The mood of a piece of writing is the name we give to the collection of emotions that are engendered in the reader when they read that piece.
How can you most effectively set the mood of your writing? Here are two examples to illustrate.
He felt great fear as he read the letter.
This example tells the reader that the man is afraid, but it does not set the mood of fear in the mind of the reader.
His hands began to tremble as he read the letter. He raised his left hand to wipe away the sweat that had appeared on his forehead, and he looked around quickly, as though he expected to see shadows already closing in on him.
But this example shows us that he is afraid, even though it does not even mention fear or being afraid. The reader is included in the drama, by being invited to share in it, and to visualize what is happening. This sets the mood of the scene that is written about.
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