This week: Atmosphere Edited by: Jeff  
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"Adventure is worthwhile in itself."
— Amelia Earhart
About The Editor: Greetings! My name is Jeff and I'm one of the regular editors of the official Action/Adventure Newsletter! I've been a member of Writing.com since 2003, and have edited more than 400 newsletters across the site in that time. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email me directly or submit feedback in the comment box at the bottom of this newsletter. |
Atmosphere
Almost every writer has heard the cliched story opening, "It was a dark and stormy night."
It's such a familiar opening that there's even a contest named after its author. The Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest is a famous — or infamous as the case may be — writing contest for the intentional worst opening lines of a story. The line originally comes from the novel Paul Clifford, written by Edward Bulwer-Lytton, and the entire opening paragraph reads:
It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents-except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness.
While the opening line is overused at this point, the novel actually did quite well upon its release in 1830. It was particularly praised for its use of atmosphere which, as is apparent even from the opening paragraph, is rich in detail and description. Atmosphere, as it relates to mood, is defined as "the surrounding influence or environment," or "the overall aesthetic effect of a work of art."
In other words, the feel or the mood of a piece of writing.
When it comes to writing action and adventure, atmosphere is a critical implement in our writers' toolbox. We use it to create the feelings of tension and excitement that this genre is so well known for. Imagine, for a moment, if an action/adventure writer were to completely disregard the atmosphere of a piece. If they were to write without regard for the tone or feeling of a piece. Would Bulwer-Lytton's story be as ominous and imposing if it were a "bright and sunny day?" The choice to set the story during a dark and stormy night — with violent gusts of wind and nearly impenetrable darkness — sets a tone. It creates an atmosphere for the story. We know it's not going to be an uplifting feel-good type of story. The atmosphere of the story and its setting immediately begins to work on us; guiding us in a direction that's much darker and more sinister.
The action/adventure genre is often most effective when it takes readers out of their comfort zone. Whatever the specific type of story you're trying to tell, if you can get your reader unsure of what's about to happen, you're well on your way to creating a satisfying read in this genre. Make sure the atmosphere in your story reflects those emotions that you're trying to evoke in your reader. That's not to say that every action/adventure story has to have the same atmosphere, but atmosphere can be created anywhere. A tropical Hawaiian honeymoon can be fraught with tension and suspense, as can an idyllic, sleepy little rural town, or a road trip, or even a trip to visit the in-laws.
Atmosphere isn't just about the weather; it's the feeling that the environment imparts on the reader. For those of us who write to surprise, shock, excite, or thrill our readers, it's worth taking the time to make sure the atmosphere of our stories does just that, regardless of the setting.
Until next time,
Jeff
If you're interested in checking out my work:
"New & Noteworthy Things" | "Blogocentric Formulations"
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This month's official Writing.com writing contest is:
You are also invited to check out these items from members of the community:
| |  | Prologue (13+)
Prologue to Shadow of the North. Introduces the main conflict of the novel.
#2344569 by IJM  |
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Action/Adventure: August 20, 2025 Issue [#13303]
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