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** Lighting **

The music plays softly, the table is set with red roses and a fine drink. Everything is set for a romantic encounter, but hang on a minute. What's that glaring harsh eye hanging from the center of the ceiling?

No one would set up a romantic dinner date and light it with a 100 watt lightbulb. More likely candles are involved, or a soft tone lightbulb, or a light covered with a veil to subdue the brightness and add colour. Or maybe some soft spot lighting just to alleviate the darkness in the coner.

Well, we need to do the same with our writing.

Just as music has light and shade (loud and soft notes), and television uses soft focus - think Hot Lips Houlihan in M*A*S*H* - our writing needs appropriate 'lighting'.

What does this 'lighting' do?

- adds mood
- adds complexity to characters
- varies the pace
- develops setting
- signals a change in attitude, feeling, tension, and more

So how is this 'lighting' achieved?

Use a 'clue' in different ways depending on the type of scene being developed.

Here are two different scenes, the first a 'normal' narrative, the second is a romantic build-up. Both use the character's hair as a clue to the story.

Jane swiped the hair from her eyes with an impatient sigh and stared through the rain at the swollen grey breakers.

Jane's hair tickled the curve of her bare shoulder as she opened the door to Gary's knock.

Vary descriptives

Suitable for any scene, Jane is seen an impatient, in a hurry, or unconcerned about the contents; eating is just something to be done:

Jane plunged a hand into the fridge.

The next descriptive reveals a more playful Jane. She is more thoughtful, relaxed, anticipating -- the lettuce...or something more. She's putting more care into the choice of food, and the 'prettiness' of the frills shows a feminine aspect of her character:

Jane lightly fingered the frilly lettuce in the fridge.

This third option sets up a different romantic scene - the one that does not go so well. It forbodes of an ill-fated meeting, or perhaps even a hilarious encounter to deepen the friendship:

Jane fingered the frilly lettuce in the fridge, letting out a startled cry as her fingers squashed a fat green caterpillar.

Just as a story should vary the pace throughout, a single scene can vary the pace as well.

Slow ~ Faster ~ Faster still ~ Slowing down

Jane ran a finger through Gary's auburn hair, then slid it down his cheek to play with the corners of his lips, parted in sleep. With a sudden quirk of her eyebrow she dangled a finger in her water on the nightstand and drizzled the droplets over his coiled chest hair, blowing on it till the flesh pimpled in haunting vibrations. Gary's eyes widened in shock. Smoothly he grabbed her arms and rolled over till he had her pinned beneath his weight. Helpless, she struggled, made weaker by the laughter warbling in her throat.

Gary's eyes deepened to ink as he slowly lowered his mouth toward hers. Hovering over her, he watched her petal-pink lips part, and her eyes flutter to an attitude of surrender for his kiss.


These are my couple of ideas, maybe you have some more...I'm sure you do.

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