descriptive essay on stormy night

Essay on A Stormy Night in English (150, 200, 250, 500 Words)

Here, we’ve presented essays on “A Stormy Night” in 150, 200, 250 & 500 word samples. All the essays will be helpful for students of all classes i.e. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 & class 12.

Table of Contents

Essay on A Stormy Night in 150 Words

Introduction.

A Stormy Night can be both frightening and exhilarating. The dark clouds looming overhead, the sound of thunder echoing in the distance, and the flashes of lightning illuminating the sky create an atmosphere charged with anticipation.

Description

As the storm rages on, the wind howls fiercely, rattling windows and doors. Rain pelts down relentlessly, turning the streets into rivers. The air is thick with the smell of wet earth, and the sound of branches snapping under the pressure of the gusts adds to the chaos.

Despite the chaos and destruction that a stormy night may bring, there is a certain beauty in its raw power. It reminds us of the forces of nature that are beyond our control and instills in us a sense of humility. In the aftermath of the storm, as the clouds part and the sky clears, there is a feeling of renewal and hope, knowing that we have weathered the tempest and emerged stronger on the other side.

A Stormy Night Essay in 200 Words

A Stormy Night evokes a mix of emotions, ranging from fear to awe. The ominous clouds gathering overhead and the distant rumble of thunder set the stage for an evening filled with anticipation and uncertainty.

As the storm intensifies, flashes of lightning illuminate the sky, casting eerie shadows on the landscape below. The wind howls through the trees, bending them to its will, while rain lashes against windows with relentless force. In the darkness, every sound is amplified, heightening the sense of drama and urgency.

The impact of a stormy night extends beyond the physical realm. It disrupts our sense of normalcy, forcing us to confront our vulnerability in the face of nature’s wrath. Yet, amidst the chaos, there is a strange beauty in the raw power of the elements, a reminder of the forces that shape our world.

In the aftermath of the storm, as the clouds disperse and the calm returns, there is a sense of relief tempered with respect. We emerge from the night stronger and more resilient, humbled by the experience and grateful for the chance to witness nature’s grand spectacle.

Essay Writing on A Stormy Night in 250 Words

A Stormy Night carries with it a sense of foreboding and excitement. The dark clouds looming overhead and the distant rumble of thunder signal the arrival of nature’s fury, setting the stage for an evening of suspense and drama.

As the storm gathers strength, the sky is illuminated by jagged bolts of lightning, painting the landscape in stark relief. The wind howls through the trees, bending them to its will, while rain pelts down with relentless force, drumming a chaotic rhythm on rooftops and windows. In the darkness, every sound is magnified, heightening the sense of urgency and apprehension.

The impact of a stormy night extends beyond the physical realm, stirring emotions and challenging our sense of security. It reminds us of our vulnerability in the face of nature’s power, forcing us to confront our fears and limitations. Yet, amidst the chaos, there is a strange beauty in the raw power of the elements, a reminder of the awe-inspiring forces that shape our world.

In the aftermath of the storm, as the clouds disperse and the calm returns, there is a sense of relief mixed with introspection. We emerge from the night with a renewed appreciation for the fragile balance of life and a deeper understanding of our place in the natural order. The experience leaves an indelible mark on our psyche, serving as a reminder of the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

A Stormy Night is not merely a meteorological event but a metaphor for the ebb and flow of life itself. It teaches us to weather the storms with grace and resilience, knowing that even in the darkest of nights, there is always the promise of a new dawn.

Writing Essay on A Stormy Night in 500 Words

A Stormy Night is a visceral experience that taps into primal emotions, blending fear, awe, and fascination into a potent mix. The anticipation builds as the sky darkens, the air grows heavy, and the first distant rumble of thunder echoes on the horizon.

Growing up in a coastal town, I’ve had my fair share of encounters with stormy nights. One particular memory stands out vividly in my mind. It was a summer evening, and a storm was brewing offshore. As the clouds gathered ominously, my family and I hurried to secure the windows and gather essentials, bracing ourselves for the onslaught of wind and rain.

As the storm rolled in, the atmosphere was charged with electricity. Lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating the landscape in brief, dazzling bursts. The wind howled relentlessly, rattling the windows and shaking the walls of our house. Rain lashed against the roof with such force that it sounded like a thousand drummers pounding away in unison.

Despite the chaos unfolding outside, there was a strange sense of tranquility within our home. We huddled together, finding solace in each other’s presence as we rode out the storm. The power flickered ominously, threatening to plunge us into darkness, but we remained steadfast, our spirits undaunted by the forces of nature raging outside.

The impact of a stormy night extends far beyond the physical realm. It stirs emotions deep within us, awakening primal instincts that lie dormant beneath the surface. There is a sense of vulnerability that comes with witnessing nature’s raw power unleashed in all its fury, a reminder of our own insignificance in the grand scheme of things.

Yet, amidst the chaos, there is also a sense of wonder and awe. Despite the destruction it may leave in its wake, there is a certain beauty in the way a storm commands our attention, demanding to be reckoned with. It is a humbling experience, a reminder that we are merely passengers on this journey called life, subject to the whims of the natural world.

In the aftermath of the storm, as the clouds part and the calm returns, there is a moment of introspection. We emerge from the darkness with a newfound appreciation for the fragile beauty of life and the resilience of the human spirit. We are reminded of our own strength and capacity to endure, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

As I look back on that stormy night from my childhood, I am filled with a sense of gratitude for the experience. It taught me valuable lessons about resilience, humility, and the enduring power of family and community. It is a memory that I will carry with me always, a reminder of the profound impact that nature can have on our lives.

A Stormy Night is more than just a meteorological event; it is a transformative experience that shapes us in ways we may not fully understand. It reminds us of our place in the natural order of things and the interconnectedness of all living beings. It is a reminder that, no matter how fierce the storm may be, there is always the promise of a new day dawning on the horizon.

Related Posts

Essay on zoo in english (150, 200, 250, 500 words).

• May 26, 2024

Essay on Zero Hunger in English (150, 200, 250, 500 Words)

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Name  *

Email  *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Post Comment

How To Describe Night In Writing (100 Best Words + Examples)

As a writer, I know all too well the challenges that come with describing the essence of the night.

That’s why I’ve put together this guide to help you master the art of writing about the night.

Here is how to describe night in writing:

Describe night in writing by using vivid sensory details, metaphors, and character reactions to evoke the atmosphere, emotions, and complexities of the nocturnal world. Shift night imagery for unforgettable storytelling in different genres.

Keep reading to learn over 100 words and examples of how to describe night in writing.

Understanding the Intricacies of Nighttime Descriptions

Table of Contents

When it comes to understanding nighttime descriptions, it’s essential to recognize the intricacies of night.

And to develop a keen eye for the subtle details that set it apart from the day.

