Monday, November 9, 2009

What's It Like Outside?


One of the first things I do every morning is check the weather; not only by looking out my window but by watching the weather on the morning news. Weather affects everything; what I'm going to wear, whether or not I'm going outside, what I'm making for dinner, to name a few. But, how often do we use weather in our books?

I admit I don't use it as much as I could.

People stuck inside because of inclement weather can lead to all sorts of interesting situations. A beautiful summer day is the time for picnics or rowing on a lake. People slow down in hot weather; there's always time for a cool drink or an extra ten minutes of conversation. On the other hand, hot weather can cause temper flare-ups; not many people are agreeable when they're dripping on the floor from the heat.

Imagine sticking your main character on a deserted road in a car that's run out of gas on a summer evening. Now imagine the same situation in a raging snowstorm. Which is the more threatening?

Windstorms cause power outages; always fun. Snowstorms isolate people; there's a reason Agatha Christie used them! Horror is always worse when it's juxtaposed with beautiful weather; sunny days are supposed to be happy days. But that's not always the way it works...

I'm not suggesting placing every mystery on a 'dark and stormy night'; but indications of the weather place our characters in the real world. Real people curse when it starts to rain and they've forgotten their umbrellas. Strangers become more talkative while they're waiting out a storm in a cafe. People get crabby when their feet are wet or cold. Everyone's lives are affected by the weather; shouldn't our characters be the same?

Take a moment and think about the project you're working on now. How would it change if you mentioned the weather? Or does it already play a large role in your plot? Make it real; let your characters get hot and crabby or shiver beside the fire. I think it adds another layer of reality to any story; regardless of genre.

29 comments:

  1. Elspeth - What an interesting idea to think about! I agree with you that the weather plays a huge role in our daily lives, even if we don't think about it consciously. It plays a role, therefore, in the lives of "real" characters, too, so it makes sense to write about it. In my bookPublish or Perish,the weather is bitterly cold, with a coat of snow and ice on the ground. That plays a big role in the events that lead up to the murder, and in a major event that follows later in the novel. In my other novels, the weather is there, and people react to it, but it's not central to the plot. Weather can really be manipulated, can't it, to add to a plot.

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  2. Most of what I write is set along the Texas Gulf Coast, and most are set in the summer or thereabouts. On the Texas coast, "summer or thereabouts" is probably any time except January and early February. But rain, wind, hail, fog . . . I use all those.

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  3. Great observation and topic, Elspeth! I can clearly see just how much, or how little - weather could play in a storyline!

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  4. Margot; Cold weather; wonderful! It makes everything seem more desperate when it's icy.

    Carol; Good for you! I've never been where you live; I'd love to see it sometime.

    Crystal; Thank you! Weather can be a huge player in a plot.

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  5. Good point, Elspeth. Weather and climate are always affecting us in real life, and they darn well should be affecting our characters as well ... all part of creating a "real" world in our books.

    Marvin D Wilson

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  6. I usually don't give weather much thought, but the climax of DIAMONDS FOR THE DEAD takes place in a furious snowstorm.

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  7. Old SIlly; Thanks; I try.

    Alan; Why are snowstorms always furious? You never hear about a friendly snowstorm.

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  8. Great topic!
    I've used weather. In my WIP "the coming Spring brings new promise" :)

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  9. I'm going to look through my manuscript -- I don't think it's playing much of a role at all.

    I sometimes worry that weather becomes overly symbolic rather than subtle (or I worry that I will make it so). We're having more fun w/ the placement of food in our ms than weather.

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  10. Carolyn; Glad you liked it.

    Elisa; Good point, you do have do watch to make sure the weather doesn't drip with symbolism. I like you're doing food placement; that's just funny.

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  11. I love the idea of small things changing the course of a day, or a plot direction. Like "Bonfire of the Vanities" when the guy missed his exit. Interesting idea to do this with weather. I can see some cool possibilities. Thanks, Elspeth!

    Elizabeth
    Mystery Writing is Murder

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  12. What a terrific post, Elspeth. Weather can almost become a secondary character. Remember, a rainstorm brought Michael Douglas's character together with Glenn Closes's character in "Fatal Attraction"? And of course Tennessee William's "The Long Hot Summer" illustrates how prolonged periods of extreme heat can intensify desperate human behavior. But, we must (as usual) use discretion, if our approach is too heavy-handed we will come off as dated, (my belief.)

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  13. Elizabeth S; It is an interesting idea, isn't it; small things that change the direction of the plot. Glad to help!

    Elizabeth B; You bring up a good point; discretion is key. What wonderful examples of how weather can affect the plot and characters!

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  14. I think snowstorms might be serene or calming or blanketing in literary works, but never in mysteries or suspense stories.

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  15. I tend to use lightning quite a bit - people call it when they're mad, people get struck by it and turn into...well, you get my point.

    Did I mention that I really like lightning? :)

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  16. Great points and examples. I have a snowstorm and a sunny beach in my first wip but I think I could be using the weather a lot more effectively.

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  17. In the past I haven't used weather much but your post makes such good sense, I'm going to go back through my latest manuscript and see if I can't insert a weather related problem or two!

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  18. Alan; Hmmmm. Maybe not...blood dripping across the virgin snow...

    Laura; Lightning would be something I would think you couldn't use too often though...

    Deb; Take a look. You never know!

    Jane; Thank you! I didn't mean to cause anyone extra work, though!

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  19. I don't use weather as much as I should either - but I do have an idea I've been tinkering with for later on in my NaNo that will revolve around the weather. Looking forward to trying it out.

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  20. Thanks for the reminder, Elspeth. I think that I will make tomorrow stormy for my NaNo characters.

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  21. Great examples of using weather as part of the story, Elspeth. I hate it when an author just describes the weather, but never lets it influence the story.

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  22. Jemi; Go for it! It could lead you in a completely new direction.

    Alan; Glad to help. I hope the storm is only for your characters and not for you!

    Maryann; It does seem a waste, doesn't it? It can't be sunny all the time, and everyone has had weather inconvenience them in some way at some time.

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  23. Such a brilliant post! I usually use weather to mirror (or antagonize) my main character's mood. If she's depressed, I make it rain. Or, if he's in a sour mood, I'll make the sun shine just to annoy him further.

    Jen

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  24. Jen; My goodness, thank you for your kind words. I like your idea of juxtaposes the weather to further antagonize your MC. Nice work!

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  25. Since weather clearly affects me and my moods, so it should my characters. I live in Missouri where the weather seems to change every 15 or so minutes. I have plenty of reference material.

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  26. Journaling Woman; It's the same in the little corner of BC where I live. You can drive for half an hour and arrive in completely different weather.

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  27. i am always using weather in my posts - take today's post - it was a beautiful Fall day. the weather of the day takes me back to the place i was when it happened. i use it a lot. should i? or is it boring minutiae?

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  28. I'm a big weather junky having grown up in Wisconsin (USA). I often use weather in my writing to such an extent it almost becomes another character.

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  29. SFRC; In the example you give the weather is the means by which you remember something; I don't think it's a bad thing at all!

    Lauri; The weather can become another character in the hands of a good writer; which you obviously are!

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