The setting of the story is the environment in which the characters are located. Location, time of day, and weather play important aspects of the story, and a well-described setting can make the story more interesting so that readers feel immersed in the fictional world you create. When describing the setting, use detailed language and create interactions between characters to captivate the reader. When the setting is detailed, the story will come to life.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Creating a Detailed Background
Step 1. Engage the five senses
The use of the senses of touch, taste, sight, hearing, and smell can add sensitive details to a story that help readers position themselves as characters. Think about the setting you've created, and make a list of certain sensory details that the characters experience in that location.
For example, if the setting is a beach, you can describe the taste of sand between your character's toes, the taste of salt in the air, the sound of waves, the salty smell of seawater, and the shape of a sand dune
Step 2. Visit the same place as the background if possible
If your story is based on a real location, go there so you can record specific details. Bring a notebook and pen, and write down whatever you experience there. Incorporate these details into the story to make it more realistic.
If you can't visit the location yourself, look for records of other people's experiences in the area. Take details from their experiences, but make sure you don't plagiarize their statements
Step 3. Look at similar background photos for inspiration
If you're having a hard time imagining the background, look online for pictures of roughly the same location. Look for small details that you can include in the story. Save the image and write down the details so you don't forget.
- If you're using a real location, use Google Street View to see the area for more specific details.
- Go to sites like Artstation and Pinterest for visual inspiration if you're writing about the world of fiction.
- Combine real details with imagination to create a special setting.
Step 4. Include references to give a clue as to when the story took place
If you're writing a story that happened in the past, do some research on real-time events that could be incorporated into the story. Try to include 1-2 references about the time, such as technology, clothing, and culture so that the reader can imagine them.
For example, if you're writing a story that takes place right after World War II, you might say, "Airplanes fly through the city's skies, leaving the charred rubble where our house used to be" to refer to the war that destroyed the city
Method 2 of 3: Incorporating Details into the Story
Step 1. Choose 3-4 main details to focus on to describe the scene
Too much detail can confuse the reader and slow down the story. Choose a few key details that the character might use.
For example, if you're describing an abandoned house, you could focus on torn wallpaper, a broken staircase leading to the second floor, and a window covered in weathered boards
Step 2. Divide the details into sections to avoid long paragraphs
Avoid background explanations in one long paragraph because readers may miss it if they don't see any action there. Instead, mention some details at the beginning of the paragraph, followed by the character's actions. If you need other details in the paragraph, include them near the end of the paragraph.
For example, if you're describing an abandoned house like the one above, you might write, "I tried to peek through the window, but there's a rotten board blocking my view. I pushed open the door, which opened with a loud creak from the rusty hinges. As soon as I entered, my fingers felt the wallpaper had been torn off.” This way, details can still be conveyed within the paragraph without straining the reader
Step 3. Use metaphors and similes to include figurative descriptions
Many setting descriptions are conveyed through what the characters literally experienced, but figurative language can make it easier for readers to relate. Compare something in the setting with something else to convey the atmosphere of the place.
For example, “Cables filled the basement floor, like parasites waiting to trap me” to describe the abundance of wires in the basement
Example of a Figurative Description
Small fires moved in tree trunks and crept up to the leaves and shrubs, spreading and growing. A patch of fire touched a tree branch and swayed like a nimble squirrel. Smoke rises, sways and rolls. The fire squirrel jumped and swung to another tree, continuing to eat it up to the roots.
William Golding, Lord of the Flies
Method 3 of 3: Connecting the Setting with the Character
Step 1. Avoid overrepresenting a background that is not important to the character
The background is not important in the story so there is no need to include a lot of detail. However, the integral setting influences the responses and reactions of the characters. Focus on the details for the setting that are important to the character.
- For example, if a character is walking around chatting, a detailed description isn't important. However, if the story involves a car accident, you can add a description such as a flashing street light or a missing stop sign.
- Make sure that most, if not all, of the setting in the story is an integral setting for the characters.
Step 2. Describe how the characters interact with the setting to move the story
The “show, don't tell” technique works to explain how characters move in the setting while including small details. This will make the story and description more interesting and captivate the reader.
For example, instead of writing, “A log is in front of him. He tripped over the wood”, try to write, “While he was running in the dark forest, his foot tripped over the log and he fell into the tall grass.”
Step 3. Write down how the change in setting affects the character
The setting must create various emotions in the character. Use the weather and time to suit your character's feelings, or change the setting suddenly and describe how the change affects your character's mood.
For example, if your character is sad, you might write, “When she wipes the tears from her cheeks, the sun disappears and a drop of rain starts to fall on the pavement. A gust of cold wind swept over his body.”
Step 4. Use the setting to help express the feelings of the characters or the theme of the story
Theme and setting have an important relationship. So make sure the two are related. Consider the theme of the story, and look for specific details about the setting that reflect one another.
For example, if you're telling a story about someone learning to love, you could change the setting from winter to summer to convey the message that the relationship between the two characters is heating up
Examples of Backgrounds that Depict Emotions
The dark green water of the Salinas River still feels like evening. The sun had left the valley to climb the slopes of the Gabilan Mountains, and the hilltops were bright in the sun. But by the pool among the speckled sycamores, a very pleasant shade was already visible.
In this excerpt from the end of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, the riverbank is a place of entertainment for Lennie.
Tips
- There are no definite rules for writing. Create a unique story and write it the way you want.
- As a writing exercise, keep a description journal to write descriptions of places you visit or TV shows you watch.
