A Guide to Making a Strong Setting for Your Book
Imagine your favorite book; it can be any genre. Now, picture the locations and time period the story takes place in. That is the setting of the book. Often, these settings become classic books’ lasting legacies that stay in the cultural consciousness for decades to come.
Every book’s setting has two components: the where and the when. These are the physical space of the story and the time the story takes place in. Put together, this forms a full picture of the story being told. The characters of your story interact with their setting in ways that define their arcs.
As an author, you should have a full understanding of your book’s setting, both where and when. This can be planned and established from the very beginning of your writing process. When you have an understanding of setting, you can write a story that fits within the world you are imagining. This article will detail some considerations to take into account when building your book’s setting.
Where Your Story Takes Place
The location of your story is the physical embodiment of the setting. This is where the action of your story will be and where your characters will interact. When a reader is visualizing the story while reading, they will likely imagine a picture of the setting. Your job, as an author, is to describe the physical setting of your book so your readers can picture it. This goes for whether they are reading the text on the page or listening to an audiobook.
You should have a clear sense of your physical settings early in the writing process. This is especially important for stories that feature one or a few prominent settings. For example, if your book takes place largely in a home, your writing should describe it. When you have direction on your story’s settings, you can properly draw it out for the audience. You can even draw a map for your personal use to make sure your writing is consistent.
Your book’s setting should be well thought out, preferably beginning at the outlining phase of writing. When you include location details in your outline, that helps guide your writing process. It also allows you to direct your entire process to fit the locations. You can always change details during the drafting and editing processes; just make your work intentional.
When Your Story Takes Place
The time of your story is the temporal setting; this is when your story takes place. Every story takes place at a given point in time, it is just not always stated. There is often an assumption that fiction takes place at an unspecified point in the modern day. That is a safe assumption you can use, unless your story explicitly does not take place now. If you are writing a period piece, make that clear to the audience. They will be confused if they think a story is modern but actually takes place in the past or future. All character actions and thoughts should fit their time period, unless you are intentionally subverting expectations.
However, non-fiction (specifically biographies) is assumed to be in the past to tell a specific person or event’s story. As an author, you should make any important dates or time periods known. This allows the reader to have the full context of the book.
The outlining process is a great place to plan the temporal setting of your book. If necessary, you can put years or specific dates directly on the outline to keep it organized. You can also create a storyboard to keep track of time periods. The more you plan the setting of your book, the stronger it will be.
Writing About History
You may write a book about prominent historical events or people. In these cases, the setting of the book is often pre-determined. You typically have to be bound by the parameters of the real-life event. To do this accurately, you should research any necessary details about important locations or times. Some readers may not be fully well-versed in the historical era, but some will be. It is always best to be as accurate and respectful of history as possible.
Writing About Your Own Life
Many authors write autobiographies, memoirs, devotionals, or other deeply personal stories. With these stories, you know the time and places better than anybody — you are the expert. Share everything the reader needs to know with them. You want everyone who reads your book to have a full understanding of your life’s important real-life events. A reader should not finish your book with lingering questions that hamper their experience.
Everything about your book’s setting applies to both print/digital books and audiobooks. Your audience uses their imagination when reading to fully picture the story you are all telling. If you are planning on releasing an audiobook, make sure your text makes sense when spoken aloud. Your book should be crafted with all potential audiences in mind.
