What do you want your readers to feel at different points during the story?  How should they feel when they finish reading?  How do the characters in the story feel about what is happening? While you may have never been through exactly what your character deals with, chances are you've felt happy, sad, angry, surprised, scared, and a whole host of other emotions before. Think back to the last time you felt the particular emotion you're trying to get across.  What do you remember thinking and doing? Your own emotions are a good starting point, but in most cases, your characters aren't the same as you.  Think about the type of person your character is and what he or she would do when faced with the situation you're writing about. If you're having trouble imagining your character's reaction, try writing down how you think you would react in the exact same situation, what you would think, say, and do.  Then, go over each part of your reaction and ask yourself "Would my character do this?"  Even if the answer is "no," this exercise may give you a better idea of how your character would react by making it clear what he or she wouldn't do and why.  If you're still stuck, go through the same process but use different characters - yours or someone else's - in place of you. If you just write "Sam was happy," your readers aren't going to be moved.  It will help if they know why Sam was happy, but that's still not enough detail to make readers feel Sam's happiness too.  If you were standing next to Sam, how would you know that he was happy?  What does his face look like?  What is he doing?  Is he talking?  If so, what is he saying and how does his voice sound?  Specific details will make your readers feel like they are seeing how a particular person expresses happiness in this particular situation, not just being told that someone is happy. What you describe about the area where the action is taking place, the objects in that setting, and even the other characters can help to enhance the emotion of a scene.  Remember that you and your readers are seeing everything through the eyes of your main character and the main character's emotional state will influence what he or she notices and thinks about.  You don't have to have it rain during a sad scene or set a happy moment in a beautiful, comfortable room.  A truly happy character may fail to notice the dull grey walls around her or even find them beautiful, while a miserable person could be unswayed by the most pleasant weather. Another writing exercise you can try is to describe or find a picture of an environment, that write scenes where your character enters the room while feeling happy, sad, frightened, angry, tired, or whatever emotion you would like to explore.  See how you can use the same set of details in the environment to convey how your character feels in each scenario.
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One-sentence summary -- Identify the emotions in your story. Think about a time when you experienced the emotion your character is experiencing. Decide how the character would react. Be specific. Use the setting.


One of the most important things you can do is to help your teen be responsible about sex. Even if you don't agree with the choice to have sex, you still want to make sure that your teen is safe. Help by providing informational resources.  Hearing you talk can be very educational. You can explain to your teen the importance of being with a partner who cares about and respects you. You can also use science to educate your teen. Provide information about sexually transmitted diseases and how they are passed between partners. Explain that intercourse is not the only form of sex. Make sure your teen understands that you can contract STDs from oral sex, too. Organizations such as Planned Parenthood offer a lot of information about sex in general, and teen sex in particular. Contact them to get some very helpful brochures. Try to convey to your teen the gravity of having a sexual relationship. Make it clear that there may be physical consequences. For example, sex can result in an accidental pregnancy.  STDs are also an unintended consequence of sex. Ask your child how they plan to prevent negative physical consequences. Make sure to address emotional consequences, too. Explain that there is a different level of emotional intimacy between two people who are having sex. Talk to your teen about protecting their feelings. Do they know how to express their emotional needs? Make sure that your teen has access to birth control. If you provide it, you can be sure that they have a safe method. Even if you don't agree with the choice to have sex, you can still help to make sure that your teen is safe.  Give your teen condoms. Anyone who is sexually active, male or female, should have access to their own condoms. You don't want your teen to have to rely on someone else to bring the protection. Empower your teen to protect his or her own body. If you have a daughter, take her to the doctor to get prescription birth control. A doctor can help you and your teen decide whether the pill or a different type of hormone therapy will work for her. Encourage your teen to only have sex with someone they trust. Explain what a healthy relationship is. For example, it includes trust, kindness, and respect.  Make it clear that if your teen is in a healthy relationship, you will be supportive. You can say things like, "It seems like Mary is making you happy, and I'm glad." If you have concerns about the relationship, voice them. You can say something like, "I'm concerned that Tim's behavior is controlling. Does it feel that way to you?" Establish that you trust your teen, but that you encourage only having sex with someone when they are in a healthy relationship. Just because you talk about sex with your teen does not mean that you are no longer in charge of your household. When you give your teen boundaries, you are actually providing another type of resource. Boundaries help your teen learn responsibility and respect.  Set any boundaries that make you feel comfortable. For example, you can make it clear that your teen is not allowed to have sex in your house. You should feel free to keep enforcing curfew. Just because your teen is sexually active, that does not make him or her an adult who can do what they choose. Explain to your teen that while they are choosing to engage in adult behavior, they are still your child and must follow certain rules while living at home. Let your teen know where your family values lie. Have an open discussion about your feelings on intimacy. This will provide your teen with an additional frame of reference.  You can say, "In this family, we feel that intimacy is very serious. It is important to think about your actions before following through." You can also explain how your faith informs your feelings on sex. Many people to do not believe in sex before marriage, for example. Let your teen know that your values are important to you. But that you are willing to listen to his or her values, too.
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One-sentence summary -- Educate your teen. Explain consequences. Provide birth control. Support healthy relationships. Set boundaries. Discuss your values.


Look for river rocks, which tend to be smooth and flat. You can also purchase soapstones, which retain heat well. Try to find them from specialty stores, or online through eBay or Amazon.
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One-sentence summary --
Find smooth, flat rocks.