The Nostalgia

You know that feeling you get when you smell a scent, hear a song, feel a piece of clothing, or hear a phrase and you’re instantly taken back to a simpler time? Maybe sometimes a scary time in your life. Your brain is so powerful that it can generate a memory just from that.

Did you know you were that powerful? That’s amazing.

I was lying in bed late last week, reading The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang (this is unrelated but still, I’m having fun reading it) when a memory hits me out of nowhere. Suddenly, I’m five years old at my grandmother’s house bouncing on the couch and flipping the channels between Dinosaur, the Disney movie, and CMT listening to some Tim McGraw song. I think it was "Where the Green Grass Grows."

My grandmother, I call her Granny, was in the kitchen washing dishes while I would sing along with the music. The dinner she had on the stove permeates through the house she raised her children in. Pale yellow sun beams were shining through her lace curtains, turning the whole memory a hue similar to how the sky looks before a tornado. Except the atmosphere is different than a warning.

It’s warm. My heart is free and so is my mind.

Have you ever yearned for a time like that whether you once knew those times or not? The nostalgia will make you ache every time. Just me? Okay.

As writers, we have to create and maintain (or manage between two or three) a certain tone in our pieces. Whether it be lighthearted, emotional, or dark. Whatever suits your fancy.

But you have to give readers an atmosphere, a vibe that makes them feel something. Something that will stick with them.

I’m never one to say “this is what you should do” when giving writing advice because let’s be real: writing is a craft. It’s an art. And everyone has different ways of expressing themselves in their respective forms of art.

But in short, as a writer, to create a certain atmosphere you need to understand and put yourself in that atmosphere. I liked to "get in character" when I wrote "No Return to Eden" because getting in Jenna's head meant I was going to have to become her. Her thoughts. Her memories. Her emotions.

This involves planning to some degree and/or having a deep understanding of the world and its character(s) you are trying to create. Is it a fantasy world? What does this city/place look like? What does your character feel when they're there? Are you trying to portray a specific emotion? Is it a dangerous city full of assassins or is it a booming city with lots of music, food, and culture?

Or is your character experiencing a memory of their childhood where they long for a simpler time?

My best advice for evoking a specific emotion is to become that emotion and/or your character and if you're a music lover like me, listening to a song that makes you feel a certain way really helps me write in that emotion. Like when I want to write a really romantic scene, I listen to Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls. It really helps me get into that head space. Or think of a certain memory that makes me have that same emotional reaction. Some of our most useful writing tools are our own life experiences.

My last piece of advice would be use your five senses (taste, touch, smell, feel, see.) This will immerse the reader and put them in that headspace to receive the atmosphere you're trying to convey. Writing is a craft have fun with it! Create worlds that readers will yearn for.

Because let's be honest, everyone is nostalgic for somewhere--a different time or place. Nostalgia and yearning to be in the world you created are a great way to connect with your readers. Use it to your advantage because our words are powerful. They can bring out emotions. Tears of sorrow, joy. . . or even anger and frustration. Let your words be intentional.

Embrace the nostalgia.