Julie Tagg

February 6, 2024

Three types of story settings

Writing different types of settings requires attention to detail, atmosphere, and the specific needs of your story. Here’s how to write three common types of settings:

Realistic Setting:

Research: Conduct thorough research to ensure accuracy and authenticity in depicting real-world locations. This includes details such as geography, climate, architecture, and cultural norms.

Observation: Use personal experiences or visit similar settings to observe and gather sensory details. Pay attention to sights, sounds, smells, textures, and even tastes to make the setting come alive.

Character Interaction: Show how characters navigate and interact with the setting. Describe their reactions, emotions, and behaviors within the realistic environment to deepen immersion.

Consistency: Maintain consistency throughout the narrative to ensure that the story is believable. Hence, the details about the setting should remain consistent and coherent with the established real-world context.

Historical Setting

Historical Context: Research the time period extensively to understand the social, cultural, political, and technological aspects of the era. Incorporate historical events, customs, and language to create an authentic atmosphere.

Period Details: Pay attention to period-specific details such as clothing, architecture, transportation, and societal norms. Describe these elements vividly to transport readers to the historical setting.

Language and Dialogue: Use language and dialogue appropriate to the time period, avoiding anachronisms that would break immersion. Incorporate vernacular expressions and speech patterns to enhance authenticity.

Conflict and Themes: Explore how historical events and circumstances influence the plot, characters, and themes of the story. Use the historical setting as a backdrop to explore universal themes in a unique context.

Imaginary/Fantasy Setting

Worldbuilding: Develop a rich and coherent fictional world with its own geography, history, cultures, and rules. Consider elements such as magic systems, fantastical creatures, and unique landmarks to make the setting distinctive.

Sensory Details: Describe the fantastical elements of the setting using vivid sensory imagery. Engage all five senses to immerse readers in the imaginary world and make it feel tangible and believable.

Rules and Consistency: Establish clear rules and limitations for the fantasy setting to maintain internal consistency. Ensure that magical or supernatural elements follow logical frameworks within the fictional world.

Character Perspective: Show how characters perceive and interact with the imaginary setting. Describe their wonder, curiosity, or fear as they encounter fantastical elements, and use their experiences to reveal aspects of the world.

By following these guidelines, writers can effectively create realistic, historical, or imaginary settings that enhance their stories and captivate readers.

Example of a historical setting

Setting: Victorian London, 1888

The gas-lit streets of Victorian London cast eerie shadows against the cobblestone pavement, as a thick fog blankets the city, obscuring the towering buildings and bustling crowds. Horses pull carriages, their hooves clattering against the uneven road, while street vendors peddle their wares with cries echoing through narrow alleyways.

In the heart of Whitechapel, poverty-stricken tenements crowd together, their facades crumbling, and windows boarded up. The air is heavy with the stench of decay and desperation, mingling with the acrid scent of coal smoke from nearby factories. Children play in the muddy lanes, their laughter a stark contrast to the grim reality of their surroundings.

At the docks, ships from distant lands unload their cargo, bringing exotic spices, fabrics, and treasures to the bustling metropolis. Sailors with weathered faces and salt-stained clothing weave through the crowds, their voices carrying accents from far-flung corners of the globe.

Amidst the hustle and bustle, figures in bowler hats and bustled skirts hurry along the streets, their faces hidden behind veils of respectability. But beneath the veneer of propriety lies a city teeming with secrets, where whispers of scandal and intrigue mingle with the smoke-filled air.

In this tumultuous era of innovation and social upheaval, the streets of Victorian London serve as a vivid backdrop for tales of mystery, romance, and adventure, where fortunes are made and lost, and the past casts a long shadow over the present.

This example sets the scene in a specific historical period, Victorian London in 1888, capturing the atmosphere, sights, sounds, and social dynamics of the era.

Setting profile

Setting Profile: Victorian London, 1888

Time Period: Late 19th century, specifically the year 1888.

Location: London, England, primarily focusing on the Whitechapel district and the bustling city center.

Atmosphere: The atmosphere is characterized by a blend of industrial progress and social inequality. Victorian London is a city of contrasts, with opulent wealth juxtaposed against abject poverty. The air is often heavy with fog, smoke from factories, and the cacophony of urban life.

Geography: London is a sprawling metropolis, with iconic landmarks such as the River Thames, the Tower of London, and Buckingham Palace. The Whitechapel district, notorious for its poverty and crime, features narrow alleyways, dilapidated tenements, and crowded streets.

Social Structure: Victorian society is rigidly stratified, with a stark divide between the upper, middle, and working classes. The wealthy elite inhabit elegant townhouses and attend lavish social events, while the working poor struggle to survive in squalid conditions, often turning to crime or menial labor for meager wages.

Cultural Influences: The Victorian era is marked by a resurgence of Gothic architecture, literature, and fashion. The city is also influenced by the burgeoning industrial revolution, with steam-powered machinery transforming daily life. Social reform movements, including the fight for women’s suffrage and workers’ rights, are gaining momentum.

Key Events:

The year 1888 is notable for the infamous Jack the Ripper murders, which cast a shadow of fear and paranoia over the city. Additionally, London is a hub of colonial expansion, with expeditions to far-flung corners of the British Empire shaping public discourse and cultural attitudes.

Characteristics: Victorian London is characterized by its gas-lit streets, horse-drawn carriages, bustling markets, and opulent architecture. The city is a melting pot of diverse cultures and languages, with immigrants from around the world contributing to its vibrant tapestry of life.

Themes: Themes prevalent in Victorian London include social inequality, morality, progress versus tradition, and the duality of human nature. The setting serves as a backdrop for exploring these themes through the lens of historical fiction, mystery, romance, or social commentary.

Here are some “setting profile” questions to get you started:

– What’s the history of this area?

– What is the weather like each season?

– What are the biggest landmarks of this setting?

–  In what sorts of residences do most people live?

– How do people tend to get around (walking, driving, etc.)?

–  Why do people like (or dislike) living (or visiting) here?

What is the setting? https://wordpress.com/post/thinkandwriteforcsecenglish.com/669