Evoking Fun Emotions

[SciFrac]

Maybe 'fun' is the wrong word, perhaps 'pleasing' or 'enjoyable' is a better, broader term. I'm trying to brainstorm situations that put a smile on my face, and I've started listing situations I've seen in books to help me decide what scenes I want to create. I'm leaning toward middle-grade style, so this is what I'm going for:

• receiving a wonderful gift
• earning recognition from peers
• praise from an authority figure
• winning a prize
• returning a lost item to a grateful person
• harmless pranks on friends or enemies
• a mean person is publicly embarrassed
• helping animals in need

Now those may be too saccharine for your taste, but what evokes similar emotions in you?

 

[The Judge]

Hi SciFrac -- as you're just wanting ideas of situations etc I think I'll shift this over to GWD. Workshop is mainly for exercise-type thingies -- ie writing a paragraph to bring a smile to people's faces.

As for enjoyable scenes, with the exception of the third- and second-to-last, these are all rather worthy. That's undoubtedly a good thing if you're teaching children, but I wonder if a few more schadenfreude moments might appeal to them when they are reading? eg things like seeing a friend fall in a swimming pool.

 

[Mouse]

The first thing that came into my head I can't repeat here because there may be children or the elderly present.

 

[Juliana]

Since its more MG, how about the burst of adrenaline fuelled pleasure that comes from escaping a tight situation, for example, not getting caught at something or by someone? Judging from my own kids and from memories, there's that lovely giggling-fit reaction to relief...

 

[SciFrac]

Judge, thanks for the move. I'll keep those situations in mind. I'll use any trick to get them interested.

Mouse, now I'm more curious than ever.

Juliana, great idea! I'm adding that one. Thank you! I'd thought about having an adult catch them, but then they laugh it off and actually help them. Kids love it when adults break the rules for them.

 

[Tecdavid]

Ooh, here's another: How about when something has gone horribly wrong -- say, messing up a task or breaking an ornament -- and after fretting about it the whole day, you learn it really isn't so bad after all. The task was hard, so it's no problem you had trouble with it (or maybe you were instructed to do it incorrectly, so it's no fault of your own), or that old ornament was fractured anyway, so it was bound to break sometime.
When you're a child, that kind of feeling is as relieving as it gets!

 

[James Coote]

It's nice being someone who is easily pleased. Sometimes I'll run down the street instead of walk, just because I can, and keep going until I'm out of breath from laughing and smiling. That probably goes under the adrenaline section along with escaping.

I think you can probably broaden returning a lost item to a grateful person. Essentially, doing something for someone else without their knowing and finding they appreciate it.

There is also the joy of accumulation of things. Knowledge, wealth or power. Completing a collection is also a powerful motivator, which can have great happiness reward

Exploration and subsequent discovery is another

 

[nubins]

When a friend tells you not to smile or bets you they can make you smile. The more you think about not smiling when a friend is there watching, the harder it is to keep a straight face.

Watching an impressive event - think fireworks displays, but equally could be natural events - amazing sunrises etc.

Achieving something difficult and seeing the result (building something and at the point of finishing taking am oment to view what you have built, climbing a hill or tree and then looking at the view etc.)

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Gross, disgusting things and fart jokes are very pleasing to that set, at least in my house.

My son and his friends have taken great delight this past week in going down to the river to find the ghost. They swear the river is haunted, and run around screaming and enjoying being scared of every noise, everything they feel is "off" from normal, every shadow.

They are particularly pleased at finding a deer leg with scratches on it, fish guts on the river bank, and bear or mountain lion poop. I just hope they don't find the bear or mountain lion!

Oh yeah, and staring contests are quite exciting, too.

 

[SciFrac]

Tech, James, Nubins Dusty: great additions. I like the specifics. I have some broad categories, but I'm particularly interested in the different manifestations.

I find it really easy to dream up painful, scary, anxiety-ridden situations, and that's really not the book I enjoy reading most. I don't want to sound cheesy either, but I want to write something really entertaining where my characters are not constantly fighting or fleeing for their lives. Of course they'll do that too, but this stuff helps. Thanks everyone!

All comments are appreciated.