 Horror/Scary: July 02, 2014 Issue [#6403] |
  Horror/Scary
This week: Setting the Scene Edited by: blue jellybaby  
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| Setting the scene, as authors, is an important part of any story. It helps us set out the background as well as ramp up the tension, but just how do we do it? |
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So when I was thinking about what to write for this newsletter I was sitting at my desk, staring out of the window at an incredibly beautiful day. The sun was shining and the birds were chirping and the grass was green and... okay, you get it. It was nice.
There are two things I want to concentrate on in this newsletter: setting the scene around us and setting the scene in the story.
Atmosphere at the Desk
When we write horror we tend to think about darkness and things that go bump in the night and the monsters that haunt us while we sleep. I find that when I want to write something really terrifying, something that creeps me out even as I'm writing it and I'm typing faster and faster all the while watching the empty space at my back, I have to create the atmosphere.
I like to write horror when the weather is particularly gloomy. It doesn't necessarily have to be as black as night but perhaps dark grey skies and a dull room. Rain spattering the windows is always a good sign and if there's a thunder storm, well I'm just in the moment.
However, not everybody is the same. Some people can write no matter what. Some people could write from the depths of Hell while the sun is the fiercest it's been all summer outside. This is just something I want you to think about. Are you most productive when you're in a particular room? Perhaps you have a certain routine you go through in order to create the write atmosphere to write. Do you have to have a coffee  or perhaps your favourite drink or even some fizzy sweets to get that sugar rush? Do you like music on or do you like complete silence? Or, in fact, does none of this matter?
I'd like to know what you thoughts are for this for my next newsletter!
Creating the Storm in a Teacup
Not everyone has to set their own atmosphere at home in order to write, but as authors setting the scene within horror is something we always have to do if we want to build tension and scare the bejesus out of the readers! How do you do that?
When I'm trying to build tension and atmosphere in something I'm writing I try to:
 Make sure that I show the reader what the scene looks like, whether it's light or dark, what it smells like, what can be seen from the character's perspective, whether it's clean or dirty etc.
 I try to make sure that I let the reader in on my character's emotions whether it's written in first or third person point of view. It's important that the reader knows how they feel, whether it's scared, terrified, angry, fearful, anxious... let them in with description that shows the both the physical and emotional reactions to the scene from the character.
 I try to show and not tell. Really show the reader the character's emotions and reactions rather than telling them. It'll help them empathise as well as be just as terrified!
 I tend to think a little more about my sentence structure here and I notice that most of my sentences are shorter, choppier and often full of details about the characters thoughts.
For example, if you take this short scene:
Jessie was terrified. She stood in the room while she looked at the monster she now faced. She screamed as it stepped closer and turned her head.
If you change it up a little and do some of the things listed above, you'll ramp up the tension and get the reader hooked in the scene:
Goose bumps rose on her pale flesh as Jessie stepped into the room. Her feet were quiet, only the sound of her shallow breath permeated the still air. The basement was cold, a cold that penetrated her to the core. Her stomach roiled in anxiety as she took another step. She could feel it. She knew something was there. Swallowing, she took a third and final step. It was then that she saw it. The monster stood in the corner, towering dark and menacing, an unknown threat in the shadows. As she sucked in her breath, her heart beat thumping through her ears, the beast lunged forward and she heard nothing but her own scream as it filled the room and echoed around the room.
This can be improved on but it's just an example of how I would increase the tension and atmosphere while setting the scene. Try looking at a piece of your writing and see whether it could be improved by following any of these tips.
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How do you feel about your writing style? Do you have to set an atmosphere to have the creative juices flowing? If so, what do you do, what's your routine? If not, how do you do it?!
Comments from my last newsletter about First vs Third Person Perspective:
LJPC - the tortoise - I love that you put a poll at the end of the Newsletter! I have to do that one of these days if I ever think of something I want opinions on.  Thanks for the good job you did explaining different POVs.
~ Laura
Thanks for the comments, Laura. I thought having the poll was a fun way to ask the readers what they thought!
The Run-on King PDG Member - You bring up an interesting point or two on voices. my teacher and class mate think i should switch voice in my one of my books. My problem is i write first person for a real reason. My books are the online game's lore. I put you in that same situation in the game. if you don't know the first person part of it you cannot solve the quests or figure out how to get out of what your stuck in. The reason is I need to switch minds as the say. I need to do some back story flash backs. I was thinking of just using speech with my mains asking the questions and having the sub mains fill it in with how they answered the questions. How I did it in the past was I would us a main and they would quest together then bring the quest results back to both mains. I generally run two mains the reason is part of plot and has to do with the ninth book where I tie them all together and give the player the new area to explore. That is not in the books and they are writing the next set of books in the series with their adventures.
Ultimately, it's up to you whether you would like to switch voice within your story. You can take advice from people regarding this but if you feel more comfortable or have more reason to write this way then it's your prerogative to continue. You could always have alternate chapters as a way to do that interspersed now and again with your novel.
Tileira - I would never say limiting a piece of writing to the perspective of one character (either first or third person) a "disadvantage". That would imply it is in some way inferior. Limited perspective narratives naturally present a bias: but authors know this, and often use it for the purpose of misleading the reader or creating tension.
Thanks for the comments. I wanted to look at some of the pros and cons of using both types of perspective. Authors do know the difference and understand the limitations to them and there will be certain reasons a certain perspective is chosen to write a particular story.
billwilcox - Thanks for the plug *bismile*
You're welcome!
BIG BAD WOLF is Howling  - One does what they have to do. "Anthros Versus Zombies"
Indeed!
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