Category Archives: Mood and Atmosphere
Three Ways The Setting Can Steer Your Story’s Plot
The setting is a powerful force. Not only does it evoke mood, create tension and conflict, allow you to share critical backstory in a non-dumpy way, and draw readers deeper into the story through powerful sensory detail…it can also steer … Continue reading
Happy Holidays: Our Most Popular 2016 Posts For Writers
It’s that time of year where Becca and I sneak off to the liquor cabinet for some adult beverages to drink some rich hot chocolate in front of a roaring fire so we can enjoy some family togetherness and reflect … Continue reading
Generic Settings Won’t Do: Choose Locations That Have Emotional Value
As writers, we try to draw readers fully into each scene. Not only do we want them to picture what’s happening, we want them to feel as if they are sharing the POV (point of view) character’s experience. Shared experiences … Continue reading
Creating Mood In A Scene Using Light and Shadow
What’s one of the first things a person does to set the mood at home for a romantic evening? She turns down the lights. This simple adjustment is a big step toward creating a calm, receptive atmosphere. Just as the … Continue reading
Building A Story Garden: The Power Of Settings In Fiction
Guys, I have to say thanks for the terrific response to our Setting books. Becca and I are both so pleased you’re happy with the newest family members. Thank you for the reviews, the tweets, the recommendations to friends, and … Continue reading
Level Up Your Setting By Thinking Outside The Box
With writers, there seems to be two camps: those who love writing setting description, and those…who…don’t. There isn’t always a lot of middle ground. Becca is definitely in the former group. She’s freakishly good at world building. Each setting she … Continue reading
Inside One Stop For Writers: Our Descriptive Thesaurus Collections
A Closer Looks at Our Descriptive Thesaurus Collections As some of you know, the heart of One Stop For Writers is our signature Descriptive Thesaurus Collection. Visitors to this blog (and The Bookshelf Muse before it) have watched Becca and … Continue reading
Setting Description…Writing More Than Just What You See
Today’s Question: What is the best way to describe a place in a really special way, without sounding too visual? I like this question, because it’s what the Setting Thesaurus is all about. As writers, our first reaction is to … Continue reading
Creating Effective Atmosphere: FALL
As writers, we think carefully on the setting we use for our stories. The where and when of each scene is not only an anchor for both story and characters, it provides readers with valuable information. Settings should be chosen … Continue reading
Techniques For Atmosphere and Mood Building In Fiction
I thought today I’d take a quick look at how setting description can transcend to convey atmosphere through the deft manipulation of the five senses. First off, what is Atmosphere? Atmosphere is the mood created through the deliberate description of … Continue reading