When beginning a new writing project, the first writing elements that come to mind are usually plot, character, and setting. These are crucial elements to a book’s success, so we tend to focus on them in those early stages of novel writing, and rightly so. But there is also another important element to consider, which is the mood of the novel. Many of the YA novels that stand out to me had a mood that carried through the entire book and felt as though the writer wrote the manuscript in one sitting (Eleanor and Park comes to mind). If you’re new to writing, mood can best be described as the overall atmosphere and emotion in a story (not to be confused with tone, which is how the author uses words to convey an attitude). If you’re an established writer, you might be looking for inspiration when it comes to setting the mood of a story and keeping it going over the course of the novel.
When I write a manuscript, I try to keep something on my desk that reflects the heart of the novel. For example, when I wrote my novel The 12 Keys of Winterville, about magical keys in an old New England town, I kept a small silver key on my desk. When I was writing Leap Year Reincarnates, which was a YA sci-fi novel about a world event set into motion by a rare crystal, I kept my inspiration for that novel, a crystal called Moldavite, on my desk (it was a pretty expensive little crystal!).
I thought about the different types of crystals and how they might inspire mood, because each crystal has different properties that can have an impact on our emotions. So, why not keep a small crystal by your side while you write to remind you of the specific mood you’re shooting for in your novel?
Here is a list of crystals and the moods they portray, so that you can not only use them for inspiration, but hopefully gain a connection with your crystal and be guided by their power and healing properties as you write away.
Rose Quartz
Mood = Romantic
Rose quartz is connected with romance, the arts, love, relationships, and female energy. It’s a wonderful crystal to use as inspiration if you’re writing romance, especially with its beautiful pink hues (rose quartz has always been one of my favorite crystals). Place it on your desk while you’re writing and concentrate on a mood of romance.
Jade
Mood = Courageous
Jade would be a good stone to use as inspiration when writing a hero’s journey story. Your teen protagonist inspired by this crystal might be confident, solve problems easily, or be concerned with themes of justice, as these are all properties of Jade. Keep Jade by your side while writing and pick it up occasionally to help guide and strengthen you.
Aquamarine
Mood = Hopeful
Aquamarine is a gorgeous blue-green crystal with properties of peace, calm, and hope. It would be terrific when used to inspire a hopeful mood in a story. Make sure to keep aquamarine near your writing area to remind you to carry on a hopeful mood in your manuscript.
Citrine
Mood = Cheerful
Citrine is a yellowish crystal that carries with it a mood of happiness. This would be a good stone to keep by your side as you write, as it will encourage you to keep your mood cheery. On a side note, it’s also known for bringing abundance, so if you’re battling writer’s block, you might want to meditate with this stone to bring on a writing spree.
Anhydrite
Mood = Melancholy
Because crystals are known for healing powers, it’s difficult to find one that will inspire a down mood, but sometimes as writers, we do need to portray sadness in a story. Anhydrite is not a very well known crystal, but its somber gray tones and connections with letting go of a dying situation do help us when considering this stone for “sad” writing. As a crystal of acceptance and coping, it reminds us to keep up the gray atmosphere but carry on. Keep it on your desk and glance at it regularly while writing.
Malachite
Mood = Whimsical
With its beautiful green waves and earthy tone, malachite is perfect for inspiring a mood of whimsy. Malachite is known for a relaxing effect, so you can place the crystal near you while you write to keep yourself relaxed and open to creativity and imagination.
If you’d like a Part 2 of Crystal Moods, please let me know in the comments!
No comments:
Post a Comment