I have been doing a lot of writing lately. And editing. As I edited, I realized how much power words have and what energy they bring to a story. Choosing the word “is” over “was” brings the characters into the here-and-now instead of some time past that cannot be altered.
Adding or deleting entire sentences or paragraphs means the author relies on an energetic connection with her reader to either fill in the gaps with imagination or not. Communication of meaning cannot happen without this exchange of energy through the medium of words. When this connection fails, the book is often put aside.
Emotional energy is exchanged through words too. The author’s choice of emotionally-charged words such as “fear,” “trustworthy,” “cancer,” or “rapture” is the device that places the reader in the middle of the story. It is the way empathy for characters is created. This empathy comes from riding the rollercoaster of emotions with the character – powerful energies transmitted through words.
We have time to linger in these energies with the written word. We can savor the rollercoaster ride and when the book is finished, we can choose to leave the energies behind. Not so with the spoken word. When we speak to someone, our words carry great weight, spraying out into the Universe.
If the words are negative, all around us is tainted by that, not just the immediate situation. The words hover over our day (and the day of the recipient of our vitriol) like a black fog. Should we choose to frame our comments in a more positive light, that light is reflected back to us and shines on all the interactions we might have that day. Do your own experiments with this.
There is an acronym I like to use before I speak in an emotionally-charged situation: THINK. Is what I am about to say Thoughtful? Is it Honest? Is it Intelligent? Is it Necessary? Finally, is it Kind? If not, it should not be said.
A simple concept for this complex being.
©Rebecca Jarmas
