Monday, November 16, 2009

Food and Writing


Ratatoille for dinner tonight.

I try to include cooking, and food, in my writing from time to time. I just like the way it seems to tie things down, and add another element to a story. It gives you an added chance to bring all the senses into play, and it can be mundane or exotic, as the situation dictates.

Eating is one of the most basic needs, and it adds a layer of believability to a charactor for him to partake in it from time to time. It allows for statements to be made about a character's tastes and personality, without coming right out and saying it. Food is a background in and of itself, and the different places and ways it is served makes for excellent settings. A simple cooler full of sandwiches can set the atmosphere as much as a spiced rack of lamb over a brazier of hot coals. It says something about the partakers, and it helps create the mood.

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