What’s a Story Without the Setting?

Photo Courtesy: Ronnie Bergeron

A story without a great setting is like bread without butter, wine without cheese or cake without ice cream. You can have a story with an average setting, but what fun is a party without ice cream with your cake?

The following exercises will pump up your setting, which in turn will make your story even sweeter.

Setting Exercise One
Objective: To identify how Place is created

Read the first page or two of several of your favorite novels. Pay attention to how each author establishes the setting of the novel. What sensory images does the author use to establish Place? In each case, does the setting tell you anything about the protagonist?

Setting Exercise Two
Objective: To establish Place

Everyone has a favorite place. It would be a “narrow place,” such as a special table at a restaurant or a room in a specific house, or it could also be a “broad place,” such as the island of Hawaii.

Write about your favorite place as if you were setting the first scene of your novel in that place. Write this exercise in the first person (“I”). What is striking or unusual about the place? What are the sights, sounds, textures, smells and tastes of the place?

Setting Exercise Three
Objective: To clearly establish Place within a scene

Part 1
It is important to let the reader know just where a specific scene is taking place.

Read the following:

The next day Lisa noticed Jack when she looked up to hand Brad her keys. Jack walked up to Lisa and grabbed her by the elbow. “That’s it,” he said. “You’re coming home.”

“No.” Lisa broke away from him, glaring at him. She thought he had understood that it was over, that their relationship was history. “Go away, Jack. Don’t you understand? We’re finished. That’s all there is to it. Come on, Brad, let’s leave.”

Lisa felt her legs begin to tremble as Brad stepped between her and Jack. “Mister, leave the lady alone. She doesn’t want to go anywhere with you.”

Where is this scene taking place? What are the characters doing? Where are they in relationship to each other? Does the setting help to define the characters? We don’t know, because we don’t know where we are.

Part 2
Now rewrite this passage, setting it in a particular place. Things to consider: Where are Lisa, Brad and Jack? Is this a place they’ve been before? What time of day is it? Are they inside or outside? Is anyone else present? Why is Lisa handing Brad her keys?

What’s a Story Without the Setting? - Part Two
What’s a Story Without the Setting? - Part Three

For more helpful tips and exercises, visit www.sterlinghouse-bookstore.com and check out:
Writing Aerobics I by C. Sterling and M. Davidson

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