Getting Settings Right: A Practical Guide

Crafting the perfect setting in your novel is more than just describing a place; it’s about making the world you create feel real and immersive for your readers. The setting influences the tone, mood, and even the plot of your story, and when done right, it can become a character in its own right. Whether you're writing about a well-known city or a completely fictional universe, getting the setting right is crucial. Here’s how to do it.

1. Understand the Role of Setting in Your Story

Ask: What Does the Setting Do?

Before diving into descriptions, consider what role the setting plays in your story. Is it just a backdrop, or does it actively influence the plot and characters? For example, a dystopian city might shape your character’s outlook on life, while a cozy small town might set the stage for a heartwarming romance. Understanding this will guide how much detail you need to include and what aspects of the setting to focus on.

Example: In The Shining by Stephen King, the Overlook Hotel isn’t just a backdrop—it’s a key player in the story’s suspense and horror.

Consider the Emotional Impact

Setting can be a powerful tool for evoking emotions in your readers. Think about how the environment affects the characters’ feelings and how it can reflect the themes of your story. A dark, stormy night can create a sense of foreboding, while a bright, sunny day can evoke feelings of hope or happiness.

Tip: Use setting to amplify the emotional stakes in your scenes. A confrontation in a crowded, noisy market has a different intensity than one in a quiet, abandoned alley.

2. Do Your Research

Get the Details Right

Whether your setting is real or fictional, details matter. If you’re writing about a real place, get the geography, culture, and atmosphere right. If your setting is imaginary, establish its rules and characteristics consistently.

Research Tools:

• Google Earth: Explore real-world locations virtually.
• Travel Blogs and Documentaries: Gain insights into local customs, landscapes, and daily life.
• Books and Articles: Read up on the history and culture of your setting, whether real or imagined.

Incorporate Authentic Details

Small, specific details make your setting feel authentic. If you’re writing about a Parisian café, don’t just describe the Eiffel Tower in the background. Mention the clink of espresso cups, the scent of freshly baked croissants, and the hum of conversations in French. These details transport readers directly into your world.

Tip: Less is more. A few well-chosen details are more effective than lengthy descriptions.

3. Use the Five Senses

Create a Sensory Experience

Great settings aren’t just seen—they’re experienced. Engage all five senses to make your setting vivid. What does the place smell like? How does the ground feel underfoot? What sounds fill the air? By engaging multiple senses, you create a more immersive experience for your readers.

Exercise: Take a paragraph where you describe a setting and revise it to include at least three different senses. Notice how it changes the depth of the scene.

Use Sensory Details to Set the Mood

Different senses can evoke different emotions. The sound of waves crashing can be soothing or ominous, depending on the context. The scent of pine needles might evoke nostalgia or foreboding. Use sensory details not just to describe a place, but to enhance the mood of your scene.

4. Balance Description with Action

Show, Don’t Tell

Avoid info-dumping large chunks of description. Instead, weave details about the setting into the action. Let your characters interact with their environment. Instead of telling your readers that the room is cold, show them a character shivering and pulling on a sweater.

Example: Rather than describing a street as crowded, you could write, “She elbowed her way through the throng, dodging a man with a bulging briefcase and sidestepping a woman walking three dogs.”

Integrate Setting into the Narrative

The setting shouldn’t feel like an afterthought. It should be integrated into the narrative, influencing the characters and plot. For instance, if your story is set in a small town, let the close-knit community dynamics affect how characters interact with each other. If it’s in a sprawling metropolis, show how the anonymity impacts your protagonist’s choices.

Tip: Let the setting evolve with the story. As the plot progresses, the setting can change, reflecting shifts in the narrative or the characters’ inner worlds.

5. Reflect the Themes Through Setting

Use Setting Symbolically

Your setting can reinforce the themes of your story. For example, if your theme is about isolation, setting your story in a remote, desolate landscape can underscore this idea. Conversely, a story about new beginnings might take place in a vibrant, growing city.

Example: In The Road by Cormac McCarthy, the bleak, post-apocalyptic landscape mirrors the desolation and hopelessness of the characters’ journey.

Contrast Characters and Setting

Sometimes, contrasting your characters with their setting can highlight certain themes or character traits. A fish-out-of-water scenario—like a city dweller trying to survive in the wilderness—can create tension and underscore themes of adaptability or resilience.

Tip: Use setting contrasts to highlight character growth. As your character changes, how they perceive and interact with the setting can also change, reflecting their inner transformation.

6. Create a Living, Breathing World

Think Beyond the Immediate Scene

Even if your story is focused on a specific location, consider the larger world around it. What’s happening in the neighboring towns or countries? What are the politics, economies, and cultures like? Even if these elements don’t directly appear in your story, knowing them adds depth and helps you create a more realistic setting.

Example: In George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, the detailed history and complex political landscape make Westeros feel like a living, breathing world.

Develop a Sense of History

Every place has a history that influences its present. Consider what events have shaped your setting—natural disasters, wars, migrations, or technological advances. This history can add layers to your setting and influence how characters interact with it.

Exercise: Write a brief history of your setting, even if it doesn’t appear in the story. This will help you understand the world you’re creating and make it more coherent and compelling.

7. Get Feedback and Revise

Share Your Setting Descriptions

Once you’ve written your setting, get feedback. Share your descriptions with beta readers or critique partners. Ask them if they can clearly visualize the setting and if it feels immersive. They might notice inconsistencies or suggest details that could make the setting even more vivid.

Tip: Pay attention to feedback about pacing. If readers feel bogged down in descriptions, you may need to trim or integrate the setting more seamlessly into the action.

Refine and Polish

After receiving feedback, revisit your setting descriptions. Look for places where you can tighten the prose, add sensory details, or clarify the environment. Remember, setting is an ongoing element that can be refined throughout your writing process.

Final Thought: Getting the setting right is essential to creating a story that feels real and engaging. It’s not just about where the story happens, but how that place shapes the narrative and the characters. By paying attention to detail, integrating sensory experiences, and making the setting an active part of your story, you can transport your readers to another world—whether it’s one they’ve never been to or one that exists only in your imagination.