As daylight gradually fades, elements like the absence of light, the emergence of shadows, and the contrast between sounds and silence become crucial for painting a vivid picture of the night.

Night has the unique ability to transform any setting into a canvas for significant character actions or revelations. It lends itself to engaging the senses and conjuring emotions that resonate with the human experience. To effectively capture the essence of night, a writer must skilfully navigate the intricacies of this complex landscape.

Different writing techniques for night scenes can bring to life the rich tapestry of the nocturnal world, fostering a connection with readers and inviting them to immerse themselves in the story.

Here are a few pointers to keep in mind:

• Observe how objects and characters cast shadows under the moonlight, creating a play of light and darkness that can heighten the drama and atmosphere of a scene.
• Consider the unique sounds of the night, such as the hoot of an owl, the rustle of leaves, or the whisper of the wind as it weaves through branches.
• Pay attention to the interplay between the senses and the emotions of the night, with silence often evoking a profound sense of awe, mystery, or solitude.

Mastering the art of nighttime descriptions requires both an eye for detail and an understanding of its inherent metaphorical value.

By seamlessly weaving the literal and the metaphorical, a writer can craft a gripping night scene that transports readers into the heartbeat of the story’s world.

The Role of Atmosphere in Crafting Night Scenes

The atmosphere is pivotal in night scene descriptions, guiding the reader’s emotions and setting the narrative tone.

Vivid sensory experiences help in concocting an immersive atmosphere that is as tangible to the reader as the darkness itself.

In this section, we will explore the importance of sensory details and emotions in nighttime narratives, and how they intertwine with our inner thoughts, making night scenes richer and more engaging.

Setting the Tone with Sensory Details

Sensory details can capture the essence of a night scene, evoking the night’s quiet majesty.

They provide a backdrop for reflective moments and draw the reader into the story using the five senses. Consider some sensory details that you can use to bring your night scene to life:

• Visual: The moon casting a soft, silver glow on a quiet street.
• Auditory: The distant hoot of an owl or the haunting whisper of the wind.
• Olfactory: The crisp, cool air carrying the faint scent of fresh blossoms.
• Touch: The dampness of dew-covered grass beneath the character’s feet.
• Taste: The character savoring a warm drink on a chilly night.

By including these sensory details, you can set the tone of your night scenes and create a vivid, atmospheric setting that envelops the reader.

Emotions and the Night: Reflecting Inner Thoughts

The interplay of emotions and nighttime is a powerful narrative device.

Night can mirror a character’s inner thoughts and serve as a metaphor for the turmoil, tranquility, or mystery they experience.

It is a period of contemplation, amplifying the character’s emotional state, whether it’s the euphoria of falling stars or the agitation of shadows that resemble past fears.

To harness the emotional power of night, consider these tips:

• Align sensory impressions with the character’s psychological state. For example, the sharp coldness of the night could reflect their inner turmoil.
• Contrast the night’s serenity with the character’s emotional upheaval, heightening the impact of their internal struggles.
• Utilize the darkness as a catalyst for introspection, prompting the character to dig deeper into their thoughts and feelings.

Ultimately, by aligning sensory impressions with psychological states, night scenes become a medium to delve deeper into the corners of the character’s psyche.

Combine sensory details and emotions to create atmospheric night settings that resonate with readers.

Utilizing a Rich Vocabulary to Portray Night

Effectively portraying a night in writing relies heavily on a rich vocabulary.

The proper selection of descriptive words not only evokes different shades of night but also conveys various emotions and atmospheres. Whether describing the color of the sky or the feel of nocturnal air, careful word choice can transport readers into the night scene you create.

Incorporating a range of sensory words and varying degrees of specificity can enhance your nighttime descriptions.

For example, simple but potent words like  quiet  set the tone, while more specific color descriptors such as  crimson  or  azure  paint a distinct picture of the night in the reader’s mind.

Below is a table showcasing different words and phrases that can be used to portray various aspects of the night:

Tapping into this diverse vocabulary allows you to craft vivid and immersive night scenes.

Each word carries unique connotations that can resonate with the reader, enhancing their connection to the narrative.

When used effectively, these descriptive words for the night can transform your writing, painting a vibrant picture of the night and drawing readers further into your story.

30 Best Words to Describe Night in Writing

When it comes to describing night scenes in writing, the choice of words plays a crucial role in painting a vivid picture.

Here are 30 of the best words to help you capture the essence of the night:

• Star-studded

30 Best Phrases to Describe Night in Writing

Crafting a captivating night scene often involves using descriptive phrases that evoke the atmosphere and emotions of the nocturnal world.

Here are 30 of the best phrases to help you master the art of describing night in writing:

• “The moon cast a soft, silver glow.”
• “Stars adorned the velvety sky.”
• “Shadows danced in the moonlight.”
• “The night was cloaked in mystery.”
• “A serene, moonlit meadow stretched before us.”
• “The darkness whispered secrets.”
• “Nocturnal creatures stirred in the silence.”
• “The night sky was a canvas of stars.”
• “Moonbeams kissed the earth.”
• “The night held its breath.”
• “Darkness enveloped everything.”
• “The stars blinked like diamonds.”
• “The moon hung low, a glowing orb.”
• “The night was alive with whispers.”
• “A blanket of stars covered the sky.”
• “The night air was cool and crisp.”
• “Shadows played tricks on the senses.”
• “The night exuded a sense of enchantment.”
• “The world was bathed in moonlight.”
• “Silence settled like a shroud.”
• “The night was a tapestry of shadows.”
• “The stars shimmered with a celestial grace.”
• “The moonlight painted everything in silver.”
• “The night was a realm of dreams.”
• “The darkness held its secrets close.”
• “The night sky was a sea of stars.”
• “The night whispered of ancient mysteries.”
• “The moon’s glow was a guiding light.”
• “Shadows clung to the edges of reality.”
• “The night was a time for reflection.”

Writing Techniques: Going Beyond the Visuals

When crafting an engaging nighttime scene, writers must venture beyond the visuals to captivate the reader fully.

Using sounds and the sense of touch is essential for developing a rich, multi-dimensional narrative.

This section delves into incorporating sounds and silence for dramatic effect and the touch and texture of darkness in writing.

Incorporating Sounds and Silence for Effect

The sounds of night can have powerful effects on the atmosphere and emotional impact of a scene.

Thundering roars, rustling leaves, or the sudden absence of sound can all contribute to the mood of a scene. These auditory cues help create a vivid, believable setting for readers to immerse themselves in.

Consider incorporating the following techniques to represent the sounds of night and the role of silence in your writing:

• Use auditory details  to paint a fuller picture of the environment.
• Utilize silence  as a storytelling device, heightening suspense or emphasizing a moment of reflection.
• Experiment with sound  to create contrast and tension within a scene.

Silence in writing can be as impactful as the sounds themselves, emphasizing the stark difference between the quiet of the night and the sudden eruption of noise that disrupts the calm.

