tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2287168903003077619.post5315123512164500579..comments2024-03-06T04:58:28.830-07:00Comments on Chronicles of a Novice Writer: Risking SentimentalityStephanie McGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00056571020961572031noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2287168903003077619.post-50139909800345484782009-10-06T16:26:25.556-06:002009-10-06T16:26:25.556-06:00It's difficult, Roni, definitely difficult.It's difficult, Roni, definitely difficult.Stephanie McGeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16507025637411479409noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2287168903003077619.post-11647714307387224922009-10-06T15:36:47.795-06:002009-10-06T15:36:47.795-06:00I'm a sentimental sap by nature, so I do have ...I'm a sentimental sap by nature, so I do have to watch that I don't cross the line into melodrama in my writing.Roni Lorenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02719679344024635326noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2287168903003077619.post-71429118356354275252009-10-06T13:35:29.443-06:002009-10-06T13:35:29.443-06:00Thanks, SF. Same to you.Thanks, SF. Same to you.Stephanie McGeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16507025637411479409noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2287168903003077619.post-5488937184472210842009-10-06T12:17:59.715-06:002009-10-06T12:17:59.715-06:00Excellent post, I can't think of anything to a...Excellent post, I can't think of anything to add except my agreement. And sorry about your Dad, mine has been gone for 5 1/2 years. Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01603891627784763004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2287168903003077619.post-53047482398971308242009-10-06T11:26:51.630-06:002009-10-06T11:26:51.630-06:00Thanks everyone.
LW, that's what "riskin...Thanks everyone.<br /><br />LW, that's what "risking sentimentality" is. It's toeing the line between strong emotion that's believable and the melodramatic.<br /><br />We should be on that edge, but not going over. Emotion and sentiment=good, sentimentality=bad.<br /><br />Sentimentality is the melodrama. It's the ooey gooey mushy emotions that make you roll your eyes.Stephanie McGeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16507025637411479409noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2287168903003077619.post-58340063292960552632009-10-06T11:08:56.439-06:002009-10-06T11:08:56.439-06:00Oh, this is a great post for me right now. I'...Oh, this is a great post for me right now. I'm struggling with this very issue. I am trying to figure out where to draw the line between sentiment and melodrama. How much sentiment do you think is too much? My ms relies heavily on sentiment as a driving force for the actions of my characters. I just don't want it to come across as melodramatic. Does this make sense?Susan R. Millshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09578747592345750650noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2287168903003077619.post-76226550035398099992009-10-06T10:09:25.289-06:002009-10-06T10:09:25.289-06:00Aw, I'm sorry NWA... it's been 9 years thi...Aw, I'm sorry NWA... it's been 9 years this year since my dad passed, too. He would have been 57. My condolences, and a *hug*.<br /><br />I think we can only make difficult scenes powerful in our writing by expressing emotions that we've experienced strongly enough to do so. It's all about how you can take what you've felt and put it into your characters, or amplify a similar L. T. Hosthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12448176940211118898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2287168903003077619.post-9516499937056862682009-10-06T08:20:36.493-06:002009-10-06T08:20:36.493-06:00Great post. Very thought provoking and I agree wit...Great post. Very thought provoking and I agree with you. I think sentimentality is a HUGE piece of what we do. It is about more than the emotion of it, but it is the connection to the characters and isn't that why people read? Because they can connect with someone who understands?Windyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07684298115679477705noreply@blogger.com