photo credit: National Weather Service
I’m going to step away from being OCD about description, and get OCD about something slightly different this week.
Atmosphere changes a story. Unlike plot or thematic content—speaking to the audience’s sense of logic or intellect—atmosphere appeals almost entirely to the emotions. Like “immersion” for video games, atmosphere in narrative does the work of removing readers from their own time and place. And subject matter, characters, and language that look fun and sunny in one piece of writing turn warped and frightening when the narrative’s atmosphere changes.
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| "Well this place seems relaxed and friendly!" |
