Many people, both children and adults, love to read stories. Reading stories is a good way to pass the time. More so, stories are also great sources of life lessons, especially for children. Heartwarming stories, particularly, are what many readers usually search for. These are the kinds of stories that can evoke various emotions among the readers. They can make them laugh, cry, and reflect. These stories tend to have a lasting impact on people.
William and Tibby Forever by Lynda Hamblen is an example of a heartwarming story that can touch the hearts of many readers. It is a story about two cats, William and Tibby, who live seemingly perfect lives with their second mom until something very tragic happens. After William is killed, the story of the two cats starts to become a whirlwind of emotions, and they both learn several important things about life. This story about life on earth and in heaven by Lynda Hamblen is full of entertainment, emotions, and lessons. Ultimately, William and Tibby teaches the readers about the importance of love, especially that which is unconditional and endless.
Writing heartwarming stories like William and Tibby can be both fun and life-changing. It does not only allow you to inspire others, but it can also motivate you as an author. If you are an aspiring author who wishes to write your own touching stories, then this article is especially for you. Below are some of the keys to writing a heartwarming story for both children and adults.
Write from experience
To come up with an effective heartwarming story, you need to base what you will be writing on your experiences. Experience is a good reference for a story. Writing from experience is important because it can help you craft your story in a very creative, consistent, and believable manner. When you write from experience, there is a great tendency for your story to be quite relatable. Although your personal experiences might be different from others, there is still a good chance that many people may relate to it because it is a product of real-life experiences rather than of mere imagination. The closer your story to reality is, the more effective it can be in touching the hearts of people.
Make your plot and characters lovely
The plot and the characters are the assets of your story. These are the elements that many readers consider when choosing a story that they would like to read. Therefore, to write a story that can warm the hearts of as many people as possible, you need to create a plot and invent characters that are lovely. Make sure that the readers will love these elements of your story. A good way for a story to leave an impact on the readers is to make them invested in its plot and characters. Shy away from recycling cliched plots and character tropes in your story. This will not capture the attention and emotions of the readers because they might probably have read about these plots and characters a couple of times already. To be sure, always come up with unique plots and characters in your stories.
Give the readers something to reflect upon
This is probably the most important thing that you should remember as an author – your story should be full of lessons that can make the readers think and reflect. A heartwarming story does not only make people laugh and cry. It also makes them dive deeply into their thoughts. So, as much as possible, stuff your story with lessons. Give the readers something to ponder upon. However, make sure not to come off as preachy. Remember, a heartwarming story should not only affect the heart, but it should also prompt the mind to think.
Overall, writing a heartwarming story does not require so much literary expertise from you. (although a great literary knowledge is very helpful). It only requires you to have the experience and the story that can surely touch the hearts of the readers. The story about life on earth and in heaven by Lynda Hamblen, for example, is a very effective heartwarming story simply because it appeals heavily to the emotions of the readers. It makes the readers feel, relate, and reflect. If you wish to write a story that would have a lasting impact on people, then there is only one thing that you should keep in mind as an author – always aim for the heart!