The Touch and Texture of Darkness

Describing touch at night is another essential aspect of crafting a compelling nighttime scene.

The tactile experience of the night is as evocative as its visual counterpart, with the cool breeze raising goosebumps, the damp fog clinging to the skin, and the unsettling sensation of unseen objects brushing against a character.

When done effectively, these tactile descriptions in writing can make the darkness feel like a comforting shroud or an ominous presence looming over the narrative.

The following list includes tips on including touch and texture in your writing:

• Describe the night’s touch  as it interacts with the character’s skin, clothing, and surroundings.
• Highlight the texture of darkness , including the roughness or smoothness of surfaces, the dampness of fog, or a character’s emotional response to the touch of night.
• Consider how the sense of touch  contributes to character development and advances the story’s plot.

Colorful Language: Painting the Night in Words

Descriptive language is essential in painting the night scene, employing shades like “scarlet,” “indigo,” or “emerald” to depict the sky’s canvas.

Such language transforms the scene into a vivid tableau, enabling readers to visualize the unique hues and tones the night unfolds.

Descriptive words for colors like “burgundy” or “magenta” not only portray the scene but also add emotional weight, enhancing the reader’s connection to the narrative.

Let us explore the variety of words that can be employed to describe the myriad shades and hues of the night sky:

Maximizing Impact with Metaphors and Similes

Metaphors and similes are essential tools in the arsenal of a writer, allowing them to create rich and expressive night descriptions.

These literary devices make it possible for writers to craft relatable, evocative scenes that draw powerful parallels between nighttime and universal experiences, enriching the narrative and fostering deeper connections with the reader’s own memories and emotions.

Comparing Nighttime to Universal Experiences

Similes and metaphors have the power to transform ordinary descriptions into captivating and imaginative prose.

They can liken the dark to a velvet blanket that envelops the world in its gentle embrace or compare stars to a multitude of diamonds scattered across the heavens, casting their ethereal glow upon the earth below. By relating nighttime to familiar experiences, writers can breathe life into their descriptions, making them truly memorable and vivid.

When employing metaphors and similes in your writing, consider the following examples:

• The night sky unfolded like an ebony tapestry, with the constellations embroidered in silver threads.
• Shadows danced and flickered on the walls, creating a haunting ballet of light and dark.
• The moon’s radiance carved a shimmering path across the water, mirroring the celestial bridge found in ancient myths.

Keep in mind the importance of balance when using metaphors and similes in your writing.

Overuse can lead to cluttered prose and detract from the impact of your descriptions. Use these devices sparingly and thoughtfully, ensuring they effectively enhance your narrative rather than overwhelming it.

Character Reactions and the Night: A Dynamic Tool

Exploring character reactions to the night serves as a dynamic storytelling tool in writing.

A character’s interaction with the night can range from a confrontation with their fears to a moment of serenity or revelation. Emotional responses to the night are as diverse as the characters themselves, allowing for the exploration of profound personal journeys influenced by the cloak of darkness.

These reactions can serve as a pivot for character development or as key moments that drive the plot forward.

In order to successfully incorporate character reactions to night into a story, consider the following aspects:

• Understanding the character’s background and personality, in order to establish how they might react to the night.
• Identifying how the night setting can influence each character’s inner emotions and thought processes.
• Developing a natural progression of the character’s journey, from initial reactions to ultimate revelations or actions.
• Utilizing sensory details, such as sights, sounds, and textures, to heighten the emotional response and connection of the character to their surroundings.
• Employing narrative devices, such as flashbacks or introspection, to delve deeper into the character’s past experiences and how they relate to their current situation.

Notable authors have expertly utilized character reactions to night to enrich their narratives.

For example, in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s  The Great Gatsby , the nighttime setting serves as a backdrop for Gatsby’s extravagant parties, highlighting his desires and insecurities.

In contrast, the darkness of night in Charlotte Brontë’s  Jane Eyre  signifies Jane’s feelings of isolation and despair as she struggles to navigate societal expectations and discover her own identity.

The table below outlines various emotional responses to the night and how they can contribute to writing character dynamics:

Writing about the Darkness: Invoking Mystery and Fear

Writing about darkness has the power to reach into our core, tapping into primal emotions such as mystery and fear.

It serves as both a metaphorical and literal backdrop for danger, unknown elements, or even supernatural encounters.

By employing darkness as a narrative driver, writers can create experiences that keep readers on the edge of their seats, cementing engagement and intrigue.

Using Darkness to Drive the Narrative

When incorporating darkness into a story, there are several strategies that can drive the narrative forward.

These strategies contribute to a tense atmosphere and lie in setting up obstacles for characters, stirring tension, and laying the groundwork for suspenseful action.

The unknown aspects of the night provide a myriad of opportunities to cultivate fear and mystery in the reader’s mind.

Here is a chart that breaks down some helpful strategies:

Exploring the Twofold Nature of Night’s Tranquility and Turbulence

The twofold nature of night is a fascinating element in storytelling, offering writers countless opportunities to craft engaging narratives that capture the essence of both tranquil night scenes and turbulent night writing.

As the darkness wraps itself around the world, it reveals the duality of night.

You can use this duality to showcase how peaceful moments can intertwine with chaotic events, reflecting the complexities of human emotions and experiences.

To understand the twofold nature of night, let’s first delve into the serenity that can envelop the nocturnal landscape.

Tranquil night scenes depict nature at its most peaceful, showcasing a world untouched by human worries.

Stars glitter above, casting a calming glow upon the quiet earth below, while the gentle rustle of leaves sings a lullaby to the slumbering world. These moments of stillness can provide the most evocative settings for introspection, personal growth, or emotional connection between characters.

On the other hand, turbulent night writing employs darkness to create tension, suspense, or fear.

The howling wind and stormy skies set in stark contrast to the serenity of tranquil night scenes. These moments serve to bring out the raw, primal emotions within characters, forcing them to confront adversity, battle their fears, or come face-to-face with their deepest anxieties.

The Power of Short Sentences and Fragments in Night Imagery

Short sentences and fragments wield considerable power in night imagery.

This writing technique reinforces the themes of darkness and night by mimicking the shadows and disjointed glimpses that emerge in low light.

It creates a rhythm reflective of the night’s ebb and flow.

You can guide the reader through the narrative in abrupt, sometimes breathless, spurts that can increase tension or underscore a moment of clarity within the darkness.

Consider these examples:

• Stars blinked in and out. A hush fell. Shadows danced.
• Moonlight sliced through darkness. Cold air whispered. Teeth chattered.
• Rain lashed the window. Thunder menaced. Breath shuddered.

Each example above showcases short sentences or fragments that mimic the fleeting nature of night scenes.

By truncating the length of sentences, the writer sets a  distinctive tempo —one that effectively captures the essence of night and transports the reader into the story.

