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How to Describe Fog in Your Creative Writing

The year was 1934. Franklin D. Roosevelt was president. And somewhere in the English countryside, a fourteen-year-old girl named Anne marries the love of her life, Bryan. After a wedding ceremony that lasts most of the day, the newlyweds set off on a honeymoon adventure around Europe in a horse-drawn cart. During one of their stops in Scotland, the couple meet the legendary H. H. The Princess Miriam, an expert on Celtic mythology. Informed that a Scottish mist often hides ancient ruins and unearths secrets, the young couple embark on a quest to explore the Highlands in search of Celtic lore. Little do they know that their adventure will lead them to an unexpected destination…

If you’re a writer, maybe you’ve already experienced that moment when you’re trying to describe a scene and you suddenly can’t remember what happened. That is, until you remember that scene in the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series. Once you do, everything becomes crystal clear. You may have read the first novel in the series, Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods, but have you read the rest? A lot can happen in the seven years between the two installments. For instance, the characters grow up (Percy Jackson) and so do their friends (most notably, Groff). In the meantime, the series’ landscapes have evolved (the Greek islands have transitioned to an English countryside), and the story’s central conflict has shifted from combating the army of the undead to surviving in the magical world of Greek mythology. But one thing that hasn’t changed is the importance of descriptive writing in giving context to important moments in the story. So let’s take a look at how Harry Potter creator J. K. Rowling uses description to establish the mood and setting of her magical stories.

The first book in the series, The Sorcerers’ Stone, opens with a bang:

“On a cold evening in late December, a young woman sat by the fire. Despite the chill in the air, she was hot- hot- hot. She stared at the flickering flames, longing for something more than the occasional blaze of heat. When she spoke, her words were passionate and filled with feeling… Her sharp gaze darted around the room, and her hands clenched into fists, as if she were weaving a spell. Occasionally, she would hum a tune, low and haunting, while her body continued to radiate heat. At that, her visitor—an old man with a bushy mustache—leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. The hot, bothered woman had conjured up a visitor who was perfectly matched to her; after all, he was a wizard, too. It was time for them to converse.”

To begin with, we are immediately plunged into the story’s mood and setting: a cold evening, the fireplace, the hot protagonist. As the scene progresses, we learn more about this fascinating woman: she’s in her late twenties or early thirties and has brown hair and green eyes; her nickname is “the Hot One,” and she longs to “feel magic in [her] hands.” This young woman is Hermione, and it’s a perfect description of her. If you see yourself as a writer, you can probably identify with Hermione. Like Hermione, you want to write an interesting story that will leave an impression on your readers. And you want to achieve that using the magic of words.

What Is Fog?

Now that you’re equipped with the skills to be a successful writer, it’s time to put them to work! But before that, it’s important to understand what exactly you’re trying to describe. Sometimes it is simple to start with, and as you progress, the description will become more complex. Let’s explore the various types of fog that might be found in various situations and what each one means.

Atmospheric fog is, well, the atmosphere. It’s all around us, typically encountered during the day when sunshine and bright light are shining down on us. While not opaque like crystal clear water, it is often described as a “pea-souper” because it makes objects seem smaller and farther away. In the distance, it can sometimes be hard to see what is actually there; this is why the Great Britain of Harry Potter likes to keep windows open during the day. The sun is great for illuminating landscapes, but it can be a hindrance when trying to navigate the streets during the day—you don’t want to bump into any obstacles that are under the surface! On the ground, fog usually acts as an excellent disguise. Think about the spy novels and how crucial it is to be able to see what’s going on under the cover of fog. When you can’t see clearly, it makes it much harder to fight off an enemy. The downside is that atmospheric fog is rarely a static condition. It can be quite dense, even in places where there isn’t supposed to be any. Hence the expression “pea-souper,” which is used to indicate that it’s extremely wet and damp.

Fog also plays a part in the life of Harry Potter. The magical school that Dumbledore runs is named Hogwart’s, and it’s described as being “buried in a sea of fog.” While the name certainly gives you an idea of how the school is situated, the description tells you more. The ocean in which it is buried provides an excellent screen, allowing you to hide what goes on inside—no one would ever suspect that an ocean could be hiding inside a school!

Fog Is Not Always Bad

Fog can be a very useful tool. It keeps things cool and damp, creating an atmospheric pressure that makes the air feel thick and more comfortable. Without it, life on Earth would be much different. Think about the first Earth Day, when people started realizing the negative effects of too much pollution. If we didn’t have fog to hide pollution from us, it would be much more apparent. Similarly, when it comes to navigating, the lack of visibility that comes with fog is often seen as an advantage. It makes faraway objects seem closer and allows you to see things that would typically be hidden. So while you might not want to drive in thick fog, you can see its advantages. In both of these examples, fog is something positive, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not in some way negative. For instance, if the air is really thick with pollution, then it could become hard for the human body to process oxygen. In a similar way, if you overexert yourself while trying to see something that’s far away, then it could become hard for your body to process oxygen. While this might not seem like a big issue, after a certain point, you will start feeling fatigue and discomfort. This is why it’s important to always check the weather conditions before setting out on a trip, especially in the case of air travel. When flying in planes, it’s also important to bring a survival kit with you. Should your plane be delayed for more than an hour due to bad weather conditions, then it’s imperative that you make the right decision about continuing the journey or getting off the airplane. Even seemingly harmless fog can be a problem when it comes down to issues of oxygen depletion and suffocation. So while it might be convenient to hide inside a school or under a blanket of fog, it might not always be the best option. Your call, as always, depends on the situation—but in most cases, it would be better to avoid it!

Fog Is Made Of Water Vapor, Not Ice

In order to understand the difference between ice fog and water vapor fog, you need to understand what makes up the former. Ice fog is, again, just that: ice. It is formed from water droplets that have frozen on contact with the air. The ice in ice fog crystals is typically smaller than the droplets that compose the fog, making it seem smoother and less granular. In general, ice fog tends to congregate in areas where there is a greater temperature difference between the inside and the outside. Take the Northern Lights District in Oslo, for instance; the temperature there often stays above freezing, so you’ll constantly find ice fog lurking in the air. In the same way, if you live in a place where it gets cold in the winter, then you are bound to encounter ice fog. In the Arctic Circle, it never gets completely cold, so you will always find ice in the air no matter what season it is.