Writing something that no one reads is devastating. You put your heart, your life blood into the words on the page and they sit there, desolate, unread, insignificant as grains of sand on the beach. You feel like a failure. A loser. A fraud. You think, is there any point in writing again? Should you just give up and admit you can’t do it?

Short answer – no. Don’t give up. Just change the way you approach your work. Want people to pay attention to your writing? Better evoke some emotions—and quickly!

People pay attention to what they connect to. It’s why I suggest using stories to open your content or your copy—because we’re hard-wired to connect with them. But, unless you’re writing a novel, you can’t rely on stories to get your reader through to the end. If you want them to stick around, you need to keep that emotional connection going. How? By making your words as emotive as possible.

Emotive words make the reader feel, if only for a split second. They produce a reaction. Below is a list of positive and negative emotive words, focusing on actual emotions felt. Next week, I will give you a list of verbs and other words that also evoke emotions in the reader.

This list isn’t exhaustive, but it’s a start—try using some, sparingly, in your next piece and see how the reaction from your reader changes.

Positive Emotive Words

Bliss
Thrilled
Energise
Euphoric
Warm
Brave
Love
Triumphant
Adoring
Passionate
Tender
Excited

Negative Emotive Words

Agony
Cruel
Alarmed
Jealous
Hate
Lazy
Depressed
Humiliate
Revenge
Bitter
Anxious
Taboo (can evoke a positive reaction too, depending on the context)
Critical