KEEPING THE EMOTIONAL BOND WITH YOUR READERS_ BY SUMAILA UMAISHA

Many writers simply tell a story, but a good creative writer shares an emotional experience. True connection happens when a reader deeply resonate with the characters and their experiences. This transforms him from a passive reader into an active participant in the narrative's emotional current.

To safeguard this bond, the writer must preserve his originality, ensuring his emotions remain imprinted on the story through its characters, settings, style, and other elements. In other words, the writer must protect his manuscript from excessive external editing, whether by human editors or AI tools, which can inadvertently strip away its authentic feeling. The emotion embedded in a piece of writing does more than just define the writer's unique style and artistic voice, it establishes a profound intimacy between him and his audience. 

So, while fixing grammar and typos by an editor is essential, major structural changes should strictly remain suggestions for the writer's approval. And the implementation of such suggestions should be carried out by the writer himself, ensuring the language retains his personal touch and emotional fingerprint.

Much like a musician, a writer's core purpose is to transmit his inner world to an audience, with all the moods and tones. When a writer communicates from the heart, his message is not just read, but deeply felt and long remembered. 

Don't allow careless external editing spoil this vital bond.

© Sumaila Umaisha

- Nigeria