Writing what feels like a dozen pages only to figure out after that you haven't even gotten through half a page is a universal experience across all writers.
What I'm about to tell you is one way I've found helps getting through that psychological toll.
One day I was writing my novel (a-luchador-detective-versus-a-lady-vampire sort of affair) when I got a certain idea. I picked up my copy of Authority by Jeff Vandermeer that I had on the desk and decided to make the line length in my work the same as that paperback edition. Margins were widened and line spacing was adjusted, leaving me with a sort of narrow manuscript.
You've no idea how much my productivity went up.
Logically, finishing a line became much faster, which lead to quicker finished pages, which produced a longer-looking manuscript. Of course, this doesn't mean that my writing was immediately faster per se,
but the feeling of being faster placebo-ed me in a way that increased my output.
Now I'm hitting my daily word-count much more consistently and I believe this was partly responsible.
Humans like numbers going up, if we wouldn't both videogames and billionares wouldn't exist. Seeing my page count increase is a reward to my brain which gives me a boost to get to the next page. By decreasing the length between rewards I'm put in a more constant progression loop, no longer feeling the slog of going up a hill and being met with a thousand more.
And at the end, if I want to check my actual progress, the real gauge will forever be the total word count, which we shouldn't obsess over, anyways.
The journey to create a novel or other piece of long-form media will always be more of a marathon than a race, and should be undertaken with the mindset of a marathon. All progress is incremental, and you should not be emotionally punishing yourself for not finishing a quarter of your book in the last week, as if that were somehow possible.
The length of a novel is such that any time-saving and efficiency-increasing life hacks we apply would only be reducing our-time-finish by weeks at the most, so why the rush?
I believe the key to writing faster is to write constantly first.
Can't be fast without stamina. So go ahead; write and make writing easier on you.
My enjoyment of writing, my productivity, and the quality of my work improved tenfold when I started embracing slumps and taking them as an opportunity to read everything I could get my hands on, watch lots of films and shows, go to the theatre, play games, hang out with friends, visit new places, and generally absorb life and marinate my brain in the art of storytelling.
When you're writing romance, you need to have TENSION. Your characters need to pull your readers into the story with not just their dialogues, but also their chemistry.
What is tension, you ask? It's quite simple. When two people are attracted to each other, or like each other, or are in love with each other, it causes a certain shift in the air. When these two people come together, they seem to outshine everyone else in the room and make it just about themselves (in a good way ofc). This shift in the air which hooks you into the scene is called tension. The chemistry that your main characters carry, will infact carry the whole story --- if you're writing romance, i.e.
How do you write this romantic tension? Well, as someone who's been writing romance for 4 years now, here's a few things I do to show the chemistry between my characters.
Show, don't tell:
This is probably the most common advice you'll ever receive. And spoiler alert: IT IS TRUE. Any scene that includes an emotion will require you to show it, visualise it for the crowd instead of just writing it down. Romance, love, is a sensitive emotion. The readers need to SEE it happening, instead of just reading about it. Eye contact, long stares, switching their gaze from the eyes to the lips & back to the eyes, coming close for a few seconds, banter-turned-flirting are some ways you can show the chemistry.
Intimacy is key:
Proximity. Closeness. Coming together.
Put your characters in situations where they have to work together. Show their differences/similarities in handling tasks and make them argue or slightly quarrel if there's any differences and show them rejoicing if there's an agreement. Intimacy lies in more than just the body, bring out a quality in your characters, preferably a good one, in your characters when they're together. Make that quality their strong suit that drives them closer.
Words are sexy:
Dialogues can create tension better than anything else (in my opinion). Notice how every time your ships/pairings are bantering, one of them ends up saying something sexual or romantic in a frisky way and we end up blushing like crazy? Yep, that's the goal. We absolutely love it when the guy says "oh yeah?" or ends up calling the girl a cute nickname while bantering. Dialogues can reach out to readers in a more personal way because they are the direct interactions between your characters. Make your OTP interact and have fun (pun intended!)
