Settings establish the environment, attitude, and ambiance of your story. I've been doing some research on developing story settings so I decided to do a series of posts on why they're important and some ideas on how to to develop the ideal location to place your saga in.
I'm writing one book that takes place in Vegas and one set in Mexico. I've been to Vegas so I know the look, feel, sound, taste and touch of the town. I've lived the nonstop zooming 24 hour pace, indulged in the easy access to alcohol, danced at clubs into the wee hours of the morning, and gotten lost between the entrance and exit of the monstrous hotels.So spinning a tale in this city requires minimal research.
My other fiction piece is in Mexico, which I've not visited. So I let my fingers do the global walk through the streets of Mexico. I think the most challenging part is not getting to talk to the people and hear their dialect. Some would recommend not writing about a place you haven't visited but I feel that with enough careful research you can create a compelling authentic story.
When planning the setting for your next page turner transport your reader there through their five senses:
Sight - When you walk into a room sight is usually activated first. If inside how big is the room. What colors do you see? Is it dark or lit with natural window light or fluorescent bulbs? Is the decor country, contemporary, or eclectic? Outside, is it daytime and the sun is shining bright? Or maybe the moonlight is streaming across the water. How can you paint the scenes so vividly that your readers see it unfolding before them?
Sound - Our ears are constantly hearing. Is the noise emanating from a single direct source such as a dog barking in the distance? Is it surrounding you from all sides so your character is glancing back and forth and turning around in a frantic circle? Maybe the sound is a voice. Is it deep, raspy, or high and shrill? Describe it so specifically that your reader feels like the person is in their living room sitting beside them.
Smell - Most rooms and offices you walk into have an odor, not necessarily unpleasant just a distinct fragrance. Lingering perfumes, the remnants of food, cleaning products, or just having the windows open lends a fresh air smell. Outside you may detect flowers, grass that's recently been cut, exhaust fumes. In the winter you can smell fireplaces and wood stoves burning. Scent may not always play an active role in your settings unless it moves your scene forward in some way. Do not discount it though as you're creating three dimensional characters and our noses are always detecting.
Touch - There's a blizzard and it's ten below outside. The wind is slamming against your face, burning your eyes. You can barely move your fingers. Or, it's 103 degrees and the humidity strangles every breath you try to take. Your protagonist is caught in a bedroom with the rest of the house on fire. She reaches out to touch the door and jerks her hand back from the heat. Touch can be the first thing felt or one of the last ones affected by your setting.
Taste - A very tantalizing sense to demonstrate but may not play a role in every setting. Hmm, love scenes, naked sushi bars in Japan. Sharing a romantic rooftop rendezvous that includes dinner and wine are a few examples.
The more senses you ignite in your readers, the more life you breath into your stories. So whether you create your settings from an actual or virtual journey to the location make them vibrant, memorable, and authentic!
Stay tuned for more on devising and describing the perfect settings!
What is the most unique or memorable setting you've either read or written in a work of fiction?
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