Writing Mood The Feel Of A Story

Mood is conveyed to the reader through description of the writer.  Emotions are described for characters.  Introduce the characters obstacle, a thing or person that will try to stop the character from achieving the overall goal.  Open the story with a hint of mood a foreshadowing of what is to come.  What kind of mood for the feel of a story, may be given by the genre the book is written in by helpful research. 

A few sub genres listed are the Techno-thriller with the theme of technology and threat of force using that technology.  A Techno-thriller may link the adventure, suspense, action and mystery from other genres.

Dark fantasy uses the individual mind or minds of others in imaginative power, to achieve changes or results through the supernatural, without the use of technology.  Dark fantasy has a sense of horror and dread.  Legends, fairy-tales, urban fantasies and more contain supernatural elements.

Spy fiction includes special-forces training and use of gadgets to achieve their secret mission from a government source.  Military fiction, Bounty hunters and Western fiction such as cowboy fiction are also sub genres.

Adventure genre includes many aspects of other genres as the protagonist has a journey or mission to accomplish and win through obstacles against all odds.

Faction genre having real historical people and events is interspersed with fiction and can give differences throughout.

Detective stories give information evolving to solve a crime, even if it seems impossible.  Professional or armature protagonist, the why and how of the crime must be solved.  More sub genres are gangster, legal thriller and murder mystery.

     Phil looked across to Jay through spaces of subdued lighting.  “Commander is that you?” Phil said, with a slight glow of innocence.  “I thought I might have recognized you.”

     In response Jay said, “It is me.  Well do I know you?”  Jay raised a suspicious eyebrow.

     Phil turned his gaze in silence; to the sound of running feet, from the direction of the halls closed double doors.  He watched as a grey suited man, who had stepped out of the hall, walked up to his table.

The Most Exciting Parts In A Story

Write a lot to develop through practice.  The more you read about what interests you and write, the better you get.  Achieve different effects in writing with techniques learned from your reading.  Start writing and make progress daily.  Writing has many wonders and becomes its own reward.

In the characters daily life the reader gets to know your characters and to understand the conflict. You can accomplish this by showing instead of telling.  Lead readers to expect something to happen -- then surprise them with something different.

Something interrupts the protagonist’s daily life in a call to action. There may be resistance entering into the new situation, where something surprising happens.

The character understands the new situation, with any number of experiences.  Create delays by adding conflict and tension to build suspense just before the stakes rise. 

Stakes rise with a change and build up conflict to a crisis point.  A decision or change has to be made.  This point is called the story climax. The rest of the story depends on what happens at this time. This story highpoint can generate great suspense for your reader.

The protagonist temporarily defeated prepares for action against the antagonist.  Develop your story middle and keep the momentum going. Use plot complications to maintain action, interest, and excitement. Discover motivation for the action-packed story middle.

What events or characters bring strength or weakness out of the main character?  Events can make the character closer to attaining the goal, or push farther away.

A final plan is organized with a turning point or a confrontation.  Already your readers will feel close to your main character and will share his or her feelings; directly by the setting, physical reactions, and through the character's behavior.

Climax may include the protagonist arriving at the confrontation, then events turn against the protagonist and against all odds the protagonist wins.  Depending on how the climax is acted out, the main character learns something from experiences; this is called the story's resolution.  Write a great story ending that will seal readers' satisfaction with your story. Learn how to use curve endings to surprise and thrill your readers.

The sections that reveal something important are the sections you want to turn into gripping scenes.  The reader wants to experience through your main character’s perspective; in the present with detail in dialogue, sights, sounds and smells.

Dialogue Flow

Dialogue is an emotional landscape with action shaping characters different from another and often opposing with conflict.  Start with dialogue to create a sense of action, simple dialogue tags are said and asked.

Characters experience sights, smells, sounds, and sensations through some descriptive dialogue. 

     “Not to worry, I can use the phone inside,” Jay said.  There was a heavy salty fish smell blown in from the beaches and the air was unusually dry Jay noticed.  He turned sweeping his arm toward the ocean.

Give concise dialogue a purpose advancing the story with action.  For interior monologue stop dialogue for a few sentences, describe your character's thoughts, feelings, and reactions.

     Next to the car a black retriever was walking unleashed down the street, in front of a blond man and woman, they were both overweight.  They didn’t really look familiar.

