Atmosphere Matters

I was packing up my stuff to go to one of my away from home scribbling venues when I started thinking about why I liked this particular location. There's actually several of this restaurant chain around town, and while one is among my favorite spots, another I won't go near with a ten foot pole ever again.

The one I like best isn't the nicest of them (one of the others has a water feature and plasma screen tvs) but it has the perfect combination of not too crowded, not too quiet, has plugs and wi fi if I'm working on my computer, friendly staff (that now recognize me), and a mini train track running around the ceiling.

The one I'll never visit again is only a year old, designed eco friendly from the foundation up with admittedly cool seating, but their staff was constantly yelling at each other and complaining in front of customers. It's the only place I've ever been actively ignored when trying to order.

How does this apply to writing?

It's fairly easy to spot atmosphere when it's applied to an entire world (think Mistborn: The Final Empire), but it can be applied in smaller doses with just as much effect. A restaurant, a house, even a room can have a distinct vibe, positive or negative.

In the Harry Potter universe, not only did the wizarding world have its own atmosphere, each component had its own unique touch. Hogwarts felt different from Diagon Alley, which was a far cry from Knockturn Alley. It went a long way towards creating a world that kids (and adults) wanted to live in.