When you hear the word setting, you think of a time period and place, but settings do so much more than that.
With sci-fi and historical novels, setting becomes an important part of the story. The setting doesn’t have to be real but it does have to be believable.
Writing historical novels, do your research and throw in some things that you would expect to see during the time period.
Writing Sci-Fi, you’re creating a world. Your setting needs to be detailed. Help your reader to visualize it. Draw them in.
Settings should be visceral and vivid and allow us to experience the world the author is building as if we are one of the characters within the narrative.
Settings evoke mood. In horror stories, your description of a haunted house should evoke fear in your readers. In a mystery your setting should evoke suspense and curiosity. In a comedy your setting should evoke laughter or an anticipated thrill.
Settings provide information about your characters. How does their home look? Is it messy, neat, compulsively organized? Do they surround themselves with darkness or light?
Settings can also be used to evoke the passage of time and movement. The saplings we had planted in our youth towered above the two story house. This was home, at least the house that I remembered.
Who knew there was so much to writing. I hope this evoked thought and helped you better understand the use of settings in your novel.
TIP
I posted this blog several months ago and for some reason it didn’t get many hits, so I’m republishing it under a different title. Titles are important. It’s the first thing the reader sees when they are determining what to read. If you aren’t getting hits, it could be something as simple as the title. You have to grab your readers attention and pique their curiosity.
-Jan R
Writing your first novel-Things you should know 
It’s actually a nice and useful piece of information. I am glad that you just shared this useful information with us. Please stay us up to date like this. Thank you for sharing.
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Thank you 🙂
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I do consider all the concepts you’ve presented on your post. They’re very convincing and will definitely work. Nonetheless, the posts are too short for newbies. May you please extend them a bit from next time? Thanks for the post.
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Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I try to keep all of my posts less than 400 words, but you are right, occasionally that isn’t enough to thoroughly address a subject.
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Great blog here! Additionally your web site loads up very fast! What host are you the usage of? Can I get your affiliate link for your host? I wish my web site loaded up as fast as yours lol
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Not sure what you’re asking. I have been using WordPress for my blog since it’s inception and am very pleased with it.
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You really make it seem really easy together with your presentation however I to find this topic to be really one thing which I think I would never understand. It kind of feels too complex and very extensive for me. I’m having a look forward to your subsequent submit, I will try to get the dangle of it!
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Thank you, and most things seem complicated until you understand them. I’ve been writing for six years and blogging for two. While that’s not a significant amount of time. It’s long enough to learn a little. Research, research, research and classes/seminars on writing have helped. 🙂
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Reblogged this on Die Erste Eslarner Zeitung – Aus und über Eslarn, sowie die bayerisch-tschechische Region!.
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Thank you!
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Reblogged this on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog and commented:
For further information, see also the following linked to posts:
https://writingyourfirstnovelblog.com/2017/05/25/setting-its-not-just-a-place/
https://writingyourfirstnovelblog.com/2016/04/28/using-settings-to-enhance-your-novel/
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Thank you 🙂
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Welcome 👍😃
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Great tips as always!!
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Thank you 🙂
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You are so right. Settings take research and work. I created both an 1880 world and a futuristic world, and I’m still working on perfecting the setting. It is important that the reader feel they are really in the world you create. Take your time. It’s worth it.
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Thank you, and thank you for stopping by 🙂
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Pro Tip, Jan – when referring to earlier posts on the same topic, include the links – it will help get them more views (be sure to tick the hyperlink box to have folks go to them via a new window or tab)
I suspect you mean one or both the following links:
https://writingyourfirstnovelblog.com/2017/05/25/setting-its-not-just-a-place/
https://writingyourfirstnovelblog.com/2016/04/28/using-settings-to-enhance-your-novel/
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Thanks Chris. Yeah, I’m not very computer savvy. I can open up a word document and type, but that’s about it. Need to work on my skills if I’m planning on being around for a while 🙂
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You’re doing well, Jan – I’m still learning after almost 5 years 😄
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