You know when you listen to a song and the combination of lyrics and chords subject you to a specific feeling or scenery? When writing a story, specifically when it’s long, how can you achieve that same effect using just words? For example, I want my story to send people to some quiet, mysterious countryside city. How should I make that reflect on the characters? How to spread that sensation through the whole story? Thanks xx
Remember, music comes from a very different place, and you can’t write your stories thinking they will be exactly like music (or movies, for that matter). Your salvation will be in mood and tone, your description of the setting and the character’s surroundings, how the weather reflects the character’s mood, how the weather opposes the character’s mood (a rain-soaked funeral may reflect your character’s mood, but a funeral on a bright cheery day will take their pain and stab it in deep).
You’re painting a picture with words, and just like Bob Ross, you don’t have to be in a hurry to get it right. Read your favorite books and note down what’s happening around the characters, how their setting and description guides the story along. It won’t be a song, but it’s not meant to be. It’s still beautiful and important, even if it takes a lot of hard work.
