Worldbuilding for Masochists Episode 176: Atmospheric Conditions, ft. H.M. LONG
One of the things that can make a novel memorable is its atmosphere. So what do we mean, exactly, when we use that word, and how do we craft it? Guest H. M. Long joins us to attempt to answer that question amid the nebulous, numinous clouds of vibes and aesthetics.
Not every author's going to interpret it the same way, but it's a bit about the mood, a bit about how the setting creates the mood, a bit about the characters' sensory experiences and their memories of those sensory experiences, a bit about what details you use to pull the reader into the character's experience of the world. It's a bit about weather, a bit about lighting, a bit about the score and soundtrack you're trying to put in a reader's head. Writers can use common shorthands, familiar references, quick sketches of setting, vocabulary choices, and other tools to hack their reader's minds and invoke a particular energy and vibrance for their story.
Our Guest:
Hannah (H. M.) Long is a Canadian fantasy author. She inhabits a ramshackle cabin in Ontario with her family, but she can often be spotted snooping about museums or wandering the Alps.
Hannah writes for Titan Books and is the author of the Four Pillars Quartet (Hall of Smoke), the Winter Sea Trilogy (Dark Water Daughter), the Entwined Duology (2026), Ashmarked (2027), and more.
For the latest updates, follow Hannah on TikTok (@hmlongbooks), Instagram (@hmlongbooks), and Twitter (@hannah_m_long).