By MaryAnn Diorio, PhD, MFA
Heart. How would you describe it? Emotion? Feeling?
That special something that touches the deepest part of you?
One Internet dictionary defines heart as "the central
or innermost part of something." The heart is the core that gives
something life, around which everything else grows, and from which everything
else flows. Without the heart, there would be no life.
When it comes to writing, heart is what gives your
writing life. Heart is that special
something in your words that stirs your readers, moves them to tears—or to
action. Heart is what makes your readers keep turning pages and keep buying
your books.
Heart is the point where you
intimately connect with your readers on a deep level.
So, how do you give your
stories heart?
It all starts with your own
heart.
What is the condition of your
own heart? Here are a few questions to
ask yourself:
Is my heart full of passion for writing? If not, why
not?
Is my heart strong when faced with the temptation to
quit writing?
Will my heart persevere when faced with criticism,
whether constructive or destructive?
Is my heart teachable? Will it consider and apply the
wisdom of those writers and editors who have gone before me?
Does my heart desire the growth and well-being of my
reader more than my own fame and fortune?
Your answers to these questions will reveal to you
whether or not you have the heart necessary to bring heart to your writing.
One of my favorite quotes is found in Proverbs 4:23:
"Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your
life." Your writing is a part of your life. Your heart, therefore, will
also determine the course of your writing.
So, what should you do if, in answering the questions
above, you found that you came up short? That you really lack heart in the
depths of your own being?
The answer is at once simple yet profound. It lies in the greatest heart that
exists: the heart of God. He alone can give you heart. When you turn to Him in
humility, He will share His heart with you. And when your heart is connected to
His heart, your writing will have all the heart it needs to touch the hearts of
your readers.
_______________________________________________________________________
Dr. MaryAnn Diorio earned her PhD in French from the University of
Kansas and her MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University.
She is a diplomate of the Institute of Children’s Literature and has won
numerous writing awards. A widely published author, MaryAnn writes
compelling fiction for both children and adults. She has taught writing
at Rowan University and Regent University. MaryAnn and her husband are
blessed with two amazing daughters, a wonderful son-in-law, and five
rambunctious grandchildren. When not writing, MaryAnn enjoys painting, reading,
painting, and spending time with her family. Her
latest work, SURRENDER TO LOVE and THE MADONNA OF PISANO. You
may reach her at maryann@maryanndiorio.com or at www.maryanndiorio.com.
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