Introduction
I haven't done one of these in a really long time, but here it comes. This is a discussion of "sentiment" and "sentimentality" in writing, and how they affect the quality of a story. This topic is easily one of the most frequently discussed topics in all creative writing classes I've taken so far, and I've noticed that no one really talks about it on AFF. I've noticed the conflict a lot in fanfics that I've reviewed, but have not talked about it too much, until my last review. That got me thinking: why is no one talking about it? Why have I not talked about it? So, let's talk sentimentally.



Sentimentality vs Sentiment
Sentimentality is generally considered "bad" in fiction writing. But what is it? Most fiction writers, myself included, will describe a work as sentimental when it attempts to evoke emotions in a reader by narration instead of action. Sentiment is the exact opposite. Emotions are evoked due to the character's predicament. That's the basic idea, but it's not really that simple.

Everyone has a different sense of what is sentimental and what is sentiment. It's not always clear, and it's not always good or bad. Sentimentality does have its function; especially here on AFF, I believe a little bit of sentimentality is a good thing. Of course, for regular fiction writing, I would advise to always avoid sentimentality.

Let's do examples. Here's what can be classified as sentimentality at its best:

Myungsoo was sad. No one wanted to hang out with him that evening, and it frustrated him so much.

Now, here's what the same idea would play out if we used sentiment:

Myungsoo lay on his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. No one would hang out with him that evening because of their busy schedules, and he was stuck at home with no plans whatsoever.

Can you see the difference? In the second example, a reader will read the sentence without having a clue what's going on inside Myungsoo's mind; however, they will instinctively think, "poor Myungsoo, it must to be stuck at home alone. He must be so lonely and sad that he can't go out and play with his friends."

This is where the difference lies, for the most part. You should let your readers experience the emotions on their own, not force the feelings down their throat. It can become extremely dangerous if you do that, as in the example below:

Myungsoo was so pissed off at Sungjong that evening. Why did the maknae eat all the kimchi? He knew how much Myungsoo loved kimchi! Myungsoo wanted nothing more than to strangle that grinning idiot right then.

That may sound like a completely reasonable thing to write, except not. The obvious question is, why does Myungsoo want to strangle Sungjong? Isn't it too much of a reaction over kimchi? Here's how it would work better:

Myungsoo stared at Sungjong in disbelief. The maknae just ate all of Myungsoo's favorite kimchi! He glared at the younger with daggers in his eyes.

Maybe not the best thing I've ever written, but the point is there. I didn't tell you Myungsoo's pissed. I told you Sungjong ate all of Myungsoo's kimchi, and now Myungsoo is glaring at Sungjong really murderously. You can make your own conclusion about what Myungsoo's feeling. Get it?

In our last example, I'll show you when it really makes a difference whether you tell your readers to feel emotions or not. This is an excerpt from my one-shot "Last Farewell" that's no longer available:

I enter his apartment. He hasn’t changed the password. He never does. The apartment reeks of . Unwashed clothes lie around the bed, among which I recognize Woohyun’s underwear. I chuckle bitterly; they truly belong with each other. And are that candles I see next to the bed? They’re making it too easy. I walk into the kitchen and place my hands on the gas stove.

“I’m ready to let you go now,” I say out loud. I don’t know why; no one can hear me anyway. But it seems fitting. With several quick motions, I turn on all burners without igniting them.

On my way back to my apartment, I notice that the street seems awfully quiet. I see no cars around, no people to pester me. No one to disturb me. No one to disrupt my inner peace. I stop for a moment to observe the blossoming sakuras. How ironic; the flowers’ scent reminds me of my home. At last, it will be mine and only mine again.

Now, I could re-tell the story sentimentally.

I enter his apartment, my insides boiling with rage. That idiot is so dumb, he never changes his password, so I guess it right away. I can smell in the air; it makes me even more mad than I already am. I ing hate them. I wish they would all burn together. I see candles near the bed. That will make my plan so much easier to execute. When they light the candles, ka-boom! Good riddance! I turn on all the burners without igniting them, saying some bullsh*t because it feels right.

On my way back home, all I can think about is how great it will be when they burn to their death. Maybe then I'll stop being so bothered by all of this.

It's clearer, right? You may think it's even better. But wait for it. What if I wrote it like this?

I enter his apartment, tears pouring down my cheeks as I ready myself to let go. I guess the password on the first try; he never changed it. I guess I should have seen this coming then. I can smell in the air, and I see Woohyun's dirty underwear lying around. That never happened back at my place. Maybe they do belong together. Maybe I'm what's wrong in this situation. And candles? How romantic! I feel my inside clench; Woohyun clearly loves him more than he loves me. Well, then maybe this is for the best. I go over to the kitchen stand in front of the stove.

"I'm ready to let you go now," I say as I turn on the burners.. What am I doing? Did I really want to kill them? Am I stupid? I turn them off again and leave the apartment.

On my way back home, I notice that the street seems awfully quiet. I see no cars around, no people to pester me. No one to disturb me. I feel strangely relieved. Maybe this is for the best. Woohyun will have his own happiness, and I can start anew. The sakuras never smelled so wonderfully. My lips curl up into a half-smile. I can be happy again. I know I can.

This is why it's important to avoid sentimentality. You are basically dictating to the reader what they have to feel in the situation. Rule number one in fiction writing--don't tell your readers what to feel. Show them. As you can see above, there are different interpretations of that short passage. You should never tell readers what you expect them to feel. You should let them feel it for themselves, to read into the story, to experience what your character is experiencing, and to let them make their conclusion. You can help them along, but don't be rigid about it. Don't dictate the story; let it speak for itself.

For fanfictions, I think that some sentimentality is okay. We're not writing to create wonderful pieces of literature. No, we're here to tell a story. Of course, we should leave some room open for interpretations, but our story is still shaped the way we want it to be. We don't have to be vague. We can just tell something from time to time. But we have to be careful not to overdo it.




Other guides: Basic Writing Guide, Publicity Guide, Basic Grammar Guide