Fragments in particular can serve as impactful standalone statements, leaving room for interpretation and heightening the sense of mystery. Not confined by traditional grammatical rules, they are free to support or disrupt a narrative flow, making them potent tools for night imagery.

She hesitated. Darkness clawed at her heart. Eerie silence.

In the example above, the fragment “ Eerie silence ” punctuates the sequence and provokes a sense of unease through its abruptness.

Fragments like this one become a powerful storytelling device in night imagery, condensing tension or emotion into brief, visceral moments.

Here is a good video about writing techniques you can use to describe night in writing:

Conclusion: How to Describe Night in Writing

Mastering the art of describing night opens doors to captivating storytelling.

Explore more articles on our website to further enhance your writing skills and craft immersive narratives.

Read This Next

• How to Describe a Sunset in Writing: 100 Best Words & Phrases
• 57 Best Ways to Describe Buildings in Writing (+ Examples)
• 400+ Words to Describe a Flower Garden: Best Writers Guide
• How to Describe the Wind in Writing (100 Words + Examples)

Research Gate – Research on Nighttime

Essay on A Stormy Day

Students are often asked to write an essay on A Stormy Day in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on A Stormy Day

The arrival of the storm.

A stormy day is a thrilling experience. Dark clouds gather in the sky. The sun hides, and the day becomes as dark as night. The wind begins to blow wildly. It’s as if nature is warning us about the storm.

The Storm’s Peak

When the storm comes, it’s very fierce. Rain falls heavily, like buckets of water being poured from the sky. Thunder roars loudly, and lightning flashes across the sky. It’s both scary and exciting at the same time.

Effects of the Storm

The storm causes many changes. Streets become rivers, and trees sway wildly. Sometimes, the power goes out because of the storm. It’s a day when we have to stay indoors for safety.

After the Storm

After the storm, everything is calm and quiet. The air is fresh, and the earth looks clean. Puddles are left behind, reflecting the clear sky. It’s as if nature has been washed and renewed. It’s a beautiful sight after the chaos of the storm.

Also check:

250 Words Essay on A Stormy Day

Introduction.

A stormy day can be a memorable experience. It’s a time when the sky turns dark, the wind roars, and the rain pours down. This essay will describe a stormy day in simple words that anyone can understand.

The Morning

The day started like any other, with a clear sky and bright sun. But as the morning went on, the sky started to change. It turned from blue to grey, and then almost black. The sun disappeared, and the temperature dropped.

The Afternoon

By the afternoon, the storm had come. The wind was so strong it could knock you over. The trees swayed and shook, and leaves flew through the air. The rain came down in sheets, making it hard to see anything.

The Evening

As the evening came, the storm was still going strong. The lightning lit up the sky, and the thunder was so loud it made the windows shake. But despite the noise and the rain, there was something beautiful about the storm.

500 Words Essay on A Stormy Day

A stormy day can be an exciting event, especially for those who enjoy the thrill of nature’s power. The day starts out like any other, with the sun shining brightly in the sky. But slowly, things begin to change. The sky turns dark, and the wind starts to pick up. The leaves on the trees rustle loudly, and the air becomes heavy with the smell of rain.

The Sky’s Transformation

One of the most noticeable things on a stormy day is the sky. It changes from a bright, clear blue to a dark, heavy gray. Thick clouds roll in, covering the sun and casting long shadows on the ground. The clouds move quickly, driven by the strong winds that come with the storm. The light from the sun becomes dim, and everything takes on a grayish hue.

The Power of the Wind

The rain’s downpour.

Then comes the rain. It starts as a light drizzle, but quickly turns into a heavy downpour. The raindrops hit the ground with a loud, rhythmic sound, creating puddles and turning the streets into rivers. The rain can be so heavy that it’s hard to see anything more than a few feet away. It’s a powerful display of nature’s might.

The Aftermath of the Storm

Once the storm has passed, things start to calm down. The rain stops, the wind dies down, and the clouds begin to clear. The sun peeks out from behind the clouds, casting a warm, golden light on everything. The air smells fresh and clean, and there’s a sense of peace and quiet. It’s as if the world has been washed clean and is ready to start anew.

In conclusion, a stormy day is not just about the rain, wind, and clouds. It’s about experiencing the power of nature and the beauty that comes with it. It’s a day to remember and appreciate the world we live in.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

How To Describe A Night In Writing Much Better

When you describe a night in writing, you are setting the scene for your story or a new chapter.

You want to show your readers the setting rather than tell them about the night using a couple of quick adjectives.

Highly descriptive or figurative language and a variety of grammar structures help you paint the picture more vividly in a reader’s mind.

In almost every story, fiction and nonfiction, there is usually at least one reference to a night.

Article Contents

How to describe a night

It was a dark and stormy night.

This opening line from Edward Bulwer-Lytton’s 1830 novel, Paul Clifford , is now almost a cliché for poor writing.

Writer’s Digest called it the literary poster child for bad story starters.

The main problem is that it uses two very weak adjectives: dark and stormy. Neither of them is highly descriptive.

Another weakness is that it starts with a grammatical expletive .

Writing about a night using it was or there was is a common writing weakness. We so often refer to a night as it, like the weather .

A better way is to think about imagery and sensory details.

For example, the gentle rustling of leaves in the night breeze or the distant glow of city lights use nouns to start the description.

You can also use metaphors or similes  to add more meaning and depth to the depiction of night.

By avoiding it was, clichés, or a couple of weak adjectives, you can easily improve your descriptions of a night.

An easy formula to use

When you write about a night, here’s a little trick you can use.

Start with a noun phrase, add a strong verb, followed by a descriptive clause.

You add more detail by describing nouns and verbs with adjectives and adverbs.

Here’s a short example.

Moonbeams pierced through the canopy of the forest, illuminating patches of the forest floor with a ghostly glow as the distant hoot of an owl mingled with the soft rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze.

It’s an easy way to avoid the grammatical expletive followed by one or two weak adjectives.

You can also experiment with similes or metaphors.

For example, Moonbeams sliced through the dense canopy of the forest like silvery blades .

Or, Moonbeams were silver threads woven through the dense canopy of the forest.

As you can see, it is very easy to describe a night much better by concentrating on the noun that starts the descriptive sentence or sentences.

When you do this, a stronger verb is always much easier to find.

The three quick examples above show that the verbs following the noun moonbeams are pierced, sliced , and woven .

All of these are strong descriptive verbs. You can see how easy it is to follow the formula of a noun phrase, strong verb, and descriptive clause.

Quick examples of describing a night

If you need some inspiration, here are ten quick examples of describing a night.

Each example has a short note explaining how and why each description works.

You are welcome to copy, change, or modify any of these examples.

1. A thick blanket of darkness enveloped the town, with only the occasional flicker of streetlights to guide the way.

The phrase “thick blanket of darkness” creates a sense of suffocating, pervasive night, while the “occasional flicker of streetlights” adds a touch of hope and guidance.

