I can't recall ever crying over a novel. My words, my fiance cried when she read the first draft of one of my AJ Connor stories, but that's because she knows my past and always likens me to going through that sort of situation.
I wish, but I haven't. But some readers said they were in tears while they read the snippets based on real life experience, those are the readers who are /were in the same boat as of me. So it's hardly because of my writing.
I can't recall crying while reading, but some movies have done the trick for me. As for making someone cry with written words yes, it happened a few times.
I cry regularly while reading. One of the ways I judge a book is by how it makes me FEEL. If it's a pass-the-time escapist thing, then yeah, it's an enjoyable read but not brilliantly written. But if I find my face mirroring the main character's feelings, or if I really FEEL the setting [I read one book that, in the middle of Australian summer, made me rug up with two jackets and a thick blanket, because I felt COLD] then it's a brilliant book. I've cried happy tears over a novel. I've sobbed in utter desolation. I've been furious at the villain, or even the main character at times. I've been terrified. I've been excited. I've been aroused. I've shouted at a book before. If a book makes me feel, then it's worth a re-read. My own words... I recently wrote a Supernatural fanfiction that made people cry. I could have written it better, way way better, but it was a 'writing for fun' thing. And it had the right effect on those who read it. I wrote a 1200 word Doctor Who fanfiction designed to be a 'behind the scenes' sort of moment between River and the 11th Doctor which was described as "at once heart-breaking and sexy" by one reader. My original work doesn't often see the light of day, but I have made my co-writers cry. I've cried while writing numerous times, usually when I'm killing off a favourite character or going into traumatic backstory.
I have never cried from a book but that's probably because I read action/adventure type novels and am uninterested in anything deep or tragic enough to make me cry. I have made others cry with my words, but not a story (I wish!) Usually a birthday card or short poem I wrote for them on a special occasion. To be honest I think they cried more because of their sensitivity and softness and less because my words were so touching lol
I cried when I thought the little rabbit was going to die in Watership Down. Briiiiiiiiiiiight eyeeeeees!! Lalalalalaaa laaa laaa laaa! Is that the same thing? Other than that it has to be pretty severe emotionally to make me cry at a book or a film. I did well up at the end of Jude the Obscure though. There must be other things as well but I cant think of any right now. The book I am writing has a lot of human loss and wotnot on it but its not my intention to make people cry. Would be nice if they did I guess.
No but I once made a woman faint at one of my gigs. I only found out after coming off stage when a handful of friends had said what happened. I was blinded by the lights and couldn't really make much of the crowd out. I then saw her husband later, outside the venue and he filled me in and said that she was safe and sound inside the venue with a glass of water.
No but then I haven't ever shared anything really sad or emotional. This wasn't exactly writing but I did get a little teary when I realized that the ending for my current WIP only really made sense if I killed a character who's kind of always been in my head.
Maybe its because I am a parent who finds the attachment parenting crowd deeply irritating, bit the Giving Tree just made me angry. Let your children walk all over you for their entire lives no matter how spoiled it makes them. Then, when they reduce you to a dead stump, they can sit on you.
Interesting. I've talked with people who focus on the selfishness of the boy, but have not met anybody who is angered by the book. I guess it just depends on your perspective.
This is what the Indian movie makers were expert in it previously. I remember, when I was a student, the principal took the students to a cinema to watch an Indian movie, The movie story was very sad. It was the story of an disable, orphan child. I noticed , a student was crying loudly on the seat beside me. It was like that a great asteroid is coming to impact the earth and destroys everything and he was crying because of fear. while I was crying too But at present, the most of Indian movies have gone out of the emotional path and the makers try to busy people with odd action scenes that sometimes is very ridiculous. I saw a scene of such new Indian movies that the main character on the ground, took a gang out from his car, when the car was somersaulting in the air
The series starting with "Sentence of Marriage" had me throwing the book across the room as I sobbed so hard I hyperventilated. I actually questioned why I was tormenting myself with this book. The main character's plight just really gripped my soul and I HAD to know she was o.k. in the end, so I kept reading. I will not say if she was o.k. or not since I'll leave would be readers to experience it without my input. I will say, as simplistic as the book was, the emotions poured into the characters were a work of genius. As for my writing. It has happened a few times. An eight hour mind dump after my father in law passed away ended with a poem and 5 pages of pros describing his final days and last breath. I allowed one friend to read the pros, riddled with typos for I typed through my grief. She wept. The other time was for a class, I had to write a scene twice. We were required to change the point of view, so I wrote about a couple who will hopefully be the start and end to a series. They were deciding on Hospice care. First scene from from the perspective of the husband watching his wife wither away. Second was from the perspective of the doctor (in first person) walking these people through their decision. Multiple classmates told me it was heart wrenching. A few said they had cried. It gave me hope that my writing may one day be as expressive as some of my favorite authors. I know I have much work to do though.
Really? I did get angry about it also. The boy angered me. But the inability of the tree to stand up for itself and the refusal of any adult to step up and smack the little brat upside the head pissed me off to no end. My children felt the same, and I believe the one actually piped up and said "what the fuck is wrong with this book?" Of course we had to reprimand the verbiage, but there are many of us out there that feel this book perpetuates the martyr mentality, which does nothing except leave you dead in the end.
