Setting the Mood

First let me just say that in no way do I think there is only one way to do things, nor do I think I know everything… that certainly is not the case! So with yesterday’s and today’s blog I am not presuming to know things… I’m simply stating what works for me. These blogs are essentially a way for me to get away with talking to myself without seeming crazy.

I don’t know the rules of writing, in fact I try to stay as far away as possible from them. If I know them, then I feel the need to follow them, and I believe that will cut my writing off at the knees. I don’t pretend to me some creative genius that has all original ideas, I’m not so out of the box to be innovative, I just don’t want to be stifled by rules.

So these blogs about writing are simply me figuring what works out as I go along. I’m sure there are rules or suggestions quite similar to these, but instead of me reading them then wracking my brain trying to find a way to use them, I’m finding the rules out myself as I go. I’m seeing what works with my storytelling, or what I use subconsciously in the bit that I really like, and try to figure out what I did so I can use the same technique later.

I’m sure my way takes longer in the end, but I know what works for me, and this works. So read my ideas or don’t, use them in your own writing or don’t… this is mainly for me, but it may help others.

Setting the mood...

Being trained as a filmmaker has made me quite the visual thinker, which has helped and hindered my writing. It’s helped in the essence of I’m not relying on telling the reader what the character is thinking, I’m showing them. On the same hand, I can go overboard with some description because I have a certain composition in mind for the events that are playing out, and shot composition doesn’t transfer well to the written word.

I be believe though, that filmmaking has helped more than hindered my writing, one of the main benefits is setting the scene. Now here… I’m a fan of the subtle. In film I would use visual clues, colors, shapes, shot composition, clothing, all to add to the feeling of the scene… and all this on top of the acting. I try to do the same when writing.

A few examples of what to think about when setting the mood: Speed, Weather, Colors, Lighting. Does the living space reflect the person? Chapter Titles: Quotes, Lyrics, Titles, Names, Songs etc...

Okay, here I went through and quite in depth on each of the things listed… and that has turned my blog into a candidate for epic blogs… so I will add them tomorrow…

In the meantime a little something to help you on this day, Valentines.