2. The moon hung low and full, casting an ethereal glow over the silent landscape.

Describing the moon as “low and full” and its light as “ethereal” imbues the scene with a mystical, almost otherworldly quality.

3. Night fell swiftly, bringing with it a chill that seeped into the bones and a quiet that felt almost tangible.

This description captures the sudden onset of night and its physical effects (“chill that seeped into the bones”) and the palpable silence, creating an immersive experience.

4. Shadows danced in the flickering lamplight, creating an eerie, almost magical atmosphere.

Personifying the shadows as “dancing” adds movement and life to the scene, while “eerie, almost magical” suggests a blend of the supernatural and enchanting.

5. The midnight breeze whispered through the trees, rustling leaves like a gentle lullaby.

The “midnight breeze whispered” and “gentle lullaby” use soft, soothing sounds to evoke a peaceful, calming night.

6. The darkness was absolute, swallowing everything in its path and leaving only the sounds of the night to guide the way.

The phrase “darkness was absolute” emphasizes total darkness, while “sounds of the night to guide the way” suggests relying on auditory senses, enhancing the immersive experience.

7. A crescent moon hung delicately in the sky, its pale light bathing the world in a soft, silvery sheen.

The “crescent moon hung delicately” creates a fragile, delicate image, and “soft, silvery sheen” adds a gentle, calming visual element.

8. The quiet of the night was broken only by the distant howl of a lone wolf, echoing through the forest.

This description uses the “distant howl of a lone wolf” to introduce a haunting, solitary sound that breaks the silence, adding tension and mystery.

9. The air was cool and crisp, the scent of pine mingling with the faint aroma of a nearby campfire.

This description engages multiple senses (touch and smell), making the scene vivid and tangible. It also evokes the cozy, natural setting of a campfire.

10. The city’s nightlife buzzed with energy, a stark contrast to the serene, star-filled sky above.

The “nightlife buzzed with energy” contrasts with the “serene, star-filled sky,” highlighting the juxtaposition between the bustling city and the peaceful night sky, adding dynamic tension.

The examples of how to describe a night in this article are relatively concise.

You can certainly make your descriptions much longer and better. It simply reminds you that you can always improve your descriptive writing skills for almost anything or anyone.

Setting a scene in a story always requires careful thought and plenty of imagination. In summary, remember these two simple tricks.

1. Don’t use the grammatical expletive when referring to a night.

2. Use descriptive noun phrases and strong verbs.

Do those two things, and the rest of your night scene setting will be easy to write.

Related Reading: What Do You Call Words That Sound Like Noises?

About The Author

Derek Haines

More articles.

Writing Naked – You Are Always Baring Your Soul To Your Readers

Should Writers Fear AI? No, But You Need To Adapt

What Makes A Writer, A Great Writer? Hard Work

Leave a comment cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

To prevent spam, all comments are moderated and will be published upon approval. Submit your comment only once, please.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Privacy Overview

• How to Cite
• Language & Lit
• Rhyme & Rhythm
• The Rewrite
• Search Glass

How to Describe a Storm in Writing

Whether they're ruthless tornadoes or torrential hurricanes, storms can add atmosphere and conflict to a personal narrative or story. The use of vivid description is a crucial tool for bringing these weather phenomena to life on paper and moving your plot forward. Using figurative language and active verbs can help you place readers right in the middle of the rain, wind and thunder.

Mighty Metaphors and Storm Similes

A simile is a type of description that makes an explicit comparison between two things using the words "like" or "as." A metaphor, by contrast, is a direct comparison that does not use these words. You can use these devices to create surprising descriptions of your storm. If you're describing a hailstorm, for example, you might use a simile to write, "The hailstones clattered to the ground like marbles spilled from a box." To use a metaphor, you might write, "An avalanche of hailstones fell from the sky."

The Sound of Storms

In real life, the sounds of nature are often key indicators of approaching storms. You can bring these sound effects to your descriptions by using onomatopoeia, a device where words mimic the sounds of their meaning. For example, if a thunderstorm figures prominently in your story, the thunder could "rumble" or "boom," rain could "patter" against the windows" and wind could "rush" across a field. Try making a list of all the sounds the storm in your narrative might involve and brainstorm onomatopoeic words to describe them.

The Character of Storms

If a storm is central to your story's conflict, you might consider having the weather literally take on a life of its own. Personification occurs when a writer gives human characteristics, such as actions and emotions, to an inanimate object. If your characters are trapped in open water during a hurricane, you might write, "The angry waves smacked against the side of the boat." Although water can't feel anger, the description of the waves as "angry" adds emotional texture and characterization to the storm.

Vivid Verbs

Because bad weather can often get out of control, describing a storm is not the time to skimp on verb usage. Weak verbs, such as "was" or "were," drain your descriptions of energy rather than infuse them with detail. Using specific, active verbs for the storm's motion gives readers a more detailed image of the story's events. For example, the sentence, "The dark sky was lit up by lightning," is a good start, but revising it to include an active verb can make the description even more forceful: "Lightning flashed across the sky."

• Western Michigan University: Basics of Metaphor and Simile
• Read Write Think: Onomatopoeia
• Universal Design for Learning: Literary Devices: Personification
• Writing Commons: Avoid Unnecessary "To Be" Verbs"

Kori Morgan holds a Bachelor of Arts in professional writing and a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing and has been crafting online and print educational materials since 2006. She taught creative writing and composition at West Virginia University and the University of Akron and her fiction, poetry and essays have appeared in numerous literary journals.

24/7 writing help on your phone

To install StudyMoose App tap and then “Add to Home Screen”

Stormy Night - Free Essay Examples and Topic Ideas

Stormy night is a weather condition in which there is intense rainfall, strong winds, thunder, and lightning, usually occurring during the night time.

• 📘 Free essay examples for your ideas about Stormy Night
• 🏆 Best Essay Topics on Stormy Night
• ⚡ Simple & Stormy Night Easy Topics
• 🎓 Good Research Topics about Stormy Night

Essay examples

Essay topic.

Save to my list

Remove from my list

• Hitchcock vs. Poe
• Two gentlemen of verona
• A stormy night is brewing
• A stormy night is on the horizon
• A stormy night is coming
• A stormy night is approaching
• Close Analysis of Act 3 Scene 4 of King Lear
• Faith in “Life of Pi”
• A Day Alone in My House
• A stormy night is imminent
• A stormy night is about to begin
• A stormy night is about to start
• Possible Topics for The Crucible
• A stormy night is setting in
• Analysis “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe
• The House Negro and the Field Negro
• The Interlopers by Saki
• Analysis “The Ormolu Clock” by Muriel Spark
• A stormy night is taking over
• A stormy night is engulfing
• HouseHold Fixing Service’s A PROJECT REPORT Submitted by Bhargav
• A stormy night is raging
• Frankenstein’s feelings
• A stormy night is howling
• A stormy night is blowing
• A stormy night is raging outside
• A stormy night is brewing inside

FAQ about Stormy Night

👋 Hi! I’m your smart assistant Amy!

