Writing Active Setting Book 1: Characterization and Sensory Detail

WRITING ACTIVE SETTING

BOOK 1: CHARACTERIZATION AND SENSORY DETAIL

Content copyright ©
2012 by
Mary Arsenault Buckham.

All rights reserved.

Kindle Edition

First Edition

No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any  form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the publisher.

Published by

Cantwell Publishing LLC

2675 Wilson Street
 

Port
Townsend
,
WA
98368

USA
 

ISBN:
978-1-939210-00-5

Cover Design: Hot Damn Designs

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Writing any book does not happen in a vacuum, especially a
How
-To craft book. I’d like to thank the hundreds and hundreds of writing students who helped define the assignments and the need to explore how to better use Setting in our novels. I’d also like to thank my early readers, all writers who gave invaluable feedback on the format and content of this book: Laurie Adams, Kat Jorgensen, Elizabeth Gibson, Theresa Rogers, Ellen Russell and Laurel Wilczek. Any of your great advice I did not take was my fault alone. A special thanks to Dianna Love, writer extraordinaire and a good friend who has always been there for one last eagle-eyed look. Laurie Schnebly Campbell, co-founder with me of
www.WriterUniv.com
and a whiz with back cover blurbs. Kimberly Killion and her
able assistant Jennifer Jakes
of
HOT DAMN
Designs
who really know how to design a killer cover and make the process painless. And
to
my husband, Jim Buckham, who makes all things possible in my world.
And last, but not least, thanks to my readers. Without you, I’d have no craft to teach.
Thank you!

For the wr
iters who
want to expand their understanding of the craft of writing
!

Note to Readers

Every effort has been made to cleanly edit the text. However, typos do slip in. If you find an error in the text, please email:
[email protected]
so the issue can be corrected. I app
reciate you as a reader and want
to make sure you enjoy the reading and learning process. If you find errors, please bring
them
to my attention so I can continue to provide better books for
all
reader
s
.

Thank you!

Part 1 *
INTRODUCTION

Overview

Ready to Start?

Anchoring the Reader

Subtext in Setting

Setting the Stage

Pacing and Setting

Assignment

Recap

Part 2 *
USING
SUBJECTIVE DETAIL TO REVEAL C
H
ARACTER

Right Information/Right Signals

Revealing Character Through Setting

Assignment

Recap

Part 3 *USING
SENSORY
DETAIL TO ENHANCE SETTING

Layering POV and Sensory Details

Ways to Bring Out Sensory Details

Assignment

Recap

Wrap Up

Bibliography

What Folks Are Saying About
Active Setting

Part
1

INTRODUCTION

Setting is probably one of the most underu
sed
tools in a writer’s toolbox, but it doesn’t have to be.

Settings involve so much more than stringing
together
a list of adjectives
or
dumping a chunk of visual clues to orient the reader. Setting can create the world of your story, show characterization, add conflict, slow or speed up your pacing, add or decrease tension, relate a character’s back story, thread in emotion
,
and more. Some authors are known for creating Settings that
are so deeply integrated into the scene
that when reader
s step
away from reading they still find themselves in the place described on the page.

Think of Setting as the stage which contains your story, and it should be as important as any character whether you
choose
to write sparse
ly
or in great detail. The setting orients the readers to the geography, climate, social context, time of the story
’s
events,
foreshadowing of unfolding events
, architecture
,
and much more. When handled well the Setting can also impact the thoughts
of your readers
and actions of your characters and thus move the story forward
.

I
f not handled well,
poor Setting description
can
thwart or
frustrate
the reader
to the point where
they want to throw
away
the story
or
actually do
put your book down and walk away
.

Setting can add so much to your story wor
ld
or it can add
nothing.
When creating
Active Setting we’re looking to add subtext in your writing, a deeper way for your reader to experience your story. Instead of simply describing a place or thing for the sake of description, we’ll look closely at how to maximize what you are
showing the reader
.
You’ll learn how to verbally illustrate
a place and where to
insert this information so the reader
will understand the intention of your scenes and be
pulled deeper into the story. Specifically in Book 1
,
we’ll be looking at using Setting to
reveal your characters
and to
add sensory details
.

We’ll make sure you do not
focus your reader on something that isn’t pertinent to your story.

Note
: The details of your Setting must matter to your story.

Example
—
you’re showing the reader a room in a house. That room and the details in that room should show characterization or conflict or emotion or foreshadowing or be there for a reason instead of simply describing placement of objects in space.

In Book 1
,
let’s examine
Setting
in two vital ways:
to show Characterization and
to
add Sensory details
.
But first an overview
of what Setting is and what it can be
.

OVERVIEW

In this book we’ll focus on keeping
in mind three key elements in crafting
Setting
:

(1)
You need to create the world of your story
.

(2)
Each character in your story experiences the story world differently
.

(3)
Your story world involves more than one sense.

What this means is that your role as a writer
is
to create the world of your story so that the reader not
only sees it but experiences every detail
.
Regardless if you’re writing about a famous place that millions have lived in or experienced,
your
Character’s
perceptions of that world
are
what matters in your story. You’re not writing about
any
living room,
any
small town,
any
large city; you are writing about a specific living room, a specific small town
,
a specific large city
a
nd why those things matter to your character.

Pull the
reader deeper into your story by allowing them to
experience the
Setting
on a deeper level. It can be the difference between standing on a beach facing the
Pacific Ocean
, feeling the sand beneath your bare toes, inhaling the s
c
ent of tangy salt spray, hearing the roar and slam of the waves versus looking at a postcard.

Learning to write Active
Setting
is as easy as knowing when and where you want to ramp up your
Setting
details and why.

I’ve had the privilege to work with thousands of writers in all genres
over the years and to see them
take the blah or non-existent
Setting
of their stories and make it work harder. That’s my wish for every writer who takes the time to study Active
Setting
.