: Re: How can I give a novel a particular atmosphere? I've been writing fan fiction for 7+ years now. Recently, I went back and compared the ratings my fan fiction has received from my readers,

@Kristi637

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This might seem like an issue of setting or structure, but it's actually about your characters and their perspective. If your characters are desperate, and you are close enough to their point of view, this will give your story a feel of desperation. Keep in mind, however, what is a desperate situation for one character might not be for another.

If the story doesn't have a "feel" to it, you might be too far distanced from the characters' point of view. You don't have to go first-person, just try to get inside their heads and hearts a bit more.

You can then invest this mood into your details and descriptions. For instance, a looming tree raised its branches threateningly against the darkened sky has a very different feel than a welcoming tree opened its branches gratefully to the night, even though they might conceivably both be descriptions of the same tree at the same time. Different mood, different emotions, different feel.

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