How to let the reader know...

[Androxine Vortex]

There may be certain qualities that make your world different than a normal reality. In my novel, it is always day and never night and to tell the time the sky changes colors. Different colors represent different times of the day so noon might be green while midnight would be purple (it actually has significance into the plot) How would I let the reader know this? To let them know that "night" has really never existed in this world. I'm just not sure of a good way to tell the reader. I don't want it to seem like I am just blurting it out there though.

My original idea was whenever the first scene that my MC would go outside, I would briefly explain how the sky works. I don't really like that idea now because to me I can't think of a way to do that without it seeming like I am telling a story and then having to stop and explain. I just don't think it would flow well.

Any ideas? Suggestions?

(I am planning on having a sort of clock diagram in the beginning of the book. There will be the color wheel and next to all of the colors will be listed what time of day it is)

 

[T.Allen.Smith]

My first thought is to define what causes the differing colors of the day..... Not as an author but through the eyes of characters.

Here in our reality we understand that the differences between day & night boils down to whether it's the sun or the moon in the sky.

You'll need to give basic understandings to you characters, concerning what changes the can observe, and how those changes relate to the days colorings. They don't have to be advanced to the point of understanding light refraction but they should be able to realize how observable natural phenomenon relate to one another.

Work out a structure of relatable events. Having characters notice them , talk about them as natural, and referencing their understanding of time by them should go a long way for you.

 

[Wynnara]

Well for the characters the changing of the sky colour would be a normal thing and not something that really registers on a conscious level unless there is a reason for it. Personally I wouldn't want to reference it directly and try to hit at angles through culture-specific language and the like.

eg...
Thomas knew he was late in crossing the courtyard to the kitchens. The meal of green midday was being served and already the sky's tint had taken on that lush emerald hue that marked hour. Everyone would be sitting down soon and he hated being the last one to the table.

 

[BWFoster78]

I wouldn't write a huge block of information about this. Introduce the concept slowly. Your characters eat lunch outside and the sky is green. Hours later they take a walk under a purple sky. Keep inserting the sky details until it becomes clear that it never turns black, just rotates every hour or whatever.

 

[Androxine Vortex]

And I suppose I could just mention that it is late out yet the sun is still shinning. I just don't want to confuse readers.

 

[Shockley]

Have them leave a colored day into some dungeon, and have it be one of the rare experiences with real darkness. I'd say drop hints towards the reality as opposed to stating it out right.

Remember, your character would have no concept of night - none at all. So it would be difficult to approach the topic without tweaking their mind a little bit.

 

[Androxine Vortex]

Have them leave a colored day into some dungeon, and have it be one of the rare experiences with real darkness. I'd say drop hints towards the reality as opposed to stating it out right.

Remember, your character would have no concept of night - none at all. So it would be difficult to approach the topic without tweaking their mind a little bit.

That is a good idea! There actually is a part later on in the story where they are in an old shrine that is dedicated to demonic spirits and they say they wish to cover with the world in eternal night. They characters are puzzled and the demons have to explain what night is. That scene was in the later section of the book so I had to think of ways to let the reader know beforehand. But I like that idea of the dungeon.

 

[Bear]

I struggle with stuff like this. Usually, after I write something like that it ends up seeming like an information dump. I try to avoid that but sometimes it just happens.

 

[Telcontar]

Relating darkness only to underground or indoors is a good idea. You might also consider putting the bare idea of the thing right into the summary materials (story blurb or cover copy), IE: "In a world where night never falls..."

That gets across the simplest part of the idea, and then you fill in on the colors and whatnot through the actual story.

 

[Shockley]

Also, just drop the occasional 'endless day' or 'ever-present light.' In small doses, conservatively sprinkled over several chapters, it shouldn't be intrusive.

 

[Androxine Vortex]

Good points from Telcontar and Shockley! Thanks.