Tone is the
author’s attitude toward the subject or the events in the story. It reflects
emotion and is revealed through word choice and narrative. In my book, THE
MUNCHED-UP FLOWER GARDEN, the tone was amusing and introspective. Told in first
person point of view, Liz reveals her anger in witty ways and dreams of winning a blue
ribbon. Since the story has an Appalachian setting, word choice included
regional phrases (She could iron nails and spit nails) to express emotions.
When Liz’s
mother tells her she cannot speak unkindly to a neighbor girl, she whispers
“good riddance” to her cat. My word choice expresses how the
character feels about the situation in order to evoke a particular reader response
(mood). Illustrations showcased the humorous facial expressions and body
gestures, which added to the overall tone and mood of the story.
The more intense the tone, the more the reader is hooked.
Set the tone early in the book to establish a pattern the reader will look for
and identify. If you begin with humor, the reader will expect bits of humor throughout
the text. When writing about Appalachia, the tone in my books is always
respectful, focusing on the positive attributes of the region. The tone
reflects my attitude, and my attitude toward Appalachia is emotions centered:
admiring, hopeful, appreciative, and the list goes on.
Call
for submissions for Adult Writers
Pockets Annual Fiction Writing Contest is open until August 15. There is no theme and no
entry fee! Word count is 750-1000. Click on the link for more information.
Submission guidelines athttp://pockets.upperroom.org/write-for-us/annual-fiction-contest/
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