write fresh.
Thanks for letting me know I inspire you to strengthen your writing!
Live Vi-Carrie-ous
Great info! Thank you!
Stacy Green
Thank you for stopping by!
Margie Lawson
Hello Live Vi-Carrie-ous!
Thanks for chiming in!
Carol Prescott
Great examples! Thanks so much!
Stacy Green
Glad you enjoyed!
Margie Lawson
Hey Carol —
Glad you enjoyed the blog!
Yvonne
So love a Margie class! highly recommend them to everyoone.
Stacy Green
Thanks so much for commenting!
Margie Lawson
Yvonne —
Thank you! I appreciate your enthusiasm — and recommending my classes. 😉
Tameri Etherton
Excellent tips! I was fortunate enough to take Margie’s workshop at RWA. She’s amazing and dynamic. Thanks for bringing more of her to us, Stacy! Makes me want to go over my MS one more time to Margie-fy it.
Stacy Green
You’re so lucky, Tameri. I’d love to take one of her workshops. And you’re very welcome! Thanks:)
Margie Lawson
Hello Tameri —
Thank you! I enjoy presenting workshops — and teaching online.
I hope to see you in an online class sometime!
juliabroadbooks
HI, Margie! And Stacy too!
I love the examples here. Always more to learn.
Margie Lawson
Julia —
Thanks!
All those authors had dozens of fabulous examples. It was tough to limit myself to those few. But I’m happy that I’ll get to use some of their other stellar examples when I update my lectures!
juliabroadbooks
Hi, Margie! And Stacy too!
I love the examples. I always learn so much from you.
Stacy Green
Hi there! So glad Margie’s post helped:)
bronjonesnz
Another really inspiring blog, Margie. Thank you for the timely reminder that the visceral response comes FIRST. Thank you to Stacy for hosting Margie.
Stacy Green
You’re very welcome. Thanks so much for stopping by!
Margie Lawson
Hey Bron!
Thanks for clicking over to Stacy’s blog.
Always fab to see you in class, and out of class!
nayantara swaminathan
Hi Margie!
Lovely post. Equally entertaining and enlightening. Wonderful examples.
Thanks!
Stacy Green
Thanks so much for commenting. Good luck!
Margie Lawson
Hello Nayantara —
Your comment carries power. Love your content, your alliteration, and your cadence. Strong writing!
Thanks for posting. And thanks for letting me know I met my goals–enlightening and entertaining. 😉
Margie Lawson
HELLO EVERYONE!
Thank you for being here today! I enjoyed all your posts!
Thanks again to Stacy for inviting me to guest blog. I’d love to come back again.
Now — to share the name of the WINNER!
I always use random.org to select the winner.
And ………… the person who wins an online course from me, or one of my lecture packets, is …………………………VICKI BATMAN!
VICKI — Please email me to coordinate your prize!
BLOG GUESTS: Please contact me if you have questions about my courses or lecture packets.
margie @ margielawson . com
Thank you for your interest in VISCERAL RULES!
Maureen Marty
Great blog, as always. Been writing writing writing since I last saw you. My writing has improved so much since Immersion. I feel like I’m finally making progress. Hope your summer is going well.
Lunch sometime?
~Maureen
Stacy Green
Thanks for stopping by, Maureen!
Pingback: Links of the week #31 « S. J. Maylee
Lisa Bowring
I’m so glad I stumbled onto this blog! I followed a link from The Bookshelf Muse yet I have discovered another amazing teacher. My nerves are tingling with anticipation to peruse Maggie’s Site and purchase some of her packets. I also plan to put her classes on my calendar. I have The Emotional Thesaurus but the visceral responses are what I really need to learn to help ramp up the emotional impact in my writing. I have dug out an old, started but never finished, novel idea and now I know what I was missing – the showing vs. the telling. I can’t wait to delve into Margie’s wealth of information!
Stacy Green
Thank you – although Margie is the teacher, lol. Yes, her packets and classes are well worth the time and money. Like you, the visceral responses are something I really needed, and her course made a huge difference. So happy the post helped. Thanks!
Pingback: Body Linguistics « Dragonfly Dithers
Pingback: Bathtub Jesus and HD video recording sunglasses – Natalie Hartford
Pingback: Link Feast For Writers, vol. 22 | Reetta Raitanen's Blog
Pingback: Body Linguistics | Vast Imaginations