Your Guide to Writing the Perfect Story

Tone and Mood

"Is that so? Well they'll be hearing just exactly how I feel about that now that they've spent all my hard-worked for dollars on those stupid things."

This contrasts greatly with the previous example. Words like "bull", "wasting", and "useless" go to show the tone of the story. Although it is possible the author might be opposed to saving animals in need, it is more likely that Helen and her husband are satirical characters, maybe even stereotypes, that are there to pose as unlikable people that are obviously, maybe even dramatically, not good human beings. If that is the case, it is easy for people to automatically support the city's decision in helping the animals if it opposes Helen and her husband's point of view.

3. Descriptions

Descriptions are very helpful in conveying tone. For instance, when you are describing something be careful about what you are describing. Your character will most likely talk about the things that make them angry or sad or what makes them feel good. Think about your tone. Will your character point out the homeless person on the block or will they focus on the carollers spreading Christmas cheer in the park? It depends on your tone.

Part Two: Mood

1. Introduction

I'm going to cut the introduction short because I've already provided the definition of mood. The mood of your story can change as your character develops or the plot progresses. In fact, usually it does change. Whether this be from cheerful to melancholy or sombre to joyful or fearful to angry, it doesn't matter. The point is, readers like to see change and you should consider this as you write. 

Basically, mood is the vibe that your readers are getting from reading your story. I'll walk you through some ways to convey mood.

2. Setting

Setting is so important in creating mood! Remember that setting is the time and place, but don't forget other factors, such as weather. A rainy day immediately sets the stage for a melancholy feeling. A girl walking through an alleyway or graveyard at night can create eeriness or, in some cases, fear. Don't think that authors are just picking setting to find somewhere comfortable to slap words on a page. Everything is intentional; all details are important.

3. Vocabulary

Much like in tone, choice of words is important. Your English teacher probably would refer to this as "diction". It is much more difficult to create mood when you don't have a wide range of vocabulary. Shed the weak words, such as "bad", "good", "happy" and more and instead think of more extravagant things to say. I tell you this because the stronger the word, the easier it will be to get your mood across. 

Now, you may be thinking, "but bad and good are all I know". Never fear! I suggest using thesaurus.com. If you enter in a boring word, it will come up with a variety of more for you to use, as well as antonyms. Please use this resource! It's a lifesaver.

4. Actions

"Actions speak louder than words."

We've all heard it and, believe it or not, it doesn't just have to do with smiling at your friend to tell them you're glad to be around them or buying your girlfriend flowers, but it also has to do with writing. If you show us that your character is afraid, we will start getting edgy. If they are angry, chances are we will be too.

But here's the trick. If your character shows physical actions that are generally associated with certain emotions, it will be a million times more effective than simply straight out saying it. I'll give you an example.

Example: I walked down the walk, glancing behind my back every two steps. Somewhere in my head I reminded myself that no one could run up behind me in so little time, but the burnt-out street lamps shed no light, nor did the empty town-houses, long abandoned; anyone could be hiding in the shadows. I shivered, even though it was a warm summer evening, and kept walking, my steps quickening their pace until I started into a full-out run. Every time a light breeze ruffled my shirt, I jumped, convinced that one time I would be right and the wind would not simply be air, but the hand of the man who was said to haunt these very streets.

In this example, it was supposed to convey fear, which I suspect you gathered. Some actions I used were her glancing behind her back, shivering, quickening her pace, and jumping whenever the wind touched her skin. See if you can notice some other small details I included.

5. Figurative Language

I'm planning on having a chapter dedicated to figurative language later on, but I thought that I would include this briefly here, as it will be expanded on later. Figurative language includes similes, metaphors, personification, alliteration, and many more. Using this can be very effective in mood and you should definitely try to use it whenever you see an opportunity. Continuing on my last example, I'll give you another.

Example: The eyes of the forgotten ghosts who were rumoured to inhabit the houses burned into my back. Sweat pooled from my pores as I ran, but my heart still felt like it was trapped in a freezer, no escape. It was a strange feeling. Like I was the only person in a room and yet knew I was not alone.

That's all for mood and tone for now. There are no limits to what you can do, but I just put down what I thought to be the most important points. Hopefully this helped and you'll keep reading my updates!