  Drama
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| Nothing will entrance a reader like a well established tone. With tone and mood, an artistic exchange of emotions is exchanged between the author (tone) and the reader (mood). Since you can't have a tone without setting some framework for a given move, why exclude one when discussing the other? |
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What comes to mind when you normally think of the word tone? A soap? Skin? Color? Sound? Well, while they all relate to the word tone in some way, there's also the literary type of tone. This type of tone is the author's intended emotional effect for a piece. As for readers, the feelings each reader has while reading the piece is called mood. In most cases, tone and mood are the same basic emotion, but sometimes this isn't the case, as the reader's past experience and education may cause the reader to interpret the author's words in a different manner than the author might have anticipated.
How can you develop tone and mood? Here are a few ways to make your words count.
 Use specific action verbs.
For example, instead of 'walk', use 'ambled', 'stride' or 'tiptoe', depending on what your character would most likely do in a given situation.
Pump up your imagery.
Imagery counts in all types of writing, not just poetry. The goal of any writing is to give your readers an escape from the outside world and to observe your created world, even if only for a bit. So, don't be afraid to adopt similes and metaphors here and there. You can also use words that denote nuances ('azure' instead of 'blue) and, if you're feeling adventurous, play with your descriptions. Have your characters engage in spicy chatter, or make the floorboards of the ancient house writhe in pain when a person's eyes are laid upon them.
Keep it realistic.
On the other hand, implausible descriptions will baffle readers, making them ask Is that even possible? In most dramatic writings, obscure descriptions and numerous abnormal actions will be more puzzling than engaging. Only certain types of writing (namely post-modernist works) can feasibly depict the most affectionate member of the household being the three-legged dog with gangrene and having cobalt fur. Though playing with descriptions is certainly a way to boost the tone and mood of a piece, keep it realistic to the plot and setting. Otherwise, it'll detract from the overall work and become something of a sideshow.
For dramatic poetry, pay attention to where you end your lines.
With a poem, the last word in a line is usually where a reader's attention will linger before his/her eyes proceed to the next line. Take these two examples:
I sit on this bench, waiting for love
to have a seat next to me in this empty city.
I sit on this bench, waiting for love to have
a seat next to me in this empty city.
In the first set of lines, we wonder what love will do once it approaches the narrator. In the second set, we wonder what love has for the narrator (or perhaps what love will do to the narrator). The difference may be in the placement of two words, but that little detail will cause the reader to anticipate different things.
So how are tone and mood developed? It all boils down to word choice (diction, if you prefer to use more technical terms). However, there are several avenues of word choice an author can use to develop tone/mood in a piece.
Until next time,
(sig courtesy of rose_shadow) |
The tones of these pieces vary from rich to restrained, but they all utilized multiple devices to fortify the author-reader emotional connection.
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A few words about the previous newsletter...
PlannerDan  says: I enjoyed your article and was pleasantly surprised to find one of my stories featured. Thank you for giving it a little attention.
You're welcome! The character was refreshing, not entirely sympathetic and definitely worth a look. 
shaara says: I really want an element of lightness in the mood of the dramatic piece, or I probably won't take the time to read its tale. If the character doesn't hook me with his or her kinkiness --Yawn. Now, if that character has an eye tic and stutters. Hmmm. If that character sees through his ears, (either because he's blind or an alien)and his attitude is lightly mocking of himself -- yummy.
Indeed, a little humor sprinkled in drama can make the piece more inviting for many readers, developing a sense of empathy and lightening the obstacles faced during the course of the writing.
newykr says: Thanks for this topic, I was looking for something on creating, exploring, and using characters in a story.
Glad I could deliver. I plan to do future issues focused on character development, so stay tuned!
The Ragpicker - 8 yo relic says: Tone and mood define a book, don't they? Can you imagine what The Hitchhiker's Guide would read like if written in a serious tone? It would kill the book. Stephen King's IT as a romantic adventure? Lord of the Flies as a memoir?
I think there are multiple factors in what defines any type of written work, but tone sticks with most people because it influences how they feel while reading the piece, sometimes even influencing a person's decision to keep reading it at all. I think if an inappropriate tone is developed, it will leave the reader a bit off balance and shaking his/her head, wondering why the story was told that way.
For the next newsletter, I'm going to deviate from my comments on key elements in drama. Instead I'm going to focus on a great prompt for dramatic works: what-if ponderations. Do you ever ask yourself What if...? Has it inspired any stories for you? How do you feel about what-if ponderations in general? Send us some stuff while you're at it. 
And if you happen to miss or misplace a newsletter, feel free to stop by "The Drama Box" [13+]! |
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Drama: January 25, 2006 Issue [#851]
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