In writing, setting refers to place or surroundings. In this environment, something is positioned or takes place. The writer’s challenge is to show that to the reader in a vivid manner with a goal to draw them into the scene in a way that lets them know where they are or the location of an object.
For instance, a cozy waterfront cottage provides a setting, but as a standalone phrase "cozy waterfront cottage" lacks details that help the reader imagine where they are. What exactly does cozy mean in this case? If we add details like:
- it is raining
- the roof leaks
- character staring out at the gray ocean pouring a glass of wine
It starts to set the scene.
In contrast, if the person stares at calm azure waters lapping the shore and fingering toward the high tide mark, it establishes a different setting. So the cottage may be the same cottage, but the surroundings have changed.
No matter your genre, when creating setting, the goal is to offer details that
matter. You want to avoid paragraphs of descriptive minutia that don’t matter.
For instance, you don’t need to describe all the cottage furnishings only the ones that are significant. There has to be a point, a reason, for why you offer the
information. Filling the page with details that don’t matter becomes boring.
Saying the well-worn L-shaped sectional sofa with a storage ottoman takes up
one wall, with the L partially blocking the sliders leading out to the lanai,
creates a sense of place. It says this place may need updating. That it is not
spacious, but the view beyond makes it worth it. Or it may be a disappointment. There is potential for both and more defining to make it clear.
Paragraphs of superfluous description makes readers skip to what is significant. So, if a relevant detail is couched within boring description, chances are the reader will miss it. For instance, they might not notice a squeaky stair on the way up to the bedrooms, if buried in non-relevant description. Strive to embed particulars that are key without falling into the trap of over-description.
2 common reasons writers over describe
I can think of two reasons writers over describe.
- The first is that they think the reader won’t get it. However, when you keep making the same point over and over, you are treating the reader like they are stupid. OR You think your writing isn’t good enough to make things clear. One of my current reads gives the same information in different ways as if for the first time. The first time, I wondered if the author had forgotten that he had already included that discovery but after the third time, I realized he was trying to ensure his reader didn't miss it.
- The second reason is that a writer loves everything about
the story so much that they bring it up frequently. For instance, if the main
character has a taste for expensive things, the author may want to describe
every costly item in the story to show how much the character knows. Except if there is too
much, the reader will not care what they know. Too much description or
repetitive description can bog down the imagination. Just like we don't need to be told about the characters green eyes or freckles or ruddy cheeks every time they are mentioned. Strive to offer enough
detail but not so much that the reader skips over something that advances the
plot or helps to understand the character or story.
Learning to refine descriptions
Feel free to write your first draft without worrying about over describing. Once you have your draft, the first step in learning to refine your descriptions is to admit to yourself that they probably need refining. It can help to read your writing aloud or have your computer read it. Listen to the rhythm within the overall flow of the story. Question your detail choices. Do they move the story forward in any way? If you belong to a writing group, do this exercise together and then ask each other to point out where your descriptions grow boring or repetitive and where they are goo and why.
Today’s Writing Prompt: Setting descriptions
Today’s writing prompt is a practice in description when crafting setting. Your goal is to write prose that links to the reader's imagination. Along with sight, include sensory info like touch, hearing, and taste, like salt air. HOWEVER, feel free to overwrite the scene for the first draft. Let the descriptions flow. Once written, pare it down. This process can help you find the best descriptors.
For this prompt, select one of the photos below and create a setting based on it. Feel free to embellish and expand it. (You don’t have to stay in the exact spot shown in the photo, but it should be a starting or landing point. Write 500 to 1000 words. When you finish, take a closer look at your description. Is there enough? Too much? Practicing this approach will nudge some writers to add more detail and others less. Your goal is to seek to find the perfect balance.
