How to Create a Captivating Mood in Your Writing
Three techniques that will make your writing come alive
Imagine you’re watching a thriller film.
The protagonist, a detective pursuing a serial killer, has decided to investigate a basement in an abandoned house.
As she slowly descends the rickety stairs, the soundtrack softly dies. The creak of each step is magnified. The lights flicker. There’s a close-up of her face, and you can see the fear in her eyes.
You want to scream at the television “Don’t go down those stairs!” because you’re sure the murderer is lurking below.
With a combination of cinematic techniques, the director has succeeded in making your heart race. They’ve created a suspenseful atmosphere by increasing the volume of certain sounds, pulling the camera in close, and dimming the lights.
But they could create a completely different mood using the same set. Let’s say the lights don’t flicker. The music is bright and cheerful. It’s now a scene in a family film, and Grandma is heading down to the basement to get another jar of her fruit preserves.
Just as filmmakers can create a certain mood with their cinematic techniques, we can set a mood in our writing too.
