In a new post, C.S. Lakin offers advice on bringing your setting to life. “Face it: if a writer doesn’t care much about setting, the reader won’t either,” she says. Lakin identifies two setting issues writers should address.
- The overall locale of the novel. Your setting might be one place or a series of locations. In some cases, a premise requires a specific location. If not, Lakin urges writers to spend time contemplating the right setting. Consider your theme, characters, and their goals, and find settings that will provide conflict and emotional resonance. “It may not matter much where you set your story, but I would encourage you to choose a place that interests you,” Lakin says.
- The variety of settings. For your individual scenes, Lakin suggests a diverse group of settings. “If you are trying to show a character’s well-rounded life, you will want a number of different locales showcasing his job, his family, his hobbies, where he hangs out with his friends,” she says. But don’t choose settings randomly or default to the same place over and over. While your plot will determine the setting of some scenes, you’ll have some creative leeway. Choose a locale that provides some visual interest or has a special meaning for your character.
“There’s more to crafting powerful settings than just plucking out a few details and slapping them together; it’s about selecting ones that create a sensory experience, since description that offers real texture often triggers emotions and memories for readers, making them live the story emotionally through the characters,” Lakin writes.
