An Alphabet of Better Writing # S

S is for...Setting

The setting of a story can be crucial.  It's certainly never incidental and you shouldn't underestimate the importance of it.  Apparently writer Catherine Czerkawska discovered to her dismay that publishers wouldn't take a gamble on her lovely novel The Amber Heart in spite of her established track record because it was set in Poland!

When you are framing a story in your head, don't consider the setting in purely commercial terms, either.  A well-handled location can add immeasurably to a reader's enjoyment of a book: would we remember Wuthering Heights if it weren't for the wild beauty of the Yorkshire moors? Would Thomas Hardy's Wessex Novels be so memorable without -- well -- Wessex? You should give setting at least as much importance as a minor character in your story.

When you are working on place, it is important to be authentic and accurate -- even if the location exists only in your head, you need to be consistent. As with the use of any kind of detail, less is more, so aim for quality rather than quantity when you are bringing the landscape of your narrative to life -- brevity is the soul of everything, not just wit.

If you want some practice - a  little writing exercise - try describing the picture below.

Think about colour, texture, geology, the weather, the smell, the silence, the history of the place, what it means to your protagonist and what dramatic potential it might have.  When you have written your piece, cut twenty percent of it and see what you are left with.

On your marks, get set...