Add restraint:
Sometimes, when the characters are almost about to kiss and someone interrupts them, we feel like throwing the book away. But at the same time, we want more because we want to see our characters kiss, or confess, or even get down dirty ;).
You have put your characters in each other's close proximities, given them a driving force and added a razzle-dazzle with the dialogues and flirting! Yet, something is missing and the romance feels too....predictable? Put a constraint. This is especially important for slowburns. Personally, I love me a slowburn - it creates higher tension, emphasises on a foundation between characters and makes the kiss/confession/sex even more hot (again, my opinion). I suggest, a hint of a barrier won't do any harm. When you've reached the level of tension where it's normal for your characters to kiss or make-out, your readers are more focused than ever. Adding a restraint will make them crave the romance more and hence, stay hooked into the story.
HOWEVER, DON'T STALL THE PROJECT. Just because your characters got interrupted in chapter 7 doesn't mean they can't kiss till chapter 15 or something. If they don't kiss in this chapter, they kiss after maybe 2-3 more chapters. You want to delay the romance only by a tad bit, so that your readers are still interested.
That's all I have for today! I hope these help you guys!
- ashlee.
Are there any foods with symbolic meanings that are eaten on special occasions (e.g. katsudon for victory, or new years oranges for luck)? How did the tradition get started?
We all know about weddings and marriage, but are there any ceremonies that symbolically / legally / magically officialize a different type of relationship in your worldâs culture? (Adoption, apprenticeship, friendship, etc.)
Whatâs a rule or social norm that is widely followed in theory, but in practice everyone knows itâs not a big deal and breaks it all the time?
Are there any trades or hobbies whose practitioners are stereotyped as weird or extraordinary? (E.g. the âmad hatterâ trope.) Why? How true is this perception?
What are some cliches, tropes, and/or plots that commonly appear in stories written by your worldâs inhabitants? What were they inspired by? Why are they popular?
What is a common way to subtly insult someone in your world, without crossing into overt rudeness? Gifting an item with negative connotations? Addressing them more familiarly or formally than normal? Backhanded compliments?
If you pulled a random average Joe off the streets of your world and asked them to draw a house, what would they draw? (Shape, roof style, position and number of windows, etc.)
Is there a place in your world that nobody has ever been to - the bottom of a cave, the moon, another dimension, etc.? How do people know it exists? Why havenât they gone there? What do they believe itâs like, and how right/wrong are they?
What aesthetics are considered âadvancedâ or âfuturisticâ in your world - canvas wings, shiny chrome, smooth plastic? How has this changed over time?
Whatâs a fun fact about your world that you as the worldbuilder are dying to share, but nobody ever thinks to ask?Â
Embracing Chaos: A Pantser's Guide to Crafting Compelling Fiction
Planning a story when you're a pantser (someone who writes "by the seat of their pants" without extensive outlining) can be a creative and fluid process. Here are some steps to help you plan a fic even if you prefer to write without a detailed outline:
Start with an Idea: Begin with a basic idea or concept for your fic. It could be a character, a situation, a setting, or even a specific scene that's been floating around in your mind.
Character Sketches: Develop your characters. Write down their names, physical descriptions, personalities, and backstories. Even if you don't plan everything in advance, knowing your characters well can guide your writing as you go.
Set Your Goals: Determine what you want to achieve with your fic. Is it a short story, novella, or novel? What's the central theme or message you want to convey? Understanding your goals can give your writing direction.
Identify Key Plot Points: Instead of a detailed outline, focus on identifying key plot points or moments you want to include in your fic. These could be major events, conflicts, or turning points. Think about the beginning, middle, and end.
Create a Loose Timeline: Organize your key plot points in a loose chronological order. This will help you maintain a sense of structure without stifling your creativity. You can rearrange or add new points as you write.
