Time of Day
SUMMARY:
Changing a safe, familiar place from day to night spikes suspense fundamentally by stripping away the character's control over their environment. When daylight disappears, a space that once felt safe, predictable, and open instantly transforms into an unpredictable hazard.
A mundane school hallway or suburban street becomes a claustrophobic, shadow-drenched labyrinth where the protective safety net of society is evacuated. Ultimately, this shift forces characters to navigate a high-stakes environment while fighting primal paranoia and biological exhaustion, turning the setting itself into an active psychological antagonist. This forces characters to face their deepest fears while exhausted and panicked, turning the setting itself into the ultimate enemy!
Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra
EXERCISE:
Write a scene once during the daytime. Then again, in the same setting during night or evening time!