Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: Line Editing

  • “It was a Dark and Stormy Night:” How Atmosphere Enhances the Plot and Crafts Immersive Narratives

    Shakespeare knew what he was doing…

    Creating a tangible atmosphere in your storytelling is often a subtle force that plays a critical role in shaping a narrative and enveloping your reader in the story.

    A good atmosphere – created through setting, tone, and sensory details – can transform a simple plot into a rich, immersive experience filled with bright skies, stormy weather, and everything in between. Here we’ll explore how atmosphere enhances the plot and why it’s essential for crafting stories that draws readers into their characters’ world and lets them experience it (nearly) first-hand.

    rocking chair, deserted house, chipped paint, door, window, curtain

    Setting the Scene

    Atmosphere begins with setting. The world in which a story unfolds is more than just a backdrop. it influences mood, behavior, and narrative flow. Imagine a thriller set in a foggy, empty street at night versus one set in a bright, bustling city. The atmosphere created by each setting will evoke different emotional responses and drive the plot in unique ways.

    In Charles Dickens’s Oliver Twist, for example, the dark, oppressive atmosphere of a decaying mansion reflects the internal turmoil of Miss Havisham’s deteriorated mental state. By adding depth to the setting, it actually becomes a character in itself, influencing the actions and decisions of the protagonists. This synergy between setting and plot helps readers immerse themselves more fully in the story.

    Foggy, street, lights, person, city, alley

    Enhancing Tension and Suspense

    Atmosphere is crucial in creating tension and suspense. A story’s mood can build anticipation and keep readers on edge. For example, a tense atmosphere can heighten the stakes and make moments of danger feel more immediate and pressing.

    Consider a suspenseful scene set on a foggy, deserted street. The shadows and lack of other people can amplify the sense of danger and unpredictability. The atmosphere makes the plot twists more gripping because it engages the readers’ senses and emotions, making the narrative’s tension more palpable.

    snow, trees, clouds, blue, landscape

    Reflecting Internal States

    Atmosphere can also mirror a character’s internal state, providing insight into their emotions and motivations. For example, in the opening scene of Jack London’s White Fang we find two men traveling alone across the snowy Yukon Territory. Their lives are under constant threat from the world around them. This mirrors the theme of the story and the torment its protagonist experiences as a wolf left to constantly fight for his survival.

    This mirroring helps readers connect more deeply with the characters, as the external atmosphere echoes their internal struggles and triumphs. It adds a layer of emotional resonance to the plot, making characters’ experiences feel more authentic and impactful.

    party, blue, glitter, disco ball, windows, people

    Creating Symbolism and Themes

    Atmosphere can enhance themes and symbolism within a narrative. By weaving certain atmospheric elements into the story, authors can subtly reinforce thematic undertones and symbols. For instance, a recurring motif of decay and deterioration in a story can symbolize the moral or societal decline of the characters or setting.

    In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses the opulent but hollow atmosphere of Gatsby’s parties to highlight themes of disillusionment and the emptiness of the American Dream. The atmosphere becomes a glittery vehicle for thematic exploration, enriching the plot’s complexity.

    Leonardo DiCaprio as Gatsby in The Great Gatsby 2013 film
    Leonardo DiCaprio as Gatsby in The Great Gatsby 2013 film

    Guiding Reader Expectations

    The atmosphere can guide readers’ expectations and shape their interpretation of the plot. A story that opens with a cheerful, light-hearted atmosphere might lead readers to anticipate a light, humorous tale. Conversely, a dark, foreboding atmosphere might set the stage for a more serious or tragic narrative.

    By manipulating atmosphere, authors can subtly influence how readers engage with the plot, leading them to anticipate certain outcomes or questions about the narrative’s direction. This is seen in Suzanne Collin’s The Hunger Games, where the shanty town world her heroine, Katniss Everdeen, is born into is used as a comparison to the opulent wealth of Capitol City. This adds layers of complexity and surprise to the story as she must use the smarts she gained in her original environment to survive in a new and unusual place.

    Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen volunteering as tribute in place of her sister at the barbaric Reaping for the Capitol.

    Deepening Immersion

    Finally, atmosphere plays a crucial role in deepening reader immersion. A well-crafted atmosphere can transport readers to another world, making the plot more engaging and compelling. The sensory details, emotional undertones, and overall mood create a rich tapestry that draws readers in and holds their attention.

