Use Negation to Engage Readers and Increase Buy-in

Negation goes a step beyond just enough.
Savvy writers know how to give just enough details, just enough interaction, in a scene to reveal something of the characters and what the scene means to the overall story. Negation goes a step further. It calls attention to what the people in that scene chose not to say, not to do. Rather than satisfy the reader’s curiosity, negation piques it. 

Here’s an example.

You’re picking up your Starbucks mobile order. The person beside you is well-dressed, a hand-tooled leather briefcase slung over their shoulder. Their leather shoes match the case. Not someone you usually see in Starbucks. The person turns, looks you over. Suddenly, you’re hyperaware that you rushed from the house in stained sweats, a weathered cap over your uncombed hair. The well-dressed stranger must be judging you. “You don’t happen to know where Social Services is,” they say. You’re so surprised at the question you can’t answer. “No worries,” the person supplies. “I’ll find it.” They grab their order, turn, give you a knowing smile and leave.  

What's a person to think?
At first, you thought you were being weighed in the scales and found wanting. Now you don’t know what to think. Was the other person in need? Was it a pickup line? Did they ask about social services because you look like you’re in need? Because you look honest? In this instance, you’re not likely to ever have your questions answered. But you’ll remember the moment.

Negation is like suspense.
Like suspense, negation focuses on the meticulous doling out of information through details that are concrete, sensory and thematic, germane to the story. But negation’s emphasis is on how and when to withhold those details.  As writer-observers, we’re interested in what we see and hear. Yet, we’re often even more interested in what we didn’t see or hear because now we have to fill in the blanks. Putting readers in this position engages their attention and enhances buy-in for your story. 

Here's how to make the best use of negation.

• Think of a real situation where you were left wondering about someone you encountered.
• Describe the scene—where and when it happened, who was in it, why it’s of interest.
• Look back over the scene and list the questions that arise.
• Review your questions and try to answer each.
• Where in the scene do you feel like you suddenly get a sense of what the scene is really about? Why?

For your writing project, keep a list of questions you introduce, and when and how you’ll answer those questions. If you can’t think of a real-life situation for this exercise, make one up or use a scene from your project, and follow the same guidelines.

Life’s most intriguing moments are often ambiguous.
We turn them over and over in memory to figure out what happened and what it meant. It’s in this liminal space of uncertainty that we often find the real depth and meaning of a scene. This also gives us room to explore what these moments can mean for the story as a whole. 

Happy writing! 

If you have a writing topic you’d like me to cover, email a.annesi@sbcglobal.net. 

Adele Annesi is an award-winning writer, editor and instructor. Her bestselling cultural heritage novel is What She Takes Away (Bordighera Press, 2023). Adele coauthored and coedited Now What? The Creative Writer's Guide to Success After the MFA. Her MFA in creative writing is from Fairfield University, and her long-running blog for writers is Word for Words. Her podcast is Adele Annesi on Writing.

Savor Successes and Serendipity in 2025

The new year is often a time for writers to reflect on the year before and what we accomplished. Yet, we sometimes dread looking back because we didn’t achieve all we hoped or planned. Still, we’ve had successes, planned and unplanned, and probably more than we realize. This guide to looking back can help writers note and evaluate their achievements, and replicate them (and more) in the new year.

Organic Grower Agraria Guerrieri
Est. 1800
Marche Region, Italy

Kudos to You
It takes time and thought to identify our accomplishments, not just what they were but why they happened. This is especially true when we try something new. Whether you set the same yearly goals or add spice to your plans, it’s important to pinpoint what you did, familiar and new, what worked and why.

If you’re a goal-setter or want to be, here are questions to ask to record and celebrate successes, including the unexpected:

• What were your most significant goals and accomplishments for 2025?
• Separate the list into planned and unplanned accomplishments.
• Next to each item, note why it’s important to you.
• What successes did you achieve in areas that were new to you?
• What were the outcomes of all your accomplishments?
• What happened that made them successes?
• What unexpected outcomes resulted from your set goals?
• What enabled you to reach your goals and their results?
• Answer these two question for the unexpected.
• Whether or not your successes were planned, note how you might replicate them going forward.

Serendipity
Unexpected successes, especially in areas new to us, are bonuses. Yet, we need to pay attention to what comes out of the blue so that we know what happened, why it was a success and how it came about. We also need to record the outcomes of our experiences.

Here are questions to ask to savor and make the most of serendipity:

• What were your unexpected accomplishments?
• What makes you consider them successes?
• What were their outcomes?
• What surprised you most about these successes and their results?
• How might you replicate these going forward?

To enhance the savor of success, use whatever forms of recordkeeping you most enjoy, including voice recordings and photos. Pictures really do paint a thousand words. They also motivate us and ignite our imagination through memory. And don’t forget to update your bio, CV and online presence. In doing so, you’ll derive even more pleasure from seeing the rewards of your hard work and the unexpected.

Whatever method we use to record our accomplishments, let’s savor success, planned and unplanned, and recalibrate the shortfalls. It’s a great way to set the stage for the rest of 2026.

Happy writing and very happy New Year!

Adele Annesi is an award-winning writer, editor, instructor and poet. Her five-star cultural heritage novel is What She Takes Away (Bordighera Press). She coauthored and coedited Now What? The Creative Writer's Guide to Success After the MFA. Her MFA in creative writing is from Fairfield University. Also a vocal performer, Adele has the podcast Adele Annesi on Writing.