I wrote a series of dramatised autobiographical stories some years ago, and I made a few people cry, my best friend among others. They were highly emotionally charged and depicted the time just before the war broke out in my country. It was, now looking back, like a distilled essence of everything we will go on to lose forever, and I think that, more than anything, made people emotional. I occasionally make people cry with my poetry or stories, it always involves a female character and first person, maybe that's a winning combination? I bawl my eyes out at movies often, most recently 'Life of Pi', I was crying the entire time, tears just wouldn't stop pouring. I cry after I finish a truly beautiful book, like 'Kafka on the Shore', or when I identify with a character, like 'Jane Eyre'. ps. Just read 'The Giving Tree' discussion, I adore that book. A Jewish friend of mine (very Jewish, her dad was a Rabbi and she always had these heart-wrenching life lessons to share with me) Ana, gave me the book as a present in high school, we were in maths class and next I am bawling so hard, I had to leave. My teacher Eugen already thought I was weird but after that, he took interest in my weirdness Anyway, I first got angry at the boy, but it immediately dawned on me that it was a cautionary tale. I understood what the book tried to tell me. Don't be ungrateful! The tree is giving, but it was up to the boy to not do all that taking. Up to me to appreciate and give as well as receive. It makes me cry to this day, I think it's a beautiful story.
I've never cried because of someone else's, get sad yes, but I'm not a very sensitive person. Nobody has read the sad scene that I wrote in my second book yet, so I am wondering if it will cause some tears, it definitely makes me sad. Maybe I will post it up on the workshop for you all when I reach two weeks membership.
Oh yeah good books make me cry for sure. I've lost count over the years. As for my own writing, I lost it completely during the first draft of my current manuscript... twice. One of my pre-beta readers was unable to speak after reading one of those passages, she was so emotional. I hope that's a good sign. Maybe I'll post the passage in the workshop down the road after I've reached it in my current revision process.
Pfft! I cry left and right at things- annoyingly enough. I cried today, reading a stupid fanfiction. Seriously. As much as I hate getting emotional (because I am very logically driven in my thought and speech), I can't help it. I have a soul that just resonates whatever feelings are being depicted by others. I cry at sad news stories, or sometimes even songs. It's a curse. Whenever my husband catches me crying I'm usually muttering under my breath about how pointless it is and how I shouldn't be, and yet I do. First movie I remember crying all-out on was the end of Titanic at 12 years old. When the old couple are holding hands on the bed as the water fills in, and then the mom telling a story to her two little ones knowing they are all about to die. (Blast it all, I am teary even thinking about my three kids and having to go through that!) I've brought people to tears with my writing, but then I do love tension, and pulling those heart strings until they snap. Makes for a more compelling read, in my opinion. Frankly, I am surprised there are so many writers here who seem to be emotionally disconnected from things. Makes me wonder how the writer/reader dynamic works in those cases. Emotional connection is huge in engaging your audience.
Ordinary Men, the description of a police unit that became a death squad during World War II can do this, especially since it isn't fiction. Our words can bring forth tears, but often in the personal realm. A love letter, or a separation notice can do it.
The only written words that have ever made me cry are fanfics. They are about characters I already care about, and they come straight from the author's heart to mine without being filtered and bastardized by commercial interests, the stupid fanfics and the brilliant fanfics alike.
I remember, when I was a teenage, I went to a theater academy. In a contest, our director gave me a sad role. The character was a patient that had been thrown out from a hospital due to poverty. I went on the scene and began playing my role. I sometime glanced watchers to understand what is their reaction about my playing. I saw one of the student ( my classmate) on the first row seats, had covered his face by his hands and was shaking. It seemed he was crying soundlessly. When the contest finished I saw him in the saloon and told him," excuse me if I caused your tear." The other student that was along him said naively," Don't be sorry, he wasn't crying he was laughing " ...I loved you were there and saw my face! I had been fixed on my place like a statue
I have caused many a teacher to cry out loud from reading my essays. When standing in line to collect my work the teacher would give out a little cry; "You have plumbed lower depths with this one" they would say, claiming that they had given up half way through. Then the large red marker pen would come out and I would be staring at a sheet of white paper with a oversized red 'F' printed boldly in the corner, with a circle around it for extra emphasis.
I wrote a letter to honour my grandfather when he passed away. The letter laid on the coffin in the church. Many people cried when they read my letter in rememberence of him. I am very proud of that letter, I accomplished to capture my true feelings in words, the truth. And that together with the emotional moment, people cried. And for my self I have shed a tear from others writing once when I was younger and reading a Harry Potter book. When someone special dies.
I cry easily. I re-read the book my userpic is from, Watership Down, about once a year (sometimes more), and the last few pages make me cry every single time. it's actually gotten to the point where I tear up when I start reading that last chapter. nobody's ever told me that they've cried over anything I've written.
Yes, I had written an essay about children's expectations from parents (something that sort) and the student gave me the review that his professor personally complimented for the essay and said this was a heart touching writing and could learn a lot what you kids think.
