In a guest post on Jane Friedman’s blog, Erin Radniecki examines how writers can use nature settings as more than backdrop. “If you want the natural world to have a starring role, and importantly, if your readers expect it to have a starring role, then lovely descriptions alone won’t cut it,” she writes.
But beyond description, how can you center nature in your fiction? Radniecki suggests five elements to consider:
- Main character. How does your main character relate to nature? How is nature important to your protagonist and how does this affect their character arc?
- Obstacles. How does nature create obstacles for your hero, either through physical or internal challenges? Is nature threatened by the antagonist or does nature threaten the protagonist?
- Choices. What choices are presented to your hero? “If appreciation for the natural world is already a characteristic your protagonist holds, they could be confronted with choices that align with or diverge from that value,” Radniecki notes. “If they are nature-averse, their choices might lead them to a place where their beliefs are challenged.”
- Transformation. Reiterating advice from the first element, Radniecki says that the hero’s transformation can be reflected in nature or his appreciation of it or his relationship to it.
- Theme. Do you want your reader to come away from your story with a deeper understanding of nature or a desire to take action on an issue affecting the environment? “A nature-centered story is an opportunity to plant seeds of change with readers, so aim to craft a meaningful takeaway message that will stick with your reader,” Radniecki writes.