Develop Themes and Motifs: Consider the themes and motifs you want to explore in your fic. These can help guide your writing and give it depth. Themes could be love, friendship, redemption, etc.
Write a First Scene: Start with the opening scene or chapter. This will help you dive into the story without feeling overwhelmed by the entire plot. As you write, let the characters and situations evolve naturally.
Follow Your Characters: Allow your characters to guide the story. As you write, pay attention to how they react to situations and make decisions. Sometimes, the best plot twists come from character-driven choices.
Embrace Revision: Understand that your story may evolve and change as you write. Don't be afraid to revise and rewrite parts of your fic to maintain consistency and improve the overall narrative.
Use Writing Prompts: If you ever get stuck or need inspiration, consider using writing prompts. They can help you generate new ideas and keep the creative juices flowing.
Beta Readers or Feedback: If you're comfortable with it, share your work with beta readers or writing groups. They can provide valuable feedback and suggestions to help you refine your fic.
Stay Open to Change: Be open to making major changes if the story naturally takes a different direction than you initially planned. Sometimes, the best stories come from unexpected twists.
Trust the Process: Remember that everyone's writing process is different. Embrace the pantser approach if it works for you, and trust your instincts as a writer.
Writing as a pantser can be an exciting and spontaneous journey. While it may require more revisions and editing along the way, it often leads to unique and organic storytelling. So, start writing, and let your creativity flow freely!
As Iâve talked about on my blog several times, an important part of growing as a writer is learning about writing. For years Iâve wanted to compile a list of writing books Iâve read, liked, and recommend. Today Iâm happy to say I now have that list to add to my blog (perfect timing for anyone who likes summer reading). Iâm sure over time, this list will be added to.
Many writers Iâve talked to have read quite a few of these books. How many have you read? And is there one I need to look into? (You can comment at the bottom).
If you havenât read any of them, cool. Now you have a list to chose from should you ever want to.
Hundreds of books have been written on the art of writing. Here at last is a book by two professional editors to teach writers the techniques of the editing trade that turn promising manuscripts into published novels and short stories.
In this completely revised and updated second edition, Renni Browne and Dave King teach you, the writer, how to apply the editing techniques they have developed to your own work. Chapters on dialogue, exposition, point of view, interior monologue, and other techniques take you through the same processes an expert editor would go through to perfect your manuscript. Each point is illustrated with examples, many drawn from the hundreds of books Browne and King have edited.
â BUY / LEARN MORE
What makes a good story or a screenplay great?
The vast majority of writers begin the storytelling process with only a partial understanding where to begin. Some labor their entire lives without ever learning that successful stories are as dependent upon good engineering as they are artistry. But the truth is, unless you are master of the form, function and criteria of successful storytelling, sitting down and pounding out a first draft without planning is an ineffective way to begin.
Story Engineering starts with the criteria and the architecture of storytelling, the engineering and design of a storyâand uses it as the basis for narrative. The greatest potential of any story is found in the way six specific aspects of storytelling combine and empower each other on the page. When rendered artfully, they become a sum in excess of their parts.
BUY / LEARN MOREÂ
Bestselling author David Farland has taught dozens of writers who have gone on to staggering literary success, including such #1 New York Times Bestsellers as Brandon Mull (Fablehaven), Brandon Sanderson (Wheel of Time), James Dashner (The Maze Runner) and Stephenie Meyer (Twilight).
In this book, Dave teaches how to analyze an audience and outline a novel so that it can appeal to a wide readership, giving it the potential to become a bestseller. The secrets found in his unconventional approach will help you understand why so many of his authors go on to prominence.
 â BUY / LEARN MORE
How do you create a main character readers wonât forget? How do you write a book in multiple-third-person point of view without confusing your readers (or yourself)? How do you plant essential information about a characterâs past into a story?
