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.