Maya Angelou, Making People Feel, and How This Can Be Applied to Writing

"I've learned the people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

~Maya Angelou



    This quote is a fantastic one to memorize and apply for living life. And in addition, I think it's also something useful to keep in mind while writing.
    I remember the last book that made me cry. Really cry. As in yanking my heartstrings, making me really feel. Not only do I remember the book title, but I remember the characters, the settings, the significant scenes, and the plot. I remember the story because of the strong emotions it made me feel; whereas while it was a nice book, I probably wouldn't think of it as often if it hadn't touched my heart the way it did.
    We get emotional when something significant and meaningful is happening. When tragedy strikes, as someone finds true love, when justice is being overlooked, when a hard-gained achievement is finally won, etc. Feelings also are important  in how they're an awesome part of the reading experience; exhilaration is fun! And sadness, while not so fun, can prompt a few moments of remembrance and thought.
    Emotions are powerful. They exist in many--if not all--well-written stories.
    Of course, these aren't ingenious revelations. Every writer wants to make the reader feel emotions while reading their story/poem/script. And no one wouldn't want their work to be remembered. These facts are nothing new. But they are nice to be reminded of, right?
    Do you remember the last book/poem/movie that really pulled your heartstrings?