Write Great Fiction: Characters, Emotion & Viewpoint by award-winning author Nancy Kress answers all of these questions and more! This accessible book is filled with interactive exercises and valuable advice that teaches you how to:
  Choose and execute the best point of view for your story
  Create three-dimensional and believable characters
  Develop your charactersâ emotions
  Create realistic love, fight, and death scenes
  Use frustration to motivate your characters and drive your story.
â BUY / LEARN MORE
The road to rejection is paved with bad beginnings. Agents and editors agree: Improper story beginnings are the single biggest barrier to publication. Why? If a novel or short story has a bad beginning, then no one will keep reading. Itâs just that simple.
In Hooked, author Les Edgerton draws on his experience as a successful fiction writer and teacher to help you overcome the weak openings that lead to instant rejection by showing you how to successfully use the ten core components inherent to any great beginning.
Plus, youâll discover exclusive insider advice from agents and acquiring editors on what they look for in a strong opening. With Hooked, youâll have all the information you need to craft a compelling beginning that lays the foundation for an irresistible story!
Directionality in Fiction: Why You Need it & How to Create it
Every successful story has a sense of direction. The audience wants, and even needs, an idea of where the story is going. If the audience literally has no idea what could happen next, then that often means what happens next doesn't really hold any value one way or another. It's like Willy Wonka's river ride into darkness--confusing, awkward, and a little bizarre. It's hard to trust Willy Wonka to get you anywhere. Writers should avoid being like Willy Wonka, for several reasons.
Wait! you may be thinking. Don't we want our stories to be unpredictable? Isn't not knowing where the story is going more exciting?
Many beginning writers make this mistake (including yours truly back in the day). They think having no clue where the story is going makes it more of a page-turner. They may recall audience members happily describing a story, saying, "I had no clue where it was going!" or "I had no idea what was going to happen next!"
These are just expressions of emotion. In reality, for the audience to even have those emotions, they usually must have a sense of direction first.
It's a similar concept to being vague versus being ambiguous. Vagueness happens when you don't have enough context to tell what something is, if anything. Ambiguity happens when there is enough context to interpret something in two or more ways, and you aren't sure which it is. When audiences say, "I had no clue where it was going," often what they really mean is, "I didn't know which of the critical directions it would go."
A story that has no sense of direction is almost never as effective as one that does. Without a sense of direction, the audience can't measure what is progress or what is a setback. They can't get invested, because they can't anticipate anything. They can't feel tension or suspense or even surprise, because they can't hope or fear for what could happen, and don't have expectations for what is going to happen.
Instead of Willy Wonka's tunnel of terror, imagine taking a hike toward a beautiful waterfall (it can still be made of chocolate if you want). A twisted ankle, closed trail, or nearby predator is a bigger setback than if we had nowhere we were trying to go. A shortcut is a bigger leap in progress if we are trying to reach a specific destination. And discovering we're actually on a trail that leads to an active volcano is a bigger surprise.
There are two critical plot elements that will automatically inject directionality into your story. Then, there are a lot of alternative methods you can use to reinforce it, or that you can rely on when performing a rule break (more on that in a bit). First, let's go over the two major ones:
1. Goals
A character's goal immediately gives the audience a sense of direction. This is because goals are about an outcome. They instantly convey what the character wants to happen, or doesn't want to happen. In order to be effective, though, they have to be achievable and relevant. Who cares if your character wants to do magic, if magic is literally impossible in your setting? That's not a real goal--it's a wish.Â
There are three basic types of goals: obtain, avoid, or maintain.
Convey a clear, relevant, and achievable goal early, and your audience will not only have a strong sense of direction, but they'll be more invested--because they'll want to see if the character gets the goal.
Then, if you add how the character plans to get the goal, you'll reinforce the goal and sense of direction even more.
