I try to use all of my senses when describing a setting, and try to think of everything that would impact a character in any given scene.
...Though drowned was just as dead as any other way of dying.
If you would rise, do so alone.
If only. Those must be the two saddest words in the world.
If he didn't get out of here - right now - Harrier was either going to break into hysterical laughter or strangle somebody.
... sometimes good people [are] helpless... terrible things happen... to good people... there [are] sad endings as well as happy ones.