Setting the Stage

Writing is hard enough when you have to imagine all the characters, what they do, and how they feel about it, but let’s not forget the setting! Sure, there are times when you might forget about the setting when you’re reading, but it’s always there. Without it, the characters might as well be sketches on the page without any direction.

Here’s how we can set the stage for the characters so that they can tell the story with a backdrop.

Establish The Location

There is almost always a concrete place where characters are present. Unless your character is moving through time, space, or realities, they are generally present in a physical space. This space has details that need to be shared.

Whether you’re brief in your description, such as “the beach”, or you’re detailed, such as “the beach furthest from the port town of Alvaria, where the sand is white as snow but heated like a hearth”, the setting needs to be established. Let readers know where they are in the story as they watch it unfold.

Monitor the Mood

A setting is more than just the location a scene takes place in. Within the realm of your writing, the emotional atmosphere can greatly influence the setting. For example, a character who has just learned of their partner’s infidelity will not enter their shared home the same way they did before the revelation.

The setting will become tense, or perhaps it will be liberating, depending on whether the character is dreading the confrontation or determined to take fate into their own hands and start fresh.

Creating the setting in your work means making sure that the atmosphere is set as well. You wouldn’t want to let an emotional moment pass without building up to it. That’s like finally reaching the climax of the story, about to face the villain at the heart of it all, and then stopping because the villain says “Sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.” And everyone goes their merry way.

Utilize Character Perception

How one character views a classroom can be different from how another character views it. A studious child will see the classroom as an opportunity for knowledge and growth while a restless child will see it as the equivalent of a time-out. Understanding how your characters perceive their surroundings can help you describe them and bring them to life.

Readers don’t always have to agree with how your characters see things, but they have to be able to understand them. Not everyone loves the beach, and not everyone loves the mountains, but the way that a character describes one over the other can help immensely to set the tone and build the setting.

For example, a character who is paranoid about going camping might describe the site as “flattened to increase visibility” or “in the shadow of the mountains clawing at the skyline.” Meanwhile, someone who loves camping might describe it as “perfect for nestling under the stars” or “in the shadow of the snowy peaks, dripping with life and light.”

Putting It All Together

When it comes to making a scene, the setting is the foundation. When the reader doesn’t know where they are, it’s hard to follow along with the characters. Make sure to create a clear direction for them, and set the stage for success.