2. Stakes
Many like to define stakes as what is at risk in the story. I feel like it's more effective and more accurate to define them as potential consequences. It's what could happen if a condition is met. If Voldemort gets the Sorcerer's Stone, then he can return to power. If Frodo destroys the Ring, then he saves Middle-earth. If Katniss cuts down the tracker jacker hive, then she can get away from the Careers.
As you may have noticed, stakes are often tied to goals. They are often the potential consequences of meeting or not meeting a goal.
Stakes are about conveying to the audience what could happen. This gives what does happen, meaning.
Stakes also innately convey a pathway, a direction. If X happens, we'll go down path A. If Y happens, we'll go down path B.
I've never seen a story with too many stakes. I've seen lots of stories that don't have enough stakes. Walk the stakes out to create strong directionality.
And don't assume your audience will simply imagine the stakes on their own. Almost always, they want the story to tell them (explicitly or implicitly) the stakes. Almost always, the story is better when we clearly communicate the stakes. Avoid being vague. Help the audience imagine which important pathways the story could take.
~
These are the two most important, and most effective, ways to create directionality--they accomplish multiple major things at once.
However, this doesn't mean they are the only ways to create directionality.
And while they are almost always critical to a solid plot, that doesn't mean you can't ever break the rules and have them be absent on occasion.Â
If they are absent though, that usually means something else needs to be used to create directionality in their place (unless, of course, you are working with a teaser--but even they can arguably have a sense of direction). So how do stories without legit goals or stakes still work? Well, they probably incorporate at least one of the following things--which you can also use to reinforce directionality when you already have goals and stakes in play.
~
3. Dramatic Irony
Dramatic irony happens when the audience knows something the character doesn't. Often this is a critical piece of information, and frequently (though not always) it is implied that the character will learn the same thing at a later point in the story. In a horror, we watch the villain enter a dark room, and later see the heroine, oblivious, go in that same room. It's likely only a matter of time before the heroine realizes the villain is in there, and the audience anticipates that encounter. This creates directionality.
Even if the character never learns the critical information (such as the fact that Juliet isn't actually dead in Romeo and Juliet), the audience still anticipates how the character will interpret or react to what they do encounter (a Juliet who seems to be dead).
4. Convergence of Plotlines
In a story that contains multiple viewpoint characters, each with plotlines, it's often implied or assumed that these plotlines and characters will converge. We may start a story with a rich man eating a feast for breakfast, then taking his recent earnings to the bank. And after, we may cut to a scene where a poor, starving woman is begging, perhaps a block away from the same bank. The audience anticipates that these two characters will cross paths.
Sometimes the two viewpoints or plotlines don't seem to have anything in common, but the audience expects they will relate to each other on some level--they are in the same book after all.
Promise your audience a collision of plotlines, and you'll promise them a sense of direction.
5. Countdowns
A countdown automatically implies direction--whether or not the audience knows the consequences tied to it. We show a clock counting down, and we wonder if a bomb will go off or if another catastrophe will hit once it reaches zero. Or, it could be a countdown to a celebration, like the New Year.
Countdowns on a timer are obvious, but there are other types of countdowns too. A simple calendar can work as a countdown. In Christmas Vacation, an advent calendar is used to count down the days until Christmas. Each Harry Potter volume fulfills one school year, each chapter brings us closer to the year's end. So even when there isn't a dire goal in play, there is always directionality.
A deadline works in similar ways.
There can be a countdown when using up resources: Fuel is running out. Oxygen is limited. There is only one loaf of bread left to eat.
Illnesses and maladies can work as countdowns. There may be a countdown to when cancer wins, or when a spell leaves its target as an unseemly beast, permanently.
Countdowns always imply direction.
Knowing the potential consequences--the stakes--creates more tension and suspense, not knowing them creates intrigue.
6. Geographical Destinations
A destination naturally implies direction. In The Emperor's New Groove, Kuzco needs to make it back to his palace. Every step closer is progress, and every obstacle that blocks or pulls him off course is a setback.
