Just as a soundtrack enhances a film, a well-crafted soundscape adds depth, emotion, and realism to your story. These ten quick tips will help you craft the rich and evocative setting readers will love.
1. Understand the Role of Sound in Storytelling
Sound isn't just background noise; it's a powerful tool that can influence your scenes' mood, pace, and atmosphere. By considering sound as an active element in your storytelling, you can use it to enhance the reader's emotional experience. Sound can make characters react, physically and emotionally. Consider how a creaking floorboard in a haunted house creates tension, or how the explosive bang of a firework can send a pup running for cover.
2. Use Descriptive Language
When describing sounds, avoid clichés and strive for specificity. Clichés serve a purpose and have a place in your writing, but it's easy for readers to gloss over descriptions they've heard a thousand times before. If you intend to evoke a certain feeling in the narrative or want to highlight a moment, choose descriptive language more specific to your scene. You can accomplish this by changing one element of the cliché. You could use terminology the MC would use or add a word that reinforces your specific setting or mood.
Example: MC's indoor cat was accidentally let out of the house. As she sits at her desk making lost cat signs, she looks up toward the roof at the pitter-patter of tiny feet on her skylight- but as rain slides down the glass, she realizes it's nothing but the start of a spring storm.
Quick tip for adding descriptive language: Layer the sounds to create a richer, more immersive experience.
Example: Start with your generic line "The bakery was noisy." Multiple sounds are contributing to this - your layers- that you can break apart to add detail. Consider the sound of dishes, a heated conversation at one table between a husband and wife, someone on their cell phone, another patron typing on their laptop, the whirr of an espresso machine, burbling coffee, the jingle of the front doorbell, etc.
3. Incorporate All Types of Sounds
Consider the variety of sounds that might be present in your scene:
Natural Sounds: Rustling of leaves, birds chirping, waves crashing.
Human-made Sounds: Footsteps, clapping, laughter, music, machinery.
Loud Sounds: Often attention-getting, dominant, and active
Soft Sounds: Whispers, murmurs, echoes, etc.
Ambient/Constant Sounds: this is where background noise comes in - waves are always breaking, for example. Constant & subtle sounds tend to be used when a writer is describing the scene or setting up a mood.
Sudden Sounds/Unexpected Noises: One-off, unexpected noises tend to signal change or impending action; these sounds, when mentioned, tend to serve a more active purpose in the scene vs setting up a mood like constant sounds. Think of a man slamming his fist on a table, breaking glass, or the whistle of a kettle startling your MC out of their thoughts.
Silence: The absence of sound can be powerful. Silence can create tension, anticipation, or introspection.
4. Match Sound to Mood and Atmosphere
Different sounds evoke different emotions. A busy city street might create a sense of chaos or excitement, while the gentle sound of a stream might evoke peace and tranquility. Match the soundscape to the mood you want to convey, and consider how changes in sound can reflect shifts in a character's emotional state. The sounds your character notices and the words you use to describe them impact the mood and atmosphere.
Example: MC 1 came from a farm and is staying in New York for a wedding. It's 5 AM and she exits the hotel for a morning jog. MC 2 lives in New York and exits her apartment beside the hotel MC 1 is staying at, also for a morning jog, but she broke up with her boyfriend last night. What these characters notice might be very different. Or, they might both notice the same sound, but describe it in different ways based on their understanding and experience.
5. Use Onomatopoeia and Rhythm
Onomatopoeic words (words that imitate sounds) like "buzz," "whisper," and "clang" bring sounds to life on the page. Additionally, consider the rhythm of your sentences when describing sound. Short, staccato sentences can mimic the abruptness of sudden noises, while longer, flowing sentences can mirror more continuous or soothing sounds.
6. Let Sound Interact with Your Characters
Show how sounds affect your characters. Do they flinch at a sudden noise? Do they find comfort in familiar sounds? Character reactions add depth to both the characters themselves and the scene.
Example: A character who hears someone shout their recently deceased pet's name as they pass by a dog park might feel a pang of sorrow for their lost pet, adding an emotional layer to the narrative.
7. Use Sound to Foreshadow
Sound can be a subtle yet effective way to foreshadow events in your story. By carefully choosing sounds that hint at what's to come, you can build tension and anticipation, most often for future conflict or drama.
Example: MC is rushing to get home after having humiliated the bully in gym class. He has to walk over a mile. The bully's car has a distinct rattle, which he can hear starting up in the student parking lot.
8. Experiment with Perspective and Distance
Consider how sound changes depending on distance and perspective. A sound close to the character might be loud and clear, while a distant sound might be faint or distorted. By varying the proximity of sounds, you can add a sense of space and movement to your scenes. Perspective & distance plays very well in paranormal stories. You can add a sense of mystery with a sound that might have a very normal source, but over a distance sounds quite distorted or spooky.
9. Balance Sound with Other Sensory Details
Sound should work in harmony with other sensory details to create a fully immersive experience. Combine auditory descriptions with visual, tactile, and olfactory elements to paint a complete picture.
10. Revise and Refine
As with all elements of writing, your story can benefit from edits and revision. Read your scenes aloud to hear how the sounds work together. Are they effective in creating the desired mood? Do they enhance the action and emotions? Make adjustments as needed to ensure that your soundscape is as rich and evocative as possible.
In Conclusion
Writing sound takes practice, but the richness it adds to your story is worth it. By paying close attention to the sounds in your scenes and how they interact with characters and moods, you can create a more immersive and emotionally resonant experience for your readers. Whether you're writing a tense thriller or a tranquil romance, the sounds you include will help bring your story to life.
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