In a post on Writers Helping Writers, Angela Ackerman discusses the importance of describing your setting with evocative, emotional language.
“The setting tied to each scene carries a lot of storytelling weight because it had the power to touch and amplify anything to do with characters, events, and emotion,” Ackerman says. “Used correctly, a location can characterize the story’s cast, steer the plot, evoke emotions and mood, create windows to allow for active backstory sharing, provide conflict and challenges, and act as a mirror for what the protagonist needs most, reinforcing his motivation at every step.” She points out five mistakes writers make regarding setting:
- Treating the setting like background information. “If we only use a few words to summarize the location, it can really impact the reader’s ability to connect with the characters and what’s happening,” Ackerman writes. “Vivid, concrete details not only help readers feel like they’re right there, planting specific description and symbolism within the setting also adds layers to the story itself.”
- Ignoring the senses. Writers often limit their descriptions to what we can see, but a vivid setting also brings in smell, hearing, touch, and possibly even taste. You don’t need to overload your readers’ senses, but a few unique details will make your setting seem real.
- Describing too much or the wrong thing. Sometimes we’re tempted to beat our readers over the head with minute details. Instead, practice describing your setting with a few details, while choosing those that are most evocative. Focus on what’s important to the character, what elicits emotions, and what conveys more information than just a sense of place. If the description drives or reinforces the plot, even better.
- Ignoring POV. Your setting descriptions should be filtered through your POV character, especially if you’re writing in close or deep POV. “A character who is anxious is going to view the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures of any given setting differently than a character who is excited, or disappointed, or even filled with gratitude,” Ackerman writes.
- Choosing the wrong setting. “Three questions to ask ourselves as we hunt for the perfect place is 1) what is the outcome of this scene, 2) how can I use the setting to generate conflict and tension (good or bad) to really amp up what is about to take place, and 3), how can I create an emotional value in this setting?” Ackerman suggests.