     There had been loud crashing noises and shouts outside the night before.  Anna thought it could have been them.  She turned from the side curtain and walked to her bedroom. 

Maintain curiosity and alternate sentence length to stretch the tension in an exciting scene, for the reader to find the answer.

     He stood looking at another erupting solar flare arm; it bent first then its point stretched directly for earth.

     "There’s always a job for energy,” Nar said.  “Even people are placed energy to be guided by us.  They attach to our chosen energy; from repetition in actions and thought.  They continue unable to change then they are forever secured.”

     “Anyone that strays too close is attached,” Ilyon admitted, pursing his lips. 

Break up the dialogue sentence with descriptive character action, a pause and show the reader an instant of suspense.  Foreshadowing gives the reader an advance hint, a warning of what's going to happen.

Place details, elements, or information in your story that the reader can expect to connect the importance of later.

     “Contact our dimension and tell them to increase Wave Links,” Nar said.  “We will give the people on earth many more intruding thoughts to think about than they have ever realized possible.”

The main character learns something end the chapter with a cliffhanger.

Write down everything that occurs to you.  You can edit later during the revision stage.

Read out loud to check for clarity, logic, and flow.

Narrative Flow

In narrative description a place or character drives the story, it sets the mood.  Sight, sound, taste, smell, and feel the surroundings or conflict with another character.  Crisp air is an example to set the mood for a reader.  The reader is shown by surroundings, and with characters in descriptive action.  Narrative moves the story forward.  The flow of the following paragraph increases drama and the reader will want to know what happens next.  The progression of events or what comes next with description engage the reader.

Slightly to his right, just below the mountain top a gigantic shimmering red flat cloud was forming.  Throughout the cloud there were small bright white flashes, and then they stopped.  Now taking shape from the cloud, a red glowing disk had appeared on the mountain side.

The next paragraph is how he reacts to the red glowing disk.  Narrative can be used to help develop a character and settings.  What you clearly define in your experience, is the reaction you want your reader to be involved in.

Use narrative instead when characters are having too much dialogue with their personal thoughts.

Sound, Smell, Feel: Cold air was bringing the heavy mold smell of old growth forest into the van, Nancy shivered.  Near the road a loud low to chilling high pitched scream pierced the air lingering.  It turned to rolling shrill screams; and ended with deep coughing, it was a mountain lion.  That gave Nancy another reason to shiver, she immediately closed her window.

Taste: “Coffee yes that sounds good,” Knoton said, standing in the office door.  He breathed in, the air distinctly smelled of coffee.  He raised his coffee cup.

Conflict: They had walked to where Nar sat.  He thought he had been talking too quietly for Nar to hear him but he was wrong.

Nar gave them a cool gaze and smiled.  “We are at the pick-up site.”

Nar watched the loading crew walk silently back across the war room and the entry doors slid solidly shut behind them.

Writing Dialogue, Narrative, And Action

“He said”, or “she asked”, indicates who’s speaking.  Don’t force your reader to re-read and figure out who's saying what, especially when several characters are conversing.

When using direct dialogue; it sets the scene, advances plot, reminds the reader, shows who the characters are and reflects the theme. Dialogue does many things at once.

     “You’re right,” Jay said, as he switched off his speaker phone.

     Anna drove into Jay’s circular drive.  She saw him inside leave the front windows and step outside to greet her.

     “It’s great to see you again Anna,” Jay said.  “I’m happy you came down.”

     “It’s wonderful to see you Jay,” Anna said.  “It hasn’t been that long since I was here.”

     Anna stepped out of her car and faced Jay.

Dialogue changes with challenge between characters, gives each word purpose and sets the tone.  When opening a scene, dialogue challenges can effectively increase the reader’s interest.  Plot rather than character driven stories; generally use dialogue with action, showing and moving the story quickly with less narrative.

     “You’ll be leaving right away?” Leo asked.

     “Yes my cousin Anna is on her way down; so I will shop for a few groceries,” the Commander said.  “After we have lunch we can come to the Post.  You can show her our new additions Leo, she will like that."

Narrative can tell character emotion, feelings and describe when needed.  Narrative summery tells and without a lot of detail transitions to the next scene. 

Decide when to show or tell; characters emotions and feelings, to engage readers in the experience. 
     Slow diving through the strange thick fog for over an hour, brought her out into a thin mist that sparkled with gold sun streaks.  Anna felt a sweep of relief; finally she had navigated out of the strange fog.