17/06/2025
𝟱 𝗦𝗜𝗚𝗡𝗦 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗪𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗛𝗔𝗦 𝗘𝗠𝗢𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗔𝗥𝗖
As a writer, your words should make your readers feel.
One of the most powerful tools that separates ordinary writing from unforgettable writing is the emotional arc.
It’s about taking your reader on a journey that moves their heart, just like how David’s Psalms carry us from sorrow to hope, from despair to praise.
So, how do you know your writing has an emotional arc?
Here are 5 signs to watch for:
1️⃣ Your READERS don’t remain the same way after reading your work.
They start questioning, or feel the pain, or struggle, and by the end, they’re comforted, challenged, healed, or hopeful.
That transformation is a clear sign you’ve built an emotional journey into your writing.
It’s like a sermon: if everyone claps but no one repents, something's missing.
2️⃣ Your CHARACTERS or MESSAGE experience a shift, whether you're writing fiction, non-fiction, a blog, or even a devotional, something (or someone) changes.
They may start broken, fearful, or uncertain, but they don’t remain the same. Think of Paul’s letters, always pointing us from where we are to where grace can take us.
3️⃣ There’s a build-up of TENSION or CONFLICT. Every good emotional arc has a moment where things seem shaky or even hopeless. That tension captures your readers. It mirrors life.
Even Jesus wept before raising Lazarus, and that moment of emotion made the miracle more powerful.
4️⃣ Have you ever had someone pause after reading your work and say, “Wow, that really got me thinking”? That’s a moment of reflection.
Emotional arcs don’t just entertain, they pierce the heart, challenge mindsets, and trigger reflection.
Jesus' parables were emotionally intelligent, they made people think deeply, not just feel good.
5️⃣ Your words feel like a conversation, not a lecture. When people say, “I felt like you were talking to me,” that’s it.
Emotion flows best through honesty, vulnerability, and being real. Your writing shouldn’t sound like a pulpit message all the time. Sometimes, it should sound like a friend sitting beside them.
You don’t need dramatic scenes or tears on every page to have an emotional arc. What you need is truth wrapped in grace, pain wrapped in purpose, and words carried by the Spirit. That’s what stirs hearts and transforms lives.
Let your writing feel, not just teach.
© Vickie Lawrence — your partner in writing, editing, ghostwriting, and assisting you through your publishing journey from start to finish.
