Everything Happens SOMEWHERE
Everything, even thought, takes place somewhere. When remembering ordinary happenings and previous conversations, most people automatically recall where they took place and at what time. If not, they may ponder, “Now, where was I?”
For more important events, the backdrop becomes an intrinsic part of most people’s memories. Those who have been around long enough to remember the assassination of President Kennedy or the airplanes striking the World Trade Center in New York not only remember the horrific events and what they thought at the time but also recall their own surroundings. Often, when someone describes these feelings to another, he will say something like, “I remember sitting in my history classroom when our principal announced it over the loudspeaker” or “I was watching my favorite program on television when the shocking news broke in.” For that person, the action is embedded in the setting, and he may go on to describe the room and other persons present, if any.
The same is true in creative writing. Authors can choose from various setting devices—such as the following—to bring a scene to life.
Embed Action in the Backdrop
Whether in a novel, narrative nonfiction, or a short story, scenes come to life for the reader with the use of vivid sights, smells, and sounds. Most writers are aware that their characters need physical description, including personality, mannerisms, quirks, and opinions.