Don’t know where to start? Type your requirements and I’ll connect you to an academic expert within 3 minutes.

• Craft and Criticism
• Fiction and Poetry
• News and Culture
• Lit Hub Radio
• Reading Lists

• Literary Criticism
• Craft and Advice
• In Conversation
• On Translation
• Short Story
• From the Novel
• Bookstores and Libraries
• Film and TV
• Art and Photography
• Freeman’s
• The Virtual Book Channel
• Behind the Mic
• Beyond the Page
• The Cosmic Library
• The Critic and Her Publics
• Emergence Magazine
• Fiction/Non/Fiction
• First Draft: A Dialogue on Writing
• The History of Literature
• I’m a Writer But
• Lit Century
• The Lit Hub Podcast
• Tor Presents: Voyage Into Genre
• Windham-Campbell Prizes Podcast
• Write-minded
• The Best of the Decade
• Best Reviewed Books
• BookMarks Daily Giveaway
• The Daily Thrill
• CrimeReads Daily Giveaway

News, Notes, Talk

The secret history of your favorite bad writing cliché: “it was a dark and stormy night.”

“It was a dark and stormy night.” You’ve heard it a million times, seen it used in seriousness and in jest; it is the quintessential and cliché opening to a gothic novel or a ghost story, or as Zachary Petit once put it in Writer’s Digest , “the literary poster child for bad story starters.” But where, exactly, does it come from?

Common internet wisdom points to the opening line of Edward Bulwer-Lytton’s 1830 novel Paul Clifford , which is now otherwise rarely read. The full line goes like this:

It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents—except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness.

Holy adjectives, Edward. But in fact, Bulwer-Lytton didn’t invent the phrase—he only made it what it is today: a textbook example of melodramatic, overwritten prose. (And you can see why.) According to English professor Scott Rice (more on him below), “the line had been around for donkey’s years before Lytton decided to have fun with it.” It was at the very least used by Washington Irving in his 1809 satirical book A History of New York , though not as an opening line: “It was a dark and stormy night when the good Antony arrived at the creek (sagely denominated Haerlem river) which separates the island of Manna-hata from the mainland.” Whether Irving was actually the first person to string those seven words together, we don’t know, but we can only assume that it was somehow in the literary ether in the first half of the 19th century.

Since then, of course, it has been used for both good and for ill. It is the way that Madeleine L’Engle opens A Wrinkle in Time (it’s even on the back of the book as a teaser—though apparently early UK editions revised it to “It was a dark and stormy night in a small village in the United States,” which is much less catchy), and the way Ray Bradbury begins Let’s All Kill Constance , though not without an attendant wink:

It was a dark and stormy night.

Is that one way to catch your reader?

Well, then, it was a stormy night with dark rain pouring in drenches on Venice, California, the sky shattered by lightning at midnight.”

Edgar Allan Poe uses it in his 1832 short story “The Bargain Lost,” like this:

It was a dark and stormy night. The rain fell in cataracts; and drowsy citizens started, from dreams of the deluge, to gaze upon the boisterous sea, which foamed and bellowed for admittance into the proud towers and marble palaces.

Neil Gaiman lampshades it in Good Omens :

It wasn’t a dark and stormy night.

It should have been, but there’s the weather for you. For every mad scientist who’s had a convenient thunderstorm just on the night his Great Work is complete and lying on the slab, there have been dozens who’ve sat around aimlessly under the peaceful stars while Igor clocks up the overtime.

The internet has it that the phrase opens “some translations” of Andre Dumas’ 1844 swashbuckler The Three Musketeers , but I could only find a version toward the end, at the beginning of Chapter 65 (Trial). The original French is “ C’était une nuit orageuse et sombre, de gros nuages couraient au ciel, voilant la clarté des étoiles; la lune ne devait se lever qu’à minuit. ” My translation reads “It was a stormy and dark night; vast clouds covered the heavens, concealing the stars; the moon would not rise much before midnight.”

The point is, it’s everywhere , played both straight and—more often, these days—not so straight. In 1982, an English professor at San Jose State University named Scott Rice founded the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest , in which entrants are challenged “to write an atrocious opening sentence to the worst novel never written.”

The 2021 winner, written by Stu Duval of Auckland, New Zealand, was chosen from about 4,500 entries. It goes like this: “A lecherous sunrise flaunted itself over a flatulent sea, ripping the obsidian bodice of night asunder with its rapacious fingers of gold, thus exposing her dusky bosom to the dawn’s ogling stare.” (But don’t miss the winners in the other categories , which include Vile Puns, Odious Outliers, and Western.)

Perhaps most famously, “It was a dark and stormy night” is the first sentence of every novel that World-Famous Author Snoopy tries to write in Charles Schultz’s Peanuts . It first popped up in July 1965 , and became such a popular running gag, with so many permutations, that he turned it into its own book in 1971, and the strips have been separately collected into a mini-anthology as well.

Here’s the text of Snoopy’s magnum opus, for the record:

It was a dark and stormy night. Suddenly, a shot rang out! A door slammed. The maid screamed.

Suddenly, a pirate ship appeared on the horizon! While millions of people were starving, the king lived in luxury. Meanwhile, on a small farm in Kansas, a boy was growing up.

A light snow was falling, and the little girl with the tattered shawl had not sold a violet all day.

At that very moment, a young intern at City Hospital was making an important discovery. The mysterious patient in Room 213 had finally awakened. She moaned softly. Could it be that she was the sister of the boy in Kansas who loved the girl with the tattered shawl who was the daughter of the maid who had escaped from the pirates?

And so the ranch was saved.

You have to admit, it’s got everything. Just don’t ask what happened to the king.

According to Susan Campbell, writing for the  Chicago Tribune , Rice contacted Schultz to ask him about his use of the phrase, and Schultz explained “that he didn’t know the phrase he appropriated for Snoopy’s thwarted attempts at literature was specific to any one author; he used it only because it was a standard pot-boiler opener that was always out there.”

In 2008, Bulwer-Lytton’s great-great-great grandson Henry Lytton Cobbold stepped up to defend his ancestor’s honor against Rice. “Bulwer-Lytton was a remarkable man and it’s rather unfair that Professor Rice decided to name the competition after him for entirely the wrong reasons,” he told The Guardian . “He was a great champion of the arts, and made such a huge difference to people in all walks of life . . . he was politician, writer, playwright and philosopher.” And as for the line itself? “To have been the first person to have penned a cliché was a mark of genius,” said Lytton Cobbold.

