A guide for aspiring authors

“Your writing style should match the mood of the story.” – This seemingly simple sentence from writing guides can leave beginners feeling at a loss. What does it mean in concrete terms and how do you implement it? In this blog post, I would like to decode this principle and illustrate it with practical examples.

The symbiosis of style and content

Writing style is not just the garment in which we clothe our story – it is an active part of the narrative itself. Effective style enhances the emotional impact of the story and allows readers to delve deeper into the world created.

Let’s imagine writing a novel about a stressed-out city dweller on the verge of burnout. Would a leisurely, ornate style with long, convoluted sentences fit the hectic atmosphere? Probably not.

Practical stylistic adjustments for different moods

For tension and nervousness:

• Short, concise sentences. They create pace.
• Active verbs. She runs. He ducks. The door crashes open.
• Choppy sentence fragments. No time for formalities.
• Example: “He stopped. Listened. The sound was getting closer. Rapid breathing. His heart was racing. Now turn left. Just don’t trip.”

For melancholy and sadness:

• Longer, rhythmic sentences that come and go like waves.
• Repetition of certain phrases that echo each other.
• Sensual descriptions that reflect the heaviness of the feelings.
• Example: “The leaves fell slowly, one by one, like memories that come loose and drift away; he watched them for hours as autumn stretched its golden fingers through the garden, touching everything that had once lived.”

For lightness and humor:

• Playful word choice and unexpected comparisons.
• Rhythmic dialogues with rapid back and forth.
• Deliberate exaggeration that makes you smile.
• Example: “Aunt Gertrude’s laughter was as infectious as a yawn in a crowded waiting room – no sooner had she begun than the houseplants snorted suspiciously too.”

For the eerie and surreal:

• Unusual word order that creates alienation.
• Deliberately vague descriptions that spark the imagination.
• Conflicting images that trigger unease.
• Example: “In the mirror, a face grew that was hers and yet not hers; the eyes looked back with a knowledge older than the house.”

The micro levels of style

The adaptation of style to mood takes place at different levels:

1. sentence structure: complexity, length and rhythm of sentences
2. word choice: register, concreteness, emotional coloring
3. tempo: fast vs. slow succession of information
4. imagery: type of metaphors and similes used
5. narrative perspective: proximity or distance to the action

Avoiding pitfalls

One common pitfall is over-adaptation. Not every sentence in a thrilling scene has to be short, and not every melancholy passage needs poetic metaphors. Variation creates rhythm and prevents fatigue.

Another problem is inconsistency. If the style changes for no apparent reason, the story seems unbalanced. Style changes should be used consciously, for example to mark a change of perspective or an emotional change.

Practice makes perfect

There is only one way to find the right style: experiment! Try writing the same scene in different styles and observe how the effect changes. Read your texts out loud to feel their rhythm.

Writing style is not an abstract concept, but a practical storytelling tool. When style and mood harmonize, that magical immersion arises that allows readers to become completely absorbed in the story. The words become permeable, and the story begins to breathe through them.
Remember: there is no universally “good” style – only the style that best serves your story.

Do you have any experiences with adapting your writing style to different moods? Share them in the comments!