The Place For My Writers Notes

It must be time for chapter five! You are here: Using setting! A stage, a place, a location? Sure… where are the events of your scene taking place? Raymond tells us that writers sometimes don’t take advantage of setting because they are focused on the dynamics of plot, character, and dialogue. But… the right setting can enhance the impact a lot. It can add thematic dimension or suspense. A different setting can make a scene more exciting, more intense, or more comical. I mean, think about the Wizard of Oz set in… Times Square? Nope… How important is setting? Well, think about some of your favorite story, novel, or film scenes, and imagine setting them some place else.

So, how much setting description do you need? Enough to achieve your goal, but not so much that it detracts from the rest of the scene. Think about the dominating purpose of your scene, then decide how much setting description works. Beware of overdescribing, because you love those purple plains strewn with lots of metaphors. Imply and suggest instead. Also, watch out for clumping, which is infodumping your setting description, all in one huge lump! Figure out what’s essential, then scatter those bits in between actions. A good trick is to ask a question, then give us some description, and then answer the question. The reader will pay attention, and the little delay boosts suspense, too.

Setting also can help with pacing! Both within a scene, and the scenes can help control the overall pacing. For example, suspense novels often have sedentary scenes with plenty of setting description in between the action-packed chases. Detective novels often use settings to help keep the reader interested. 

Setting can even tie into theme. Oh, it might just be interesting, exciting, or suspenseful. But it can be a key part of the story, too. Consider “fish out of water” stories. That clash of cultures and backgrounds makes the story.  Also, sea stories, westerns, jungle tales… the setting helps make the story.

Raymond suggests that there isn’t any best technique here. Try out an interesting setting to pick up the pace, or pick one that fits the theme. Try out longer passages of description, or short punchy ones. Basically, write the scene the way you feel like the writing it. You’re discovering your story, and setting can be part of the discovery.

His workshop focuses on three keys. 1, describe the characteristics of the setting. 2, the setting affects the character(s) in the following ways? 3, the setting affects the plot in the following ways? He suggests tackling this at two levels, one being the grand scene of the general setting, and one being the specific scene you are working on.

Go ahead. Where is your scene? What’s in the background? Is there an elephant in the living room?

Writer's Digest, July 1994, p. 24-27, had an article by Michael Ray Taylor about fleshing out your writing. He suggest you draw. Oh, not literally, most of us aren't artists enough for that. No, DRAW is an acronym for delineate, ruminate, analogize, and write. Here's his four steps.

Delineate. Make a list. Refine and develop your ideas by listing, and then picking examples. Then for each example, make a list of the sensory aspects of that idea or example. He suggests timing yourself, give yourself 5 to 10 minutes per point.

Ruminate. Summon a vision. Look at your list about one idea or element. Close your eyes, and think about it. Is it primarily visual? What does it suggest? You can add things to your list at this point. This also is timed, 3 to 5 minutes per item.

Analogize. What's it like? For each item, come up with some other things, idea, or image that describes it in an unusual or creative way. Go ahead and write those comparisons down on your list. Again, this is time, about 10 minutes per item, and keep going.

Write. Sketch the flesh. Now, go ahead and create descriptive sentences using the analogies and other thoughts you had. Go ahead and make us see and feel each and every element.

Now, take all the pieces you put together and put them into finished piece. Setting, action, characterization, plot… Put it all together. DRAW gives you a number of written sketches you can use as part of your writing.