Rice was not impressed.”The ironic thing is: If Bulwer had a phobia, it was being made fun of,” Rice told Campbell. “He thought he was an ‘artiste,’ capital A. Artistes have special privileges. They don’t have to follow the rules like the rest of us.” Oh well.

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to print (Opens in new window)

to the Lithub Daily

September 13, 2024.

• A 4,000-year-old Babylonian cookbook
• Literature of Uyghur persecution and liberation
• The language of Black identity

Lit hub Radio

• RSS - Posts

Literary Hub

Created by Grove Atlantic and Electric Literature

Sign Up For Our Newsletters

How to Pitch Lit Hub

Advertisers: Contact Us

Privacy Policy

Support Lit Hub - Become A Member

Become a Lit Hub Supporting Member : Because Books Matter

For the past decade, Literary Hub has brought you the best of the book world for free—no paywall. But our future relies on you. In return for a donation, you’ll get an ad-free reading experience , exclusive editors’ picks, book giveaways, and our coveted Joan Didion Lit Hub tote bag . Most importantly, you’ll keep independent book coverage alive and thriving on the internet.

Become a member for as low as $5/month

• TOP CATEGORIES
• AS and A Level
• University Degree
• International Baccalaureate
• Uncategorised
• 5 Star Essays
• Study Tools
• Study Guides
• Meet the Team
• English Language
• Writing to Inform, Explain and Describe

It was a dark and stormy night

It was a dark and stormy night. The rain came down in torrents, soaking the solitary man to the skin. He stood alone, silent, still enveloped by the black of the night.

Had the sun been shining, this lonely man would have seen the flat green fields surrounding him and far in the distance a house stood, as solitary as the man. Yet the dark limited the man’s vision so the house vanished.

        Suddenly the man’s eyes snapped open. The look on his face was one of absolute horror as if he had no recollection of his coming to this place. He turned in a circle, taking in his surroundings and as he did, he felt something small and sharp touch his right leg. He ran his hand over his calf and felt nothing.

        As if to find a clue about why he was in this place, he glanced down at his clothes. Striped pyjamas clung to his legs and arms with the rain and the mud squelched between his bare toes.

        Something made a buzzing sound close to the man’s ear. He swatted around his head, but the buzzing still persisted.

What is it? He though. The buzzing became louder yet it seemed further away as if…..that’s it! He realised suddenly. The buzzing is in my head! As this though crossed his mind, terror crossed his face. The terror turned to anger as he hit himself over the head, hoping to dispel the unknown buzzing. One thought, and one thought only crossed his mind. Get it out. Over and over he heard these words, infuriating him but yet he listened.

This is a preview of the whole essay

        Like a man possessed, he put both hands to his head and shook it, but still the continuous high pitched buzzing still rang through his skull. He clawed at his face, his nails leaving trails of blood in his cheeks. Out, Out, Out. Furious at the voice in his head and verging on the edge of madness, the cuts in his face grew deeper as more and more blood trickled from the wounds.

        He fell, slowly and clumsily to the ground, silent, still. Dead.

                *                *                *                *

It was a dark and stormy night. The rain came down in torrents soaking the solitary man to the skin.

        On looking closer, a passer by may have seen the deep scars in the man’s face and the dried blood under his nails and had a doctor been examining the dead man, he would have found two tiny, almost microscopic holes in the man’s right calf, as if something had gone in and then come out of the man’s body, leaving almost no trace.        

        ‘Oh god! It’s a man.’ The girl stopped and shouted back to the boy behind her. She looked scared and as she neared, her fear turned to horror. The man’s face had deep lacerations and she could see the dried, red blood on his hands. His once blue stripy pyjamas were now caked with mud and his bare feet were now black.

        The boy ran past the girl who stood with her hands covering her mouth to stop herself from screaming. He knelt down by the dead man’s side and felt for a pulse.

‘He’s dead’

The girl broke down in tears whilst the boy reached for his phone.

‘Ambulance please. And the police.’

The boy stood up with the sun shining fiercely in his eyes and walked over to the girl. He put a comforting arm around her and wiped her tears with his sleeve.

‘Look at the scars on his face. What happened? It looks so terrible.’

The boy said nothing but pulled the girl tighter into his chest. The sound of ambulance sirens filled the air and the girl turned to face them.

        The boy stood up to talk to the ambulance men. ‘Don’t leave me here with…’ Her eyes turned to look at the dead man. She ran to follow the boy.

The ambulance man thanked the pair and turned to look at the dead man.

‘Let’s go. Please. Please can we go? I’m scared.’

They turned towards the road and walked away, leaving the ambulance crew treating the man. Both in stony silence as the girl reached for the boy’s hand. He acknowledged this with a smile and together they walked away. Away from the horrors behind them.

Document Details

• Word Count 738
• Page Count 2
• Subject English

Related Essays

It was a dark and stormy night, in the North Sea just off the coast of Gree...

A Stormy Night.

It Was a Dark Murky Night

The night was dark and the fog lay misty

• Forgiveness
• Resurrection

• Religious Music & Entertainment

Can You Do Better Than “It Was a Dark and Stormy Night…”?

What is your neighborhood like on a dark and stormy night? If you were asked to describe it, what would you write?

Here’s how a writer’s description might begin:

On a rainy winter evening, under the streetlights, young men in raincoats and hats hurry home through the howling wind, grumbling, while old folks cower under umbrellas on their way home to their cozy homes where their families and dogs and flat-screen TVs are waiting for them.

As the beginning of a story, that would be acceptable, I suppose.

But one writer wasn’t content with that. Read the beginning of his story. Read it out loud.

It was six o’clock on a winter’s evening. Thin, dingy rain spat and drizzled past the lighted street lamps. The pavements shone long and yellow. In squeaking galoshes, with mackintosh collars up and bowlers and trilbies weeping, youngish men from the offices bundled home against the thistly wind— ‘Night, Mr Macey.’ ‘Going my way, Charlie?’ ‘Ooh, there’s a pig of a night!’ ‘Good night, Mr Swan.’— and older men, clinging on to the big, black circular birds of their umbrellas, were wafted back, up the gaslit hills, to safe, hot, slippered, weatherproof hearths, and wives called Mother, and old, fold fleabag dogs, and the wireless babbling.

Now we’re talking.

A few weeks ago, I shared the opening pages of this story with fifteen young, aspiring writers in a college writing course. The only thing I love as much as writing is teaching. My wife Anne co-taught this course with me. We had the honor of serving as Writers in Residence at Covenant College in Georgia during Autumn Quarter. It was a fiction writing course, but the class that we had imagined was about how to improve and enrich fiction writing by practicing the disciplines of poetry. So we needed the expertise of a poet, and Anne brought her insights to meet that need.

I asked the students to pick out their favorite words and phrases from the first few pages of this story, and to highlight the lines that sounded most musical, the most biscuits-and-gravy delicious. What is a “thistly wind” and how is it different from a “whistling wind”? What do we learn by reading that they had “mackintosh collars up and bowlers and trilbies weeping…”? What is a trilby, anyway, and what does it mean that it’s weeping?

