Understanding. Do you understand? How often do ask that question. After giving instructions,
perhaps after sharing how we feel about something.
Do we understand?
We have to understand what we are trying to say in order for the person we are talking to understands our point
of view. Sometimes they have to understand what we aren’t saying as much as what we are.
When writing you have to understand the point you are making or the character you are creating so well, that we get what you are saying as well as what you are not.
We misunderstand when we are in our own minds relating it to what happened to us or what we think will happen to us or what we want to happen.
Say, you have a character trying to tell their spouse they are pregnant. She says all the usual things trying to bring to to mind the fact that she is talking about a baby. Their baby. The spouse hears all the hints and blurts out, ” We’re getting a getting a dog!”
This happened because his book was on the wrong page.
Her book didn’t take into account where was in his book.
When you write make sure you know where you are and where you want to take your character. You also have to think of your readers. Will they make the leap with you or will they think they are getting a dog?
One of the ways to make sure they leap with you is to set the stage by taking them with the lady maybe to the doctor or looking at baby clothes or maybe even telling her best friend before she tells her spouse.
Wherever you take your story, try to make it clear where you want them to be. Where you want them to be may very well be getting the dog, especially if you are trying have a funny moment.
In understanding our story, we help our readers understand our mind, just a little.