Scenery: Set the stage and fill some time

Hey y’all

This week we’re focusing in on setting. Unless your story takes place in a void space (and even then now that I think about of it), you will need to describe your setting. So we’re starting the meeting by spending 5-10 minutes just focusing in on knitty-gritty details of your environment before we do anything with plot affecting actions, dialogue, or anything in the case of the story. We are merely describing the setting, whether or not this is actually a part of your story or just for your own benefit.

Things to keep in mind:

  • Time of day, weather, ground?, walls?, things in the space, cultural significance of the place, topography, etc.
  • Use your senses. Not just your eyes and your memory, what does it smell like? Feel like? What’s the air like? What does it taste like? Why are you licking the ground?
  • Why are you here? How did you get here? Is this a restricted place or an open space? Are there extra non-significant characters around, why? Are there none? Why?
  • What would your character notice? What would they probably not think about that is important for your readers to know about anyway?
  • In what order would your character notice these things? Is there something that enwraps their attention? Are they moving in this space?
  • Is there something about this space that you want to keep secret for a reveal? It’s best not to leave these things in the ether for a deus ex machina reveal.
Are Your Hands Wet?