Where's my Mood? | Creating the perfect writing-sphere

If you know me, you know I'm all about the aesthetics and vibes of a story, a blog, really any and everything. The vibes the thing, and I can sometimes take longer developing a mood when writing than actually writing.

So how exactly do I develop a mood when writing? Why I'm so glad you asked. 😉

1 | music

Okay, I'm pretty sure most of you saw this one coming. 😉 But when I say that music can make or break a writing session, I mean it! And the right music for each book makes an even greater difference. For example - can you look me in the eye and tell me you could write an epic dystopian high-fantasy death scene with the right feels while listening to Once Upon a Dream? (*insert your answer here*) No. You could not. So get the right music, whether it be lyrical or instrumental or a soundtrack. Get the right music, then meet me at step 2.

Pro Tips:

💕 When looking for music for your book, try searching up specific vibes like "pirate soundtrack" or "summer cottagecore playlist" or "dark fantasy ambiance*

💕 Some of the best songs I have for books are actually soundtracks from movies. I have an entire culmination of movies to choose playlists from. (Should I do a blog post like this soon? My favorite soundtracks for every genre? 🤔😉)

2 | lighting

Yes, you read that right. The lighting. My bedroom is almost completely lit by fairylights, and they add the most beautiful ambience to a writing session. I love to close my curtains and plug them in while I'm writing my medieval fantasy - but in the midst of brainstorming my summer project, I kept the curtains and windows wide to let in the soft natural light from outside. And I swear that I have the best window positions ever. One faces to the west and when the sun sets, it sends moody lighting into my bedroom that dapples the air and the walls with its light. 🥰

Pro Tip:

💕 To get the prefect lighting, try looking through your aesthetic board (if you have one) and observe the filters and lighting that makes the photos you have fit the mood. Is it greyscale? Riddled with light dapples?

3 | mindset

No, this is not me being weird. (Well, I'm always weird, but that's a topic for another decade.) Mindset can play a huge part into your writing. Personally, I cannot write a light-hearted rom com when I'm dwelling on my dark cottagecore. Getting into the right headspace for each story is vital to crafting the perfect mood. Think of it like this: has someone in your household (be it your mom, sister, roommate, or friend) been in a joyful and happy mood and before you know it . . . you start to be happy? Or, vice versa, when someone is in a mood it affects everyone else. It isn't necessarily a bad thing - just part of our human nature and God-given instinct to be em- or apathetic. But can you see how it could prohibit you from writing from the right headspace?

Pro Tip:

💕 Try praying before you dive into writing. Pray for the right mindset and the ability to translate the story in your head onto the page in a way that reflects your heart for the story and glorifies God at the same time. It was through that prayer that God showed me the theme of "a city on a hill" for my latest novel. <3

4 | fellowship

This one . . . has been huge. It may seem like an odd thing to add when talking about a mood, but seriously. Writing with friends makes the writing so much better. Maybe you can get together with your writing bestie at a coffee shop and exchange songs recs and write alongside a vanilla bean frap. Or maybe you're like me, and your fellowship happens across miles through a computer screen. Whatever your group looks like, take advantage of it. Plan a sprint call to write on a Google Meet and swap last sentence. Jesus knew what He was talking about when He said that two was better than one. Writing is not a solo effort. Create the mood with amazing friends and fantastic writer buddies. <3

That's all for today! I hope you enjoyed this post, because I had a lot of fun writing it. 😊

What did you think of the post? What was your favourite tip? What is something I forgot to mention? Should I do a post about my favourite soundtracks for each genre? I'd really love to know! <3

Cheers!