But destinations can still work even when there isn't one specific destination yet established. Whenever you open a book that starts with a map, it implies a sense of geographical direction. You may not know exactly which place is the desired destination, but the map promises that the characters will be venturing to different places.
7. Passive Mysteries
Passive mysteries work by withholding context from the audience. Stuff is happening, but the audience doesn't really know what it means (think: vagueness). Because of the lack of information, no one is really doing anything to solve the mystery--there aren't any "leads." (In contrast, in an active mystery, the character has the goal to solve the mystery and has leads to follow.)
Teasers often work as passive mysteries (which is why I said sometimes even they have a sense of direction). The audience is promised that if they stick around, they will get the context they need, to understand what is going on. The audience is promised a direction.
Passive mysteries often can't hold an audience for very long, strictly because they work off vagueness. You need other elements in play to get readers to stick around.
Nonetheless, the promise of context does give readers somesense of direction.
Active mysteries create directionality too, but in the same way that goals do. In an active mystery, the goal is to try to solve the mystery, so the audience is promised a direction with that.
Directionality is important in every story, and not only is it important in the whole narrative arc, but it is important within acts, sequences, and scenes, too. Nearly every scene should have directionality, which should be established early on.
Once the audience has directionality, you can make the story more exciting and dramatic (and even "unpredictable"). They think things are going X direction, but something comes along that threatens that direction or even throws the characters off course and onto a new pathway, a new direction. Just like our (chocolate) waterfall hike. In any case, there should almost always be a sense of direction.
Hello there! Do you have any tips for 'kill your darlings' and what kind of scenes to cut from a story? Anything in particular to look for?
"Kill Your Darlings"
The phrase "kill your darlings" is one of the most parroted yet least understood bits of writing advice. Writers too often take this advice to heart, believing they must go through their story and eradicate anything they deeply love... and that's not just immensely stressful--it's wrong.
"Kill your darlings" just means "don't let yourself be so blinded by love of something in your story that you don't realize it doesn't belong." In other words, you may really REALLY love your protagonist's best friend's quirky girlfriend, but what does she actually contribute to the story? What role does she play that's so important that taking her out would make the story fall apart or diminish the reader's understanding of setting, circumstances, character, or plot? If the answer is, "Well, she doesn't really contribute anything other than a little humor. But there are other characters who provide that. If I take her out of the story, nothing changes. The story still works, the reader's understanding doesn't suffer..." Bad news, this character is "a darling" and she needs to be cut from the story. As much as you might adore this character, she's just taking up space on the page and in the reader's mind, which detracts from characters who are actually important.
So, that's what you look for... look first at the things you love best about your story (characters, moments, events, conversations, setting details, character details, descriptions--literally anything) and ask yourself, "Does this really serve a purpose? Is anything negatively impacted if I remove it?" And really, you should do this for every element of your story. It's just that it's most important with the things you love best, because those are the things you're most likely to think are working when they actually aren't.
And don't stress too much about it... Critique partners and beta readers will be sure to spot things that don't work in your story, so even if you miss some things, it's okay. They'll be caught.
Although, the truth of the matter is, if you let the protagonist's best friend's quirky girlfriend slip through even though she adds nothing to your story, as long as she doesn't get too much page time and wrestle the spotlight away from more important things, it's probably not going to ruin your story or the reader's enjoyment. It's just that you don't want too many unhelpful "darlings" running around in your story.
Is it true Iâm 2/3 of the way through my writing course? I just finished teaching about relationship plotlines tonight, and we had our first workshop. The energy was great and Iâm so proud of all the class members. And next week Iâm teaching at the Storymakers conference (unfortunately Iâm teaching at the same time as Brandon Sanderson, so I hope people will come to my class đ đ) and I also get to be a first-pages instructor for the first time.
