In a new post, C.S. Lakin offers advice for infusing your story with mood. She suggests the following techniques:
- Consider the purpose of your scene. “Every scene is a microsystem of mood that depends on the emotional state and mindset of your character,” she says. “When you plot out your scene, you need to first think about how your character will interact with his setting based on his mood and the purpose of your scene.”
- Choose your words carefully. What you describe and your choice of descriptive, sensory language will create the mood you want to convey.
- Lean into Nuance. “The mood of the character should affect the way he perceives his environment, and expert writers will carefully choose words and imagery that act like a mirror to their emotions,” Lakin writes. The setting should also affect the character’s mood, which in turn changes how the character responds to the setting.
- Use the weather. Generally, weather affects our mood, whether we notice it or not. Your character may love the sun and hate rainy days, or vice versa. Your character might also be physically affected by the weather. Some people are prone to migraines on overcast days, while others are allergic to the sun. You can use this phenomenon, even if you don’t spell it out for the reader.