    Whether it’s the cozy warmth of a small-town bakery or the cold, sterile environment of a high-tech laboratory, the atmosphere creates a sensory experience that enhances the plot and makes the story come alive. It helps readers visualize and feel the world of the story, making the plot more vivid and impactful.

    Brick walls, windows, wood beams, wood floor

    Brick by Brick You Build A World Your Readers Can Feel

    Atmosphere is a powerful tool in storytelling, enhancing the plot in ways that go beyond mere setting. By influencing mood, creating tension, reflecting internal states, and deepening thematic elements, atmosphere enriches the narrative and captivates readers. When done effectively, it turns a simple story into an immersive experience, making every plot twist and character development resonate more deeply.

    So, the next time you’re crafting a story, remember that the atmosphere you create is as integral to the plot as the characters and events. It’s the subtle force that breathes life into your narrative and keeps readers’ attention until the very last clap of thunder!

    Chanticleer Editorial Services – We’re ready when you are ready!

    Did you know that Chanticleer offers editorial services?We do and have been doing so since 2011!

    Tools of the Editing Trade

    Our professional editors are top-notch and are experts in the Chicago Manual of Style. They have and are working for the top publishing houses (TOR, McMillian, Thomas Mercer, Penguin Random House, Simon Schuster, etc.).

    If you would like more information, we invite you to email Kiffer or Sharon at KBrown@ChantiReviews.com or SAnderson@ChantiReviews.com for more information, testimonials, and fees.

    We work with a small number of exclusive clients who want to collaborate with our team of top-editors on an on-going basis.Contact us today!

    Chanticleer Editorial Services also offers writing craft sessions and masterclasses. Sign up to find out where, when, and how sessions being held.

    A great way to get started is with our manuscript evaluation service. Here are some handy links about this tried and true service: https://test.chantireviews.com/manuscript-reviews/

  • The Art of Critique from the Desk of David Beaumier

    Understanding Peer Review and Feedback

    A Crucial Critique Skill for Authors

    Oftentimes when someone joins a critique group, it’s not because they’re in dire need of a free proofreader. They are looking to learn if their writing is any good, as Kiffer Brown says “Does it have a beat? Can you dance to it?”

    If you’d like to start your self-editing journey first, you can start here! Plus we have a secret solution to really get the feedback you need as an author! Read on to the end to learn what it is!

    While a work can be written in such a way that the errors make it unclear what the author wants to communicate. So, let’s get started.

    Ikebana is the Japanese art of arranging flowers. It can have more to do with writing than you would expect!

    What are the Guidelines for Critique?

    While every writing group will have extraordinarily varied suggestions for offering feedback, they often have a few golden rules:

    • Stay positive. We are critiquing, not criticizing.
    • Remember that suggestions should enhance the story through the author’s voice, rather than stating a variant of “this is how I would write it.”
    • We critique the work rather than the author. Look at what in the writing doesn’t work for you and address that.

    Let’s talk about each of those suggestions in greater detail.

    Staying Positive

    Not quite what we mean…

    No one wants to be in the group where people simply say “it was good, I liked it.” That’s not what we mean by positivity.

    The reason this rule is so common is that almost everyone who has ever submitted to a writing group has had at least one person thoroughly eviscerate a piece, calling it offensive, a waste of time, and of completely zero worth. This kind of feedback is about as helpful as “it was good I liked it,” because it doesn’t actually tell the author anything about the work.

    A sad looking Indian man in a blue shirt
    This guy isn’t getting actionable feedback!

    The best critiques often focus on direct observations or questions regarding the work. Pointing out contradictions and plot holes, or saying when a line rings true and why it rings true. For example, if your character is a member of the Canadian Royal Mounted Police, but doesn’t know how to ride a horse, there might be some questions as to why that is. Basics in Non-Violent Communication can really help get started in giving observational feedback (and hearing critique generally). You can read more about that here. For a less intensive and more focused look at just critique (as opposed to overall lifestyle), you can see this article by author and professor Brenda Miller here.

    In the end, the best critiques follow through and explain why the reader had the reaction to the text that they did.

    “Well, this is how I’d write it”

    Hopefully your critiques aren’t overwhelming the author

    Hopefully your critiques aren’t overwhelming the author

    Unless the reader is a co-author on the work in question, this statement is probably not geared toward helping the author’s voice come through.

