Setting the Scene

Lately I’ve been focusing on character development since your protagonists and antagonists are the heart of the story. That’s still true, but setting is just as important. I’ve said it before— the description you write for different scenes sets the tone and mood for how the reader will perceive the event. In this section of description, I would suggest to take a page from the screenwriter’s script and focus on simplicity.

As you start a new scene, ask yourself, does this take place inside or outside? During the day or night?

For Internal- Note what is important about the space: Is there furniture or other people present? Does the room belong to someone or is it obscure? An internal location can reveal secrets about its inhabitants by the décor. Remember that the atmosphere of the internal space is equally important. Is it tense or calm? Does the location offer sanctuary or create further danger?

For External- As the scene takes place outdoors, be thoughtful of its position and classify what type of space it occurs in. Urban or rural? Crowded or vacant? Outside could even be on the balcony of an apartment, or as remote as the deep woods. Moreover, the weather conditions are integral to the feel of the situation at hand and should be considered. Read more on weather here.

For Temporal- Regardless of where the scene takes place, the time of day is necessary to explain as well. If the scene shines at night, the mood of the scene could drastically be altered if you choose to place it during the day. The times available are not as stark as morning or night either: there are other hours in-between that can create a whole new frame of mind.

It’s that simple. Sure, you can describe the places for pages or just for a paragraph, but setting comes down to these three simple points. Internal. External. Temporal. Starting off by answering questions about the location will give the scene a place to begin and for you to create detail and complexity that then provides further information for the reader.