Hi everyone, thanks for stopping by! As you may know, Romancing the Genres is all about seasons this month. We’ve been posting about seasons in our lives. Let’s talk about the seasons in the books we read and write.
People often notice the seasons around them, in real life or in fiction. A book scene can take place on a soft summer day, or a cold winter night. The character might enjoy the season, or hate it with a passion. Those moods or attitudes can show a lot about the character or what they’re going through. Here’s an example:
In my novel Golden Days, Elizabeth feels claustrophobic in winter:
Elizabeth sighed as she wiped down the store counter. While March in Seattle was warm and green, Fairbanks was still frigid and white. Elizabeth stared out the window of the Northern Commercial Company’s general store and frowned at the frost coating the glass. Her Alaskan adventure was not as much fun as she’d expected. The cold kept her indoors most of the time. She had different things to sketch, but most of them involved snow and ice. She sighed again as she recalled Uncle Stephen’s tales of the territories in the Southwest, where it was warm. Why couldn’t they have gone there?
We learn a lot about Elizabeth by hearing what she thinks about Fairbanks in the winter.
Now it’s your turn. Do you have favorite seasons, or times of year you like or dislike? Or have you noticed characters reacting to the season in any books you’re read (or written) lately? Leave a comment!
11 comments:
Great example Lynn.
While my books do have seasons in them, what moves the stories forward isn't as tied to the weather as to The Wheel of the Year. "Lily: the Dragon and The Great Horned Owl" Chapter 1/Prologue is in late summer but when the story picks up again it is fall and 10 years later! However, from that story through the 7 books in the original Sacred Women's Circle series, that pagan holidays are featured. So Lily marries on Summer Solstice.
After being on a sabbatical for 2 years I'm starting to write again and will be paying attention to how I naturally use seasons (I'm a pantser) and make sure I use their energy and attributes to enhance my story.
Great way to enhance your scenes, Judith. Summer Solstice is a perfect day for a wedding!
I loved your example, Lynn! My favorite seasons are spring and fall. Not too hot and not too gloomy! I don't tolerate heat well, and I tend to get depressed when the daylight is limited.
Hmmm,,,In my books and stories I seem to have a penchant for summer and winter settings. Maybe I do this subconsciously because my protagonists are facing difficulties they must overcome?
Although I was into playing a video game with my grandkids set in a cold, mountainous fictional country with a medieval vibe when I wrote my take on an enchanted prince fairytale. For "Enchanted Protector", the cold, snow and ice became integral to the story as it developed, but it was chosen intuitively.
Guess I am a Hybrid writer who leans toward plotting.
Great example with "Enchanted Protector" Sarah. We'll be curious to see when your next book is set.
I like when characters moods are likened to a particular season. Makes the writing so much richer.
Yes it does, Marcia. Thanks for stopping by!
Loved your excerpt! It stuck me back in cold and frozen winter - which is where I am in real life, actually, LOL. No nasty white stuff here, though. I always use seasons and weather to create a mood in my writing, to paint a picture, and describe the setting.
I don't know why, but a lot of my books take place in the winter. I am not an outdoors person, but for some reason winter has that crisp air, and winter landscapes tend to add drama to a story. But in anything I write, I do add elements of the season into my writing. Whether planting a garden, hiking among fall leaves, a summer thunderstorm, or that spring-is-almost-here sighting of the first Robins, there is always a way to add the seasonal attributes to a story and how they affect a character.
My Gabriel Hawke books depend on seasons because he is a game warden so I have to know what hunting or fishing sport is happening to be able to tie it in with whatever my murder is.
When I come up with a premise for a story, I do look at the time of year and how it could influence what I want to happen in a story.
Thanks to Luanna, Deb, and Paty for their comments. Using the season as part of your book setting really paints a picture for the reader!
Interesting about looking at feelings as they relate to specific seasons. I haven't thought of it in that way for my characters. Probably that's because for me every season has something amazing and something I don't like or fear. I do write about weather and dark and light as settings, but I haven't equated them with a season necessarily. Hmmm...you have me thinking now.
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