Creating a creepy setting is an essential element of horror and suspense writing. It sets the tone for the story, establishes a mood, and can make the reader feel like they are part of the experience. A good setting can be as much a character in the story as any of the people involved, adding to the tension and keeping the reader engaged.Â
Whether you're writing a novel, a short story, or a screenplay, crafting a creepy setting can be a challenging but rewarding experience. Unsure how to write a creepy setting? Here are some tips and examples to help you create a setting that will send shivers down your readers' spines.
Use Descriptive Language
To create a creepy setting, itâs important to use vivid and descriptive language to engage your reader's senses. The more senses you can activate, the more immersive the setting becomes. Use descriptive language to evoke strong emotions in your reader, whether it's fear, disgust, or unease.
For example, instead of simply describing a room as "dark," you could use phrases like "light-starved" or "shrouded in shadows." Instead of a "creaking door," you could use "a tortured groan that reverberated through the empty hall." The more specific and visceral your language, the more your reader will feel like they're in the story.
Just be careful not to go overboard with your descriptions. Too much description can slow down the pacing of your story and distract from the overall mood you're trying to create. Use just enough description to set the tone and let the reader's imagination fill in the rest.
Create An Unsettling EnvironmentÂ
In addition to descriptive language, utilizing sound and lighting can also help create a creepy setting. Sound can be used to create tension and unease, while lighting can play a crucial role in setting the tone and mood.
For example, you can use flickering lights to create an unsettling effect. The sudden and irregular changes in lighting can make your readers feel like something is amiss, or that danger is lurking just around the corner. Similarly, you can use deep shadows to create a sense of foreboding, or bright lights to create a sense of unease or discomfort.
When it comes to sound, you can use a variety of techniques to create a creepy atmosphere. For instance, you can use dissonant or jarring sounds to create a sense of chaos or confusion. Alternatively, you can use eerie, quiet sounds to create a sense of tension and anticipation.
Some examples of unsettling sounds you can use include creaking doors, footsteps, distant screams or laughter, whispers, or even the sound of breathing. You can also play around with the volume and timing of these sounds to create a sense of unease or suspense.
Overall, by using sound and lighting to create a creepy setting, you can immerse your readers in the world of your story and make them feel like they are part of the action. This can help to heighten the tension and suspense, and keep your readers engaged and invested in your story.
Use Appropriate SettingsÂ
Using weather can be an effective way to create a creepy and unsettling atmosphere in your setting. For example, a sudden storm or a dense fog can obscure visibility and make characters feel isolated and vulnerable. Conversely, an oppressive heatwave can create a sense of claustrophobia and discomfort.
Consider how you can use weather to enhance the mood of your scene. Use vivid descriptions to bring the weather to life and make it feel like a character in its own right. You could also use weather to foreshadow events or create a sense of foreboding. For example, a sudden drop in temperature or an unnatural silence in the midst of a storm can signal that something unsettling is about to happen.
Don't be afraid to get creative with your use of weather. Experiment with different weather patterns and their effects on your characters and setting. With the right combination of descriptive language and atmospheric detail, you can use weather to immerse your readers in a creepy and unsettling world.
Set the Scene
When it comes to creating a creepy setting, it's important to set the scene properly. This means creating a vivid picture in the reader's mind of where the story takes place. The setting should be described in a way that immediately evokes a sense of unease or foreboding, and it should be clear that something is not quite right.
To do this effectively, you need to pay attention to the details. Describe the lighting, the sounds, the smells, and the textures of the environment in great detail. Think about the layout of the space and how it affects the characters and the story. Is it cramped and claustrophobic, or vast and empty?
For example, consider the opening scene of Stephen King's "The Shining." He sets the scene by describing the hotel as "huge, great, titanic, yet full of queer old-fashioned charm." He goes on to describe the long, empty hallways and the way the light filters through the dusty windows, creating strange patterns on the walls. By the end of the first page, the reader is already feeling a sense of unease and foreboding, even though nothing has really happened yet.
