Creating Atmosphere with Atmosphere: How to Use Weather as a Literary Device

by Benjamin X. Wretlind

"Weather is necessary to a narrative of human experience." -- Mark Twain

Effectively used as a literary device, weather can create an atmosphere that can make or break a scene. It sets the mood, mirrors the stages of plot development, enhances themes, and creates tension where before there was none.

Weather can also drive emotion.

Think of a sad character. Does it help your reader feel her emotion if you describe the sunrise on a clear, perfectly temperate day, or would it set a better mood if there were undulating clouds hanging over the scene like a smothering blanket? Could you use contrast to shine a light on a feeling?

In this book by Benjamin X. Wretlind, an author, retired U.S. Air Force weather forecaster, and life-long weather nerd, meteorology is broken down as it relates to the fiction writer. It covers a variety of weather elements and ties them to a study conducted to see what emotions are most often brought up in a reader.

Written in a non-scientific way with literary examples and exercises (and a little humor), Creating Atmosphere with Atmosphere: How to Use Weather as a Literary Device hopes to be your go-to guide if you're looking to use weather in a way that connects emotionally and pulls readers into your world.

So write about that cloud, that tornado, that hurricane...and bring the storm.

632 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 14, 2023

About the author

Benjamin X. Wretlind is a speculative fiction author who writes science fiction, dark fantasy, magical realism, and some horror. He has been--at different times, of course–a fry cook, range boy, greens maintenance technician, reservations agent, room service attendant, editor, banquet server, meteorologist, instructor, program manager for Internet applications, curriculum developer, training simulation engineer, leadership facilitator/coach, process improvement consultant, learning manager and organizational psychologist. He currently builds and facilitates leadership courses at Yale.

Benjamin is the creator of the Transit series of novels, which has been called “an engaging, personality-driven tale with detailed SF worldbuilding.” He has also written and published many novels, collections, and the weirdest creative writing book ever. Owing his life’s viewpoint to Bob Ross, he has also painted a few things, thrown a few paintings away, and probably has a painting on an easel right now. Oh, and he loves wood working, too.

It’s all about creating.

Benjamin lives with his wife Jesse in Colorado.

Reviews

[Lou Kemp · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is rare when the purpose of fiction and non-fiction come together. In this book, they compliment each other. They support both the reader and writer, the weather nerds, and people who are amazed or curious about beautiful sunsets, towering clouds and lightening bolts thrown by the gods.
Have you ever wondered how the musical score for a movie will suddenly alert you to danger ahead? Or by hearing music played in a minor key tells you there is a deep mystery here?
A writer is faced with the same needs. They want to set the scene with emotion or danger, or plain old drama. Atmosphere adds to words. This is what Benjamin X. Wretlind has written; a guide to do just that.
As a reader, you can recognize why the fluffy clouds that look like lambs and might lull a reader into thinking the trail before the heroine is innocent. But, is it? The tremendous noise from a thunderstorm is perfect for murder. A day of warm sunshine is just as dangerous as a windstorm, and a great tool for misdirection.
For a reader or a writer, Creating Atmosphere with Atmosphere is totally worth it. Recommended.

[Amy Dee Eidson Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and it is a book I will reference again and again! I love learning about the weather and this book is full of information about clouds, wind, rain, heat, cold and other weather phenomena. But it also teaches you how to use the weather effectively in writing and poetry. This book does exactly what the author set out for it to do.

[Steven Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is full of interesting ideas on how to incorporate weather into your writing. I wouldn’t have thought the subject would be that interesting, but the author does a great job of showing how to weave weather into the narrative. My copy is now full of highlights, notes, and other scribbles, and I’ve added it to my writing reference library shelf.

[Rick coppens · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author put a lot of thought, knowledge, experience, and coaching in this book. I enjoyed every page and will use his advise to hone my writing skills.