Touch.

​I love writing the first kiss. My daughter said to me the other day that I romanticize everything. 
But it’s not everything. I romanticize that flutter of excitement right before two people’s lips meet for the first time. However, as I evolve as a writer, I think about more than just that first kiss.

I read the other day that, as a writer, I need to consider my characters’ first touch. The post I was looking at mentioned how the initial physical contact between your characters can make or break your readers’ emotional investment.

Interesting. I’d never considered that before. Now, I am supposed to consider that fleeting moment when fingers brush while passing a gun or a steadying hand on someone’s back. The idea is that those little moments could spark more tension than a passionate embrace.

Hummm?

I read that physical touch releases oxytocin, often called the “bonding hormone.” Readers instinctively understand this chemistry, even if they don’t know the science behind it. That means I should craft a story that has these early moments of contact with intention. If I do that, I will tap into my readers’ emotional memories and experiences. I need to make every touch count, not just the first kiss.

Easier said than done… but I am up for it.

So, as I work on my next book, I am trying to keep this idea in mind. I always want to keep getting better as a writer, and if I succeed in tapping into your emotional memories sometimes, yay for me. I hope you come back for more.