[This is part of the series: 20 Writing Tips From John Erickson]

What are the 2 simple things that writing communicates?

They are:

1. Information
2. Emotion

I think you can do these two things separately, of course, but you run the risk of falling on deaf ears.

Emotion without particulars has no backbone to it (feeling but no logic).

And information without emotion is easy to ignore (the way a textbook would be).

I mean, what makes you want to go eat a particular restaurant more?

If I say “it was good home-style food” – or if I say this?

See it?

2. Good writing communicates information and emotions to someone besides the writer.

-John Erickson, Story Craft (Amazon)