    When writing my first book at around age ten, I tentatively showed it to my father. He added quite a bit to the first chapter, which focused on a tornado coming and whisking the main character away to a magical world where animals talked. Every place where he made a change stood out like someone had attempted to jam two different polaroids together with the hope no one would notice. –David

    Again, a focus on questions and observations can often help the author come up with the solution on their own.

    Friends, women, books, computer, smiling

    For example: “I noticed that there wasn’t a lot of setting description in this scene. Would there be a way to describe where the characters are having their conversation, both to add to the atmosphere of the story and to offer some beats that break up the dialogue?”

    This will let the author make the change instead of adding a new POV of the main character’s mother doing dishes and listening to smooth jazz in the background.

    We critique the Work, not the Author

    At this point, it seems clear that the focus is on the text. A character does things, and the author simply records them. However, while it’s always good to give the people critiquing work feedback, this is a crucial place to offer suggestions to the author.

    Remember that, as the author, people are not giving feedback as an attempt to sabotage the story or to make it worse. While all feedback isn’t useful, it is given with the intention of helping, and hearing it as something intended to help often makes listening to a critique easier.

    As such, here are a couple tips when receiving critique on your work.

    • Listen. Interrupting or arguing with the person giving you feedback means you have less time to receive a critique.
    • Remember that the work is yours. No one can force you to change your work, so there’s no need to quibble about what a reader sees as a must-have change that you won’t implement.
    • Ask questions. As you hear your critique, track places where you don’t understand where the reader is coming from or if you’re not sure you understand the motivation behind what they’re saying.
    • Say thank you. The best critiques are to improve your work, not review or judge it, and the reader’s work should be appreciated.

    Not sure how to get started on a group? Check out this article here to learn the ins and outs of forming a critique group!

    The Secret to get the Most out of your Critiques!

    The Secret to Successful Publishing

    Are you ready for this? The best thing you can do to guide the critique you receive is…

    Include specific questions and instructions for what you would like for your readers.

    The Number 1 request I get as an editor is to “Tear my work apart.” This guidance is about as helpful for an editor as “It was good” is helpful to a writer. – David

    By the time work is being submitted for critique, writers will hopefully have a good understanding of their own weaknesses. Setting, plot, and dialogue are common areas of focus. If you’re just getting started and not sure what to ask for, that’s alright! As you receive feedback, be sure to write down common feedback suggestions, like too many movie references that distract from the flow of the story, or not enough Star Trek references in your blogpost.

    We don’t recommend sacrificing all your creative energy at once to finish your work. Cirroc Lofton and Meg Foster as Jake Sisko and Onaya in the Deep Space 9 episode Muse

    Regardless of what your weaknesses might be, no editor is a mind reader. Many will be able to help, but the only way to guarantee you receive feedback on the craft elements you are most concerned for is to ask for it directly. Using a service like an MOV can be a great start to begin orienting your work to get the nitty gritty feedback of a Line Edit from a group before you commit to a professional Line Edit.

    Read Responsibly

    With that, you’re ready to go off and take a more active role in your writing community. We believe in you and know that you’ll do great!

    Thank you for joining us for this Writer Toolbox Article

    A red toolbox with the words "What's in your toolbox

    There is so much to learn and do with Chanticleer!

    From our Book Award Program that has Discovered the Best Books since the early 2010s to our Editorial Book Reviews recognizing and promoting indie and traditional authors, Chanticleer knows your books are worth the effort to market professionally!

    Helpful Toolbox Articles:

    When you’re ready,did you know that Chanticleer offers editorial services?We do and have been doing so since 2011.

    Our professional editors are top-notch and are experts in the Chicago Manual of Style. They have and are working for the top publishing houses (TOR, McMillian, Thomas Mercer, Penguin Random House, Simon Schuster, etc.).

    If you would like more information, we invite you to email us at info@ChantiReviews.com for more information, testimonials, and fees.

    We work with a small number of exclusive clients who want to collaborate with our team of top-editors on an on-going basis. Contact us today!

    Chanticleer Editorial Services also offers writing craft sessions and masterclasses. Sign up to find out where, when, and how sessions being held.

    A great way to get started is with our manuscript evaluation service, with more information available here.

    And we do editorial consultations for $75. Learn more here.