Writing That Bleeds: Find the Heartbeat of Your Story
Every story — whether it’s a sprawling epic or a two-sentence horror flash — has a heartbeat.When you learn how to tune into that pulse, your writing becomes more vivid, more urgent, and more alive.This workshop is about finding that rhythm and using it to breathe life into your work.
Step 1: Discover the Emotional Core
Every strong piece of writing is powered by an emotional core. It's not about what happens — it’s about why it matters.
Exercise 1: Core Discovery
Choose a story idea you're working on.
Answer these questions:
What emotion is at the center of this story? (Fear, hope, anger, joy, regret?)
If you stripped away the plot, what emotional journey would the reader still experience?
In one sentence, describe the emotional arc (e.g., "From isolation to connection," "From fear to empowerment").
Spend 10 minutes writing freely about this emotional core — no editing allowed.
Step 2: Craft a Power Image
Powerful writing hinges on memorable images. A strong image lodges itself in the reader’s mind long after the words fade.
Exercise 2: Power Image Creation
Think of the emotional core you just discovered.
Now, brainstorm a visual that symbolizes that emotion.
If the emotion is fear, maybe it's a flickering light at the end of a hallway.
If it’s hope, maybe it’s a green sprout breaking through concrete.
Write a short paragraph (no more than 100 words) describing this image using all five senses.
Challenge: Avoid using cliché descriptions — make it raw, specific, and fresh.
Step 3: Dialogue That Pulses
Dialogue isn’t just about what characters say. It's about what they reveal — and what they hide.Good dialogue vibrates with tension, subtext, and emotion.
Exercise 3: Hidden Tensions
Write a conversation between two characters who:
Are trying to act polite
Secretly despise each other
Rules:
No direct insults allowed.
The tension must come through word choice, rhythm, and what isn’t said.
Tip: Focus on passive-aggressive remarks, clipped sentences, and overly formal politeness.
Step 4: The 5-Minute Breath
Sometimes, the biggest breakthroughs happen when we stop thinking so hard.This exercise is about catching the raw heartbeat of your idea.
Exercise 4: Freewriting Sprint
Set a timer for 5 minutes.
Start with the words: "Everything changed when..."
Write without stopping, editing, or judging.Even if you veer completely off course — keep going. Writing That Bleeds: Find the Heartbeat of Your Story
At the end, highlight any phrase or sentence that surprised you. That’s your heartbeat.
Great writing isn’t just built on clever plots or beautiful prose — it’s built on connection.When you find your story’s pulse, your readers will feel it too — deep in their bones.
This month, we’re diving deep into the heart of storytelling.Use these exercises often. Post your responses, fragments, or ideas — no matter how rough.Come back to them whenever your story feels flat or lifeless.Somewhere beneath the surface, the heartbeat is always there — you just have to listen.
🖤 Let's bleed onto the page — together.
