How to Write with Emotion: A Guide to Writing a Pet’s Obituary

Let’s Practice Writing with Heart

Welcome to this writing session. A huge part of mastering English is learning to control the tone of your writing. Can you make a reader feel something? Can you be sad without being overly dramatic, or funny without being silly? Today, we’re going to practice this by writing something very personal: a tribute. Following this guide step-by-step will give you the tools to write with genuine emotion and personality, a skill that will make all of your writing more impactful.

The Challenge: Celebrating a Life in Words

Our task is to write an obituary for a beloved pet dog.

Now, this isn’t about being morbid. It’s about celebration. An obituary is a notice of a death, yes, but it’s also a short biography that honors a life. The challenge here is to capture the unique personality of a pet and the joy they brought, all in a heartfelt and respectful tone. How do you tell the story of a furry friend in a way that feels real and touching?

Let’s create a plan to do it right:

1. Capture the Essence: Before we write, we’ll brainstorm the specific personality traits and quirks that made the pet special.
2. Structure the Tribute: We’ll outline a simple structure for the obituary so it flows logically.
3. Find the Right Tone: We’ll focus on being sincere and warm, avoiding language that is either too cold or too sentimental.
4. Tell Mini-Stories (Anecdotes): We’ll learn how specific examples are more powerful than general statements.
5. Draft and Refine: We’ll put it all together into a moving and well-written tribute.

Let’s get started on telling this special story.

Step-by-Step Guide to a Heartfelt Tribute

[ppp_patron_only level=5]

Step 1: Capture the Essence

Let’s imagine our dog. We’ll call him Max. What was he like? We need specific details.

• Personality: Goofy, endlessly optimistic, a little clumsy, fiercely loyal.
• Loves: Chasing squirrels (but never catching them), belly rubs, the sound of the cheese drawer opening, car rides with his head out the window.
• Quirks: Had a signature “happy sneeze” when he got excited, would steal one sock from the laundry but never the pair, slept upside down with his paws in the air.

This list gives us the raw material to show his personality, not just state it.

Step 2: Structure the Tribute

A simple structure works best:

• The Opening: Announce the passing, including the pet’s name, age, and family.
• The Body: Share memories and describe their personality. This is where we use our brainstormed list. Tell little stories.
• The Closing: Mention who they will be missed by (the “survivors”) and a final, heartfelt send-off.

Step 3: Find the Right Tone

This is crucial. We want to be heartfelt, not melodramatic.

Common Mistake: Using clichés or overly dramatic language.

• Bad Example (Too Cold): “The canine subject, Max, ceased vital functions on Tuesday. He was 12.”
• Bad Example (Too Melodramatic): “Our hearts were shattered into a million pieces by the tragic, untimely departure of our angel dog, Max, who has crossed the rainbow bridge into heaven.”

A better tone is warm, personal, and sincere. It uses simple, honest language.

Step 4: Tell Mini-Stories (Anecdotes)

“Show, don’t tell” is the golden rule here. Instead of telling the reader Max was goofy, show it with a mini-story.

• Telling: “Max was a very goofy dog.”
• Showing: “Max will be remembered for his goofy spirit, especially his habit of getting the ‘zoomies’ and skidding across the hardwood floors, only to end up crashing into the sofa with a happy, confused look on his face.”

The second one paints a picture and lets the reader feel his goofiness.

Step 5: The Polished, Final Obituary

Let’s combine all these elements into our final tribute to Max.

[SAMPLE WRITING]

Max Miller, 12, a Golden Retriever of boundless optimism and questionable grace, passed away peacefully at his home on Tuesday, surrounded by his loving family.

Max joined the Miller family as a clumsy, oversized puppy and quickly grew into a clumsy, oversized adult who filled their lives with laughter and an impressive amount of golden fur. He will be remembered for his signature “happy sneeze” that announced any moment of pure joy, his unwavering belief that he was a lap dog, and his lifelong, unsuccessful war against the neighborhood squirrels. More than just a pet, Max was a furry confidant, a walking buddy who insisted on smelling every single flower, and the official greeter whose thumping tail could cure any bad day.

The house will feel achingly quiet without the sound of his paws on the floor or the sight of him sleeping upside down, paws twitching as he dreamt of chasing rabbits. He taught his family about unconditional love, the importance of a daily walk, and the simple fact that there’s no problem a good belly rub can’t solve.

Max is survived by his devoted humans, Tom and Sarah, and their two children, Lily and Sam, whom he trained impeccably to drop food during dinner. He leaves behind a legacy of chewed-up slippers, a thousand happy memories, and a heart-shaped patch of worn-out grass in the backyard. He was a very good boy.

[/ppp_patron_only]

Key Takeaways and Your Next Challenge

How do you write with genuine emotion?

1. Focus on Specifics: Don’t just say a pet was “loving”; describe how they showed love.
2. Use Anecdotes: Mini-stories are the most powerful tool for revealing personality.
3. Maintain a Sincere Tone: Use simple, honest language from the heart.
4. Celebrate, Don’t Just Mourn: A good tribute focuses on the joy of the life lived.

Your Optional Writing Challenge:

Ready to try your hand at this kind of writing? Your challenge is to write a short tribute (just one or two paragraphs) for a favorite fictional character from a book, TV show, or movie as if they have passed away.

Focus on capturing their unique personality and what made them so beloved. This is a great way to practice writing with tone and personality without it being too personal. Give it a shot!