Then we turned our attention to the opening paragraphs of the students’ own stories. How much else might they reveal by rewriting them? How might they draw us in for a fuller, more sensual, more suggestive experience? We encouraged them to focus fiercely upon particularity — particularity of details in that specific time and place, and particularity of dialect and dialogue. We urged them toward particularly unexpected vocabulary that might make the ordinary seem strange and somehow new.

You can tell, reading about that “pig of a night,” that the author has experienced nights just like it.

And that’s why Dylan Thomas composed such a smashingly specific and savory paragraph to start off one of my favorite short stories, “The Followers.”

We also talked about the sounds in Thomas’s story, about the momentum of that paragraph that builds like a clunky old car trundling down a bumpy, rainslick road. Most of us associate musical prose with children’s stories — with Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein and writers of whimsy and wit. But why should we ever stop enjoying language that snaps, crackles, and pops?

Just listen to this reading of “Jabberwocky” by Benedict Cumberbatch.

It’s the music of language that makes words, lines, and whole paragraphs and poems stick in our heads. It’s the music that makes us stop and read something out loud to ourselves. That’s when writing ceases to be just consonants and vowels printed on a page, and becomes the chewy goodness of a meal.

And when we’re enjoying what we read for its form as well as its content, we are more likely to absorb its implications, its questions, its revelations, in stronger, more lasting, more personal ways.

We didn’t stop there. We read the opening pages of Billy Bathgate , by E.L. Doctorow; Out of Africa , by Isak Dinesin; The Road , by Cormac McCarthy; and poems by Robert Frost, Adam Zagajewski, Luci Shaw, and a few by one of my favorite poets — Anne M. Doe Overstreet, herself.

How does writing like this come about?

It’s easy to explain, difficult to do: Writers write paragraphs over and over and over and over again. They engage in all kinds of playful experiments. They try rhymes. They try rhythms. They do archaeological digs in search of just the right words. And then they try to achieve something that keeps us immersed, enthralled, without ever drawing attention to themselves instead of the subject.

Try it out. Take ten minutes and scribble down a description — no more than 125 words long, like the example above. Introduce us to a dark and stormy night in your neighborhood. Show us your neighborhood as vividly and specifically as possible. Prove to us you’ve experienced it. Make us see it, hear it, feel it when we close our eyes.

Feel free to email it to me, or to post it in a Comment below. I’ll post what you send, along with your first name (or, if you prefer, your full name). Let us all experience what it’s like in your neighborhood on a dark and stormy night.

• Library of World Religions
• Advertise With Us
• Write for Us
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Service
• Do Not Sell My Data
• Radiant Digital
• Manage Newsletter Subscriptions
• Unsubscribe From Notifications

It Was a Dark and Stormy Night: Four Tips for Writing Great Opening Sentences

Related Articles

How to “Write Tight”

How to take an Introvert to a Writer’s Conference

Making the Time to Write

© 2017-2023 Inspire Christian Writers

The Story Behind “It Was A Dark And Stormy Night”

• Who Was The Author?
• Why Is The Line So Famous?

It was a dark and stormy night when the writer turned to Dictionary.com for synonyms and definitions to make their writing pop. At least, it would be a dark and stormy night if said writer was basing a story on one of the most cliché (a trite, stereotyped expression that has lost all originality from being long overused) introductions to grace the page.

If you’ve ever read any pulp fiction , you’ve likely come across the sentence “it was a dark and stormy night.” Even if you haven’t, there’s a good chance the sentence—or something that plays with similar phrasing—has made it into your reading diet.

😱 Have you got the perfect opening for a scary story?

Think you can be more original? Enter Dictionary.com’s Scary Story Opener Writing Contest !

Who wrote “it was a dark and stormy night”?

As with nearly all sayings that are now overdone, the first “dark and stormy night” started as an earnest original. The English novelist, playwright, and politician Sir Edward George Earle Bulwer-Lytton used the line to open his 1830 book Paul Clifford . In full, the intro reads:

“It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents—except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness.”

You may notice a lack of periods in that 58-word starting sentence. The rest of the novel goes on to tell the dark tale of a robber who doesn’t know he’s the son of the judge who eventually sentences him to death. The twist at the end is that the robber frees himself and marries his cousin in America.

It’s the beginning—in particular the first seven words—that’ve stuck with the literati, however.

For one, it’s filled with melodrama (a dramatic form that does not observe the laws of cause and effect and that exaggerates emotion and emphasizes plot or action at the expense of characterization ). It’s also become the archetypical Victorian-era trope (a convention or device that establishes a predictable or stereotypical representation of a character, setting, or scenario in a creative work).

Why is “a dark and stormy night” such a famous line?

This over-descriptive and melodramatic style was popular in Bulwer-Lytton’s time. One of the final chapters of The Three Musketeers (1844) starts with something similar, “C’etait une nuit orageuse et sombre,” which translates to, “It was a night stormy and dark.” The exact Bulwer-Lytton phrasing has even made its way into popular modern books: Madeleine L’Engle’s Newbery Award -winning A Wrinkle in Time (1962) starts with the exact same line.

The line has become ripe for parody (a humorous or satirical imitation of a serious piece of literature or writing) over the years. Most famously, the Peanuts comics creator Charles M. Schulz often drew the dog Snoopy typing “It was a dark and stormy night” on his typewriter.

Is overusing this line terrifying or horrifying to you? Learn the difference between terror and horror to figure it out.

One of the most obvious signs of the lasting impact of Bulwer-Lytton’s now infamous line (even if this longevity is for dubious reasons) is the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest. Started in 1982 and sponsored by the San José State University, California, English department, the annual contest asks people to send in their best terrible opening sentence to a novel.

The contest was started by Scott Rice, and the crowned winners have worked to find new ways to use clichés and overwrought language. Each winner has their own take on the style, but they often use too many descriptive words in a seemingly never-ending sentence. The prize for winning is far from fame and glory. As the official call for entries states:

“Finally, in keeping with the gravitas, high seriousness, and general bignitude of the contest, the grand prize winner will receive … a pittance.”

You shouldn’t completely judge Bulwer-Lytton for his most mocked seven words, though. The man is the standard-bearer for those writers who are more than a single bad cliché. A friend of Charles Dickens’, he wrote more than 30 popular novels and three plays—and he is also famous for the line, “the pen is mightier than the sword.”

Now go out there and use your mighty pen to wade through the dark and stormy night. Just maybe try and avoid the trope for something more original—especially if you’re entering our #HauntingHooks Scary Story Opener Writing contest .

It's time to read about some fabulous first lines instead.

Language Stories

Hobbies & Passions

Word Origins

Current Events

• By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy policies.
• Comments This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.