Use the Five Senses
To create a truly immersive and creepy setting, it's important to engage all of your reader's senses. By utilizing sensory language, you can transport your readers directly into the scene and make them feel like they're experiencing it firsthand.
Here are some ways to incorporate the five senses into your writing:
Sight: Use vivid descriptions to paint a picture in your reader's mind. For example, "The moon cast an eerie glow on the deserted streets, casting long shadows behind the empty buildings."
Sound: Describe the sounds that your characters hear, whether it's the creaking of old floorboards or the distant howl of a wolf. This can help create an atmosphere of tension and unease.
Touch: Consider how different textures and sensations might affect your characters. Is the air damp and clammy? Are the walls cold and rough to the touch?
Smell: The sense of smell is closely linked to memory and emotion, so it can be a powerful tool for creating an immersive setting. For example, the smell of rotting wood or musty books might evoke a sense of decay and neglect.
Taste: While taste may not always be relevant in a creepy setting, it can be used sparingly to create a visceral reaction in the reader. For example, the taste of blood in the character's mouth might indicate a traumatic event or dangerous situation.
By incorporating sensory language into your writing, you can create a fully realized and terrifying setting that will keep your readers on the edge of their seats.
Play with Expectations
One effective way to create a creepy setting is to play with the reader's expectations. This can be done in a number of ways, such as subverting a common horror trope or creating a false sense of security before pulling the rug out from under the reader.
For example, if you're writing a horror story that takes place in a haunted house, you could play with the idea of the ghost being a malevolent force. Instead, the ghost could be a sympathetic character that is only seeking peace or justice. This subversion of expectations can create a sense of unease in the reader, as they are unsure of what to expect next.
Another way to play with expectations is to create a false sense of security. For instance, you could introduce a seemingly harmless character that the reader becomes attached to, only to reveal later that they are actually the villain. This can be a powerful tool in creating tension and building suspense.
Remember, playing with expectations doesn't always have to mean subverting them completely. Sometimes, it can be as simple as delaying the expected jump scare or twist, drawing out the tension and making the eventual payoff all the more satisfying.
I hope this blog on writing a creepy setting will help you in your writing journey. Be sure to comment any tips of your own to help your fellow authors prosper, and follow my blog for new blog updates every Monday and Thursday. Â
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Words/phrases I often see from British/Australian writers while writing American characters (and some American alternatives because I know itâs tricky!):
Bugger (American: fuck/fucker)
Flat (American: apartment, âmy placeâ)
Bloke (American: guy, asshole, dude)
Queue (American: line, checkout line)
Cuppa (American: cup of tea, hot tea)
Shite (American: bullshit, shit, crap)
Some of these are regional, like all of the various American words for the British âtrolleyâ (American: shopping cart, buggy, cart, etc) but most of the above words are pretty ubiquitous.
Here are a handful of ways to open the very first scene in your book! There are plenty more to explore, but these are a set of very tried and true methods.
Autobiographic -Â your protagonist starts the book reflecting or talking about a past event. Theyâre looking back in time and sharing an important piece of information with the reader.
In trouble/conflict - a problem has arisen for the protagonist and a sense of urgency is established. This can be an intense conflict like a chase scene or a puzzling problem.
Mysterious opening - the reader is introduced to something peculiar (a fantasy location, unique magic, a cloaked figure, etc.) that raises questions in their mind. Their curiosity will keep them reading.
Scene-setting - the most common opening where you focus on introducing the setting and the characters in it before anything else.
The questioner - the protagonist is questioning something: âWho invited the guy in the trench coat covered in red?â
Beginning with a thought - the novel is started with a philosophical quote or meaningful thought from the protagonist. âWhat is living worth if sheâs not doing it with me?â
Intriguing dialogue - the book starts with interesting dialogue that captures the attention of the reader.
Mood establisher - the novel opens with a deliberate mood that signifies to the reader what they should expect from the story. Ex. a spooky story may open with eerie words and a dark atmosphere.
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