: Re: How to make a dark story not-so-dark (Shining the light in darkness) I'm writing a war story, and it's dark. However, I find that every scene turns out to be depressing because of it. Readers

@Gail2416123

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Some of the stories that I have read are incredibly dark, based simply on the events that occur, but did not feel that way when read. Bringing out a lighter side can be done in a number of ways:

Characters/ Relationships

Having characters that are hopeful or optimistic will go a long way to brightening a story (unless they are annoyingly optimistic to the point of delusion). Even when terrible things are happening, when the horror becomes an everyday reality there will be people who do not let it get to them, and can still remain light-hearted and boost the morale of others around them.

If your characters feel less downtrodden about what is happening to them, then the reader might feel a little less beleaguered when reading the story.

Even if you do not wish to introduce a character like that, every character will have stories to tell that are perhaps humorous or uplifting. The scene near the end of Saving Private Ryan where Matt Damon's character tells a story to Tom Hanks' character about the last time he saw his brothers would be a good example of that.

Even the most miserly characters will have tales from their youth of when they were happy and carefree. If the readers are needing some relief from the reality of a situation, then the characters certainly will be too. Having interactions like this are unlikely to feel out of place in slower parts of the story, and it will allow insight into the characters and their backstory.

Light at the End of the Tunnel

Similar to every character having a backstory, they will also all have a vision of the future. Maybe they have a family that they want to get home to, or plans to buy an abandoned shack at the edge of town and turning it into a pub.

Having the characters hang on to their humanity, and retaining a sliver of hope that they will pull through and survive the war, will allow them and the reader a better outlook on the situation.

Successes

This doesn't have to be the characters winning every battle, but being able to find successes in the small things even despite the losses. Perhaps the enemy managed to capture an allied checkpoint, but your characters manage to evacuate all of the civilians or retrieve a full cache of weapons before they are forced to retreat before the enemy closes in on their position.

It could even be personal successes instead of ones based on the plot or the the war, such as receiving a message from back home that their child has been born healthy and happy, or they successfully created an edible meal from their rations by combining it with some of the local flora they found whilst scouting.

So in summary, just like you are trying to find ways to make your book more bearable for readers, the characters will be looking for ways to make their own lives bearable. No one wants to feel awful, particularly in the worst situations, so they themselves will seek ways in order to lift their own spirits, and make a better situation for themselves.

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