On Writing: Evoking the Right Emotion

One of the first decisions to make about a book, when the very first sliver of an idea begins to form is:

What emotional reaction do I want my reader to walk away with?

For me, this is one of the most important questions I grapple with when trying to decide what I want the tone of the book to be, what themes I want to explore. Oftentimes, I don’t “decide” it at all, it comes part and parcel with the idea.

But the answer to that question will color everything, from the type of action you have, to the way your characters behave, to the details you choose to highlight throughout your book, your subtext setting, and even the names you choose for your characters.

So. What emotional reaction DO you want your reader to come away with?