About Freaking Tone

Post 862:

Figuring out the perfect tone and style of a story is basically impossible before you write it. You might as well just quit and do something productive with your time like video games or golf. With that said, let’s talk about it anyway.

Tone seems simple enough at first glance. A mystery should feel mysterious, a horror story should be scary, a comedy should be funny.

Maybe. Here’s some reasons why it’s a little more complicated than that.

First of all, I’ve written dark mysteries, sad mysteries, and completely goofball lighthearted mysteries. I’ve written dark comedies and reflective comedies. And all that means is that I think that’s why I did. My opinion isn’t necessarily going to be the reader’s. Think of all the times you’ve tried to be funny in normal life. Does it always work? Yeah, that’s what I mean.

Tone is sort of a thing that just happens. The characters and the story sort of make it on its own and your style of writing, skill level and personality fill in the rest.

Point is, don’t get too hung up on it at first. The whole freaking thing is going to change seventy-five times on the page and three-billion times in your head.

Or maybe you’re one of those machine people that has everything mapped out and zipped up tight.

I look at writing tone a bit like singing. What comes out comes out. You can improve it here and there, but for the most part it’s just gotta be its thing. That doesn’t mean don’t try to make it better, whether that means more effective, musical, flowing, or atmospheric. I’m a singer who’s been failing at that very thing my entire professional life. How’s that for encouragement, sports fans?

Cheers and see you after.