Well, I only wrote two days this week (my goal is five days), but that’s better than not writing at all. Which is what I had been doing…or NOT doing. Tues-999, Sat-774.
I’m not sure I like the setting in my WIP, so I might change it. This is supposed to be a fairly spooky ghost story. Right now, I have it set in a little town on the beach in the pan handle of Florida. I love that beach, but it’s really not eerie enough. I feel like there should be waves crashing against the rocks, like in Maine or somewhere. Somewhere gloomier. I was trying to do something a little different, but I don’t know if it’s going to work.
What do you all think? Can there be a spooky story on the beaches of Florida. Or is it just too sunny and laid back for that?
lauralynnelliott.com 
It might be an interesting twist to have some spookiness going on in Florida. Everything seems nice a peaceful…then BAM! Bad things happening in good places always throws EVERYONE for a loop, because you don’t expect it. I grew up in an adorable little town. A girl from my high school was murdered. Devastating!!!!!
I thought it would be interesting. I’m just trying to get myself in the mood because we go on vacation every summer to Panama City Beach, and there’s nothing spooky about that. 🙂 I might be able to pull it off.
I remember when i was young, we NEVER had any murders here. But we’ve had a few since I’ve been older.A brother and sister I went to school with were both murdered…in completely unrelated incidents. Very sad!
It’s probably more of a challenge, but as Juli said, it might be a good twist to have something out of the ordinary happen in a place that seems all sunshine and light.
True. Darkness in all the light. It could work.
I think it all depends. It could make a nice contrast…this sense of spooky where it’s very visibly NOT spooky…that sort of…incongruance could really trip out your character. But at the same time, if you’re having problems getting into the spooky yourself, a change might be in order.
Good points, Kait. I haven’t decided yet. I always have a little trouble getting into my stories in the first few chapters. The setting is at least not in summer, so that could change things. Maybe I should remember the time there were tornadoes when I was in that area. That totally changed the atmosphere. We saw waterspouts.
I agree, sometimes contrast can work to make things seem spookier. And two days a week is definitely better than not writing at all. Stick with it.
The contrast might make it work. I hope I get more days in next week!
Spooky can be anywhere, and I like the juxtaposition of sunny days and spooky nights. Besides you could always amp it up with a hurricane or terrible tropical storm; have the atmosphere—literal—change with the books atmosphere—figurative. But if your not feeling it, then it won’t work. Either way, can’t wait to read it, and congrats on getting some writing done. Love the pics of your new puppy.
Best of luck, LL
Like I told Kait, we were in that area during tornadoes one year. We could see the funnel cloud out on the ocean, and that definitely changed the atmosphere. I think I’m going to give it a little more time.
That pup’s adorable, isn’t he?
Yeah, I agree with the potential of spooky being able to happen in juxtaposition with a setting that is peaceful… but sometimes it *is* fun to put a scary story in a place with lots of fog and crashing waves and atmospheric shadows… Go with what feeds the muse, I’d say. 😛
Yay on writing 2 days this week–as you say, it’s better than nothing at all.
Hope you have a good week, Lauralynn!
Hi, Lena! I think I’m going to see how this goes before rushing to change the setting. Everyone has given good feedback on the situation, so let’s see how it goes.
Two days this past week…hopefully five days next week. 🙂
I love the idea that beneath a sunny sky lurks a darkness. In reality we know that’s true, why not in fiction? You can bring the gloom in other ways – people, crime, tragedy – and give the reader a sharp contrast to make them look out their own windows, past their sunny gardens, and into the spooky unknown world you create. Best of luck. X
Good points, Shah! I think I’m just going to leave my setting the way it is. 🙂
Florida? Spooky? You need to get yourself a copy of Key Largo, with Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. There’s a hurricane brewing and they’re trapped in a hotel. That’s all I’m going to say.
Good luck 🙂
P.S. Never been to Florida, but from what I’ve read it has its fair share of spooky places…
Thanks for the tip, Lee. I’m starting to feel the spookiness. 🙂
[…] Lauralynn Elliott […]
If you have the part of the beach where this takes place on in a more isolated area, I think it could work. I think areas without people are spooky no matter where you are. You could have there be no breeze on the beach. Since there’s usually a breeze, the lack of one would be creepy. Other things that might help is a lack of seagulls, the water feeling “off” (maybe having a lack of saltiness to it so it’s “flat”), maybe having seaweeds that try to grab the person wading through the water, maybe the waves don’t sound right (to soft?). There are things you can do to make it a weirder place then one would usually expect.
I lived in the Florida panhandle (around Ft Walton Beach) for a couple years. It’s a fun place to write about (which I do from time to time). 😀
Her cottage is on an isolated part of the beach. I’ve just done a scene where the storm makes her door fly open even though it was locked. I think I’m getting a feel for it. I think it was just so hard because I’ve always had such a relaxing time in Panama City Beach. I love that area.
The cottage is a great way to do it. And I love the storm with the locked door flying open. 😀 I’m intrigued about this one based on what you already said about it.
LOL on Panama City Beach. I know. All I recall from being down in that area is sunny skies, warm surf, and white sand. Getting into the mindset of a place like that being spooky takes some effort. 😀