There's a million different ways to describe the setting of a story, a million different things to describe. But... where do I start?
The answer to that is up to you! Yeah, real helpful right? I know. The truth is, we all have different styles of writing and my way of describing the setting of my story that will probably not work for your story.
Here are some questions people (including myself) typically ask when trying to write the setting of their stories.
Should the setting be the first thing I write about in the story? In my opinion, yes. Especially if it's a story with a lot of background and the characters move around a lot or if they're are really involved with the setting. When the first thing you describe is the setting, it really sucks the reader into the world you're creating and it gives them a better understand of the situation and what's going on. A good setting is a good story.
What if I don't know what to describe? You can describe literally anything around the character, the time (i.e. the date, time of day, season), the city/state/province/country, the weather, the mood/atmosphere (i.e. joyful, spooky, sad, etc.), and even add in some info about the culture of the place your character is in. All of these things contribute to submerging your readers in a world of colour and emotion that they can see and feel as if watching a movie or experiencing it themselves.
What if I don't have the words to describe the setting but I have a picture in my head of what it would look like? Simple answer: Read books. Reading books of the same genre/general plot idea will help 110% with your vocabulary if yours is limited. Not to mention, you'll gain new ideas to make your story better and more interesting.
How do I know if I've explained enough? Have someone (someone experienced) beta-read for you. They can give some good advice about whether you've gone deep enough into detail about the setting and you can make changes accordingly to improve your writing!
I, myself, am willing to beta-read for anyone who needs it, my partner MonicatheBOMB is a good beta-reader, and so is Ive_the_writer! Or ask a friend!
I hope this helps :D
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Writing Tips
Non-FictionSome tips, tricks, and (hopefully) helpful things to help you with your writing! For everyone! You don't have to be a beginner to need advice!
