3. Other
Other aspects to note
- Creating mood
Great stories are often the ones that make the reader FEEL something. When we relate to a story somehow, or it really makes us happy or sad etc., it makes it so much more enjoyable and powerful! This is where ‘mood’ is really important.
Mood refers to the emotions the author tries to evoke in their audience through their story. This is most effectively done through emotive language, showing not telling, and sensory imagery.
- Sensory imagery– use descriptions revolving around the 5 senses to help the reader develop a ‘mental image’ of what is going on.
Compare:
His sandwich was disgusting.
I winced when I noticed his sandwich. My eyes began to water as I saw the oozing green sauce drip out the back as he took his first back. My stomach felt like it wasn’t happy about it either, grumbling and spitting inside me. But then I caught an unlucky whiff of it: my nostrils flared at the odour of rotten egg that invaded them.
Do you feel the difference? You feel so much more drawn into the story. You feel like you’re really there! If you apply these techniques to your character, setting and plot, it can really help immerse your reader in the story!
- Emotive language– this is when you use words that express emotion or feelings.
Compare:
I didn’t like the black-haired boy in the corner.
I absolutely hated that black-haired little idiot lurking in the corner.
- Showing not telling– instead of just stating what something is like, demonstrate it to the reader!
Compare:
The morning was beautiful.
I looked out to watch the crisp, orange sun rise over the hills. Its warm rays washed over my smiling face. The early morning sunlight glimmered and shattered through the morning mist to form a light show like no other.
- Creating tone
Essentially tone is when you describe the feeling/atmosphere within your story, or towards a particular subject. Like mood, tone is important as it helps develop a setting, object or character. This is done through word choice and details.
Compare:
Bitter tone: I pursed my lips and narrowed my brow as I saw her waltz by.
Suspicious tone: I peered over at her as she tried to creep past.
Ironic tone: She tried desperately to avoid me. I saw her clear as day.
Depending on which tone used, you get the sense the narrator feels a certain way towards this girl. That’s the same with the atmosphere of your setting as well as anything else in your story!
- Creating rhythm
Have you ever read something and found it really repetitive? The problem might be the rhythm. In other words, all the sentences sound the same! And they’re all the same length! Good rhythm is when your sentences can be easily read one after the other.
To establish good rhythm, you need good syntax.
Syntax
Syntax refers to the effective arrangement of words to form a well-structured case. But how do you formulate appropriate sentences for your story?
There are a number of factors to keep in mind:
| Sentence Length | Try to vary the length of sentences. If you keep using the same length, the story becomes quite bland. Try short ones. But also mix them with medium or longer ones. It keeps things interesting.Short sentences are particularly useful if you want to emphasise anxiety, tension or pace in your story.Avoid using very long sentences unless you are aiming for a particular effect |
| Clarity of expression | Try to avoid using sentences that are so long or complicated that it’s hard to understand what is happening.See if you can simplify long sentences OR turn them into two shorter sentences.Subject-verb agreementDangling modifier |
| Sentence structure | Don’t hide a climatic event in the middle of a long sentence, particularly when you’re trying to create suspense. Try to insert the climax at the beginning or end of a sentence (make it the focus!)Avoid creating sentences with too many conjunctions (e.g. but, and, also) and clauses. It becomes clunky and repetitive. |