How to Write a Good Story

Janice Hardy: 10 Questions to Ask when Choosing a Setting (I)

10 Questions to Ask When Choosing a Setting

(by Janice Hardy)

 

Some writers craft meticulous settings and build an amazing worlds, while others use the minimal details to suggest a place. But no matter what kind of story you write, it takes place somewhere. Maybe it's a small room, a town, or even a galaxy. What's more, setting can be a backdrop or a character in the novel. It's versatile! 

But what if you're not sure where to set your novel? Then here are a few questions you can ask to find the right setting for your story: 

1. Where are your favorite places?

If you've always loved a particular location, that passion will spill over into your novel's setting. A favorite city could be the perfect place for your characters to live. If there's no specific place, something more general like the beach or the mountains could work as well. 

2. What mood or atmosphere do you want the story to have?

If you want a dark and creepy novel, odds are you won't set it on a bright and sunny beach. (or maybe you will, because you'll want the contrast) The atmosphere of a place bleeds into the story and will either enhance the mood, or give all the wrong signals if it's conflicting with what you envision. 

(More on setting the right tone here) 

3. What settings are common to your genre?

If most of the novels in your genre are set in small towns, that's a pretty good indication that readers expect and look forward to this setting. But that doesn't mean you have to go with the norm. Do you want a similar setting or something new? Maybe a compromise with a slight twist to what is common for the genre. 

4. What location would enhance your story's conflict and/or theme?

If your story is about the effects of war, setting it in the middle of a war gives you a lot to work with. If the theme is love, setting it in the most romantic city in the world might be a solid idea. You might even want to flip it and use the setting to show what's lacking in that conflict or theme, like having a love story set in a land of war and hatred. 

(More on how much to describe your setting here) 

5. What are three critical elements your setting must have?

Odds are you have things you know you want from your setting. Perhaps they're plot elements, or character history, or even a social construct you want to explore. If there's something critical about your world and setting, make sure you choose a place that will reflect that. 

P.S.

Keep writing you fantabuous people *knuckles*