Every so often, as I ponder human behavior, I think of a pop psychology trend of the 1990s, figuring out your “love language.” What does that have to do with writing? Bear with me. The book describes five main styles of showing you care. People have different preferred love languages:

• Words.
• Time.
• Touch.
• Service.
• Gifts.

That’s cool. But what you do to show you care tends to become your definition of love. A person who readily says they love their partner (Words language), compliments them, talks about how they meet, etc., often expects the same treatment. However, maybe they are with a Time-language person, who is constantly planning dates and cuddly movie nights. Without giving the matter some thought and discussion, both will say their partner isn’t showing love. 

Fictional Love Language

This is great fodder for the fiction writer as they build characters (there is a quiz to take!), and a wonderful source of conflict in fictional relationships. 

Fiction Marketing Love Language

As I do my Artist’s Way daily pages, I notice my own strong Service love language. I care so deeply about the quality of my people’s experience of life. At least the little pieces of their lives that I can touch. 

I think my style accounts for many things in my artistic life from crazy obsession with a book’s production values (editing, proofreading, design) to the details of promotional events. 

In other words, you’ll know I love you when I throw you a theme party! 

Don’t miss The Big Cinch from Montag Press, a supernatural noir adventure by Kathy L. Brown. Sean Joye, a fae-touched young veteran of 1922’s Irish Civil War, aims to atone for his assassin past and make a clean, new life in America. Until he asks the wrong questions. . 

How do you show you care? Does it affect how you view story characters? Or other people in your life? Comment on the blog. Click the blog title and a comments box will open at the bottom of the page.        

If you enjoyed this journal entry, you might like to read about The Compost Heap.

I started this blog thread on the gritty details of the writing process over on my Facebook Author page, @kbkathylbrown, but think I might be better served putting it over here. If you’re interest in following my writing process in an informal way, you’ll find a few posts on Facebook that might interest you. You can subscribe to the blog from the website landing page (scroll down).

And Now a Word from Our Sponsor

Check out my new release from Montag Press, The Big Cinch. Love Letters to St. Louis is an adorable letter-shaped volume of short stories, poems, essays, and illustrations and includes my first science fiction story, “Welcome to Earthport Prime: A Self-Guided Tour.” A perfect gift and profits benefit the guild’s young writers’ program. Available on Amazon and local St. Louis bookshops.

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