Read Online Writing Active Setting Book 1: Characterization and Sensory Detail by Mary Buckham - Free Book Online
Authors: Mary Buckham
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location, open a chapter , or to indicate a shift in the emotional state of the POV character. An example might be listening to specific music at the opening of the scene. What can be soft and relaxing at the beginning of the scene can be lonely and low-energy at the end of the scene.
Texture is so very often overlooked in Setting , but can act as a metaphor or quickly orient a reader to the time of day, a change in location , or share more information about the POV character.
The bottom line is that sensory detail can enhance your Setting descriptions and thus the readers ’ experience of your story in so many ways.
A SSIGNMENT
Using Sensory Details t o Enhance Setting
PART 1:
Place yourself in either a familiar Setting or a new one , but s omeplace you feel comfort able closing your eyes. [ N ote: D o not do this assignment while driving a vehicle .] Now see if you can describe the following:
Sound
Touch/Texture
Smells
Taste
Now use the same Setting and place one of your story characters in that Setting . What would they see, hear, feel, smell , or taste differently?
PART 2 :
Use any 2 - 4 sentences of Setting y ou currently have in your WIP — o ne without much sensory detail and preferably one at the opening of a scene or a chapter or in a change of location for the character.
See what sensory details you can add without a dding a lot more words . [ Note : T his ma y require rewriting and replacing some visual details with other sensory details . ] Put yourself in the POV character’s state of mind and look around. What would he or she specifically smell, touch, hear , or taste? Write an example of each sense, then add to your current scene. Try for a minimum of two additional details, more if you wish.
Do you like the rewrite? Did you discover it added more depth to the story or insights into your character?
Intention: T o start showing you the power of using sensory details while keeping you aware that if you change the character you’ll change which senses they use or how they relate to the sensory details of a specific Setting.
RECAP
* Use specific sounds to thread through descriptive details that can pull and anchor the reader onto the page.
* As you change your Setting , look at opportunities to quickly orient and anchor the reader as to where the characters are by focusing in on sensory details of that specific Setting .
* Change up your sensory details so you are not always using the same senses.
* By using more sensory details in your Setting description readers can feel themselves pulled deeper into a story on a three-dimensional level vs. simply a visual level.
* Make sure though that your detail is specific to the place and specific to the POV character’s awareness.
WRAP UP
I hope you have learned from the examples and explanation s in this book of how to use your Setting descriptions in your own work to enhance the reader’s experience. If you want more information on how to maximize Active Setting look for the next two books in this series Writing Active Setting: Book 2 : Setting to Show Emotion, Add Conflict , and Show Back Story ; and in Writing Active Setting: Book 3: Anchoring, Action, as a Character and More , coming soon in 2013 .
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Barr, Nevada., Burn, Minotaur Books; 1 edition (August 3, 2010)
Bourne, Joanna., The Spymaster’s Lady ; Berkley Pub Group (2008)
Buckham, Mary., Invisible Recruit ; Silhouette (2006)
Collins, Suzanne., The Hunger Games ; Scholastic Press; Reprint (2010)
Crais, Robert., The Watchman ; Simon & Schuster (2007)
Evanovich, Janet., Seven Up ; St. Martin 's Publishers; 1st edition (2002)
Ford, Jamie., Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet ; Ballantine Books (2009)
Gardiner, Meg. , China Lake ; Signet; Reprint (2008)
Gardiner, Meg., The Memory Collector ; Dutton Adult (2009)
Gerritsen, Tess., Ice Cold ; Ballantine
Texture is so very often overlooked in Setting , but can act as a metaphor or quickly orient a reader to the time of day, a change in location , or share more information about the POV character.
The bottom line is that sensory detail can enhance your Setting descriptions and thus the readers ’ experience of your story in so many ways.
A SSIGNMENT
Using Sensory Details t o Enhance Setting
PART 1:
Place yourself in either a familiar Setting or a new one , but s omeplace you feel comfort able closing your eyes. [ N ote: D o not do this assignment while driving a vehicle .] Now see if you can describe the following:
Sound
Touch/Texture
Smells
Taste
Now use the same Setting and place one of your story characters in that Setting . What would they see, hear, feel, smell , or taste differently?
PART 2 :
Use any 2 - 4 sentences of Setting y ou currently have in your WIP — o ne without much sensory detail and preferably one at the opening of a scene or a chapter or in a change of location for the character.
See what sensory details you can add without a dding a lot more words . [ Note : T his ma y require rewriting and replacing some visual details with other sensory details . ] Put yourself in the POV character’s state of mind and look around. What would he or she specifically smell, touch, hear , or taste? Write an example of each sense, then add to your current scene. Try for a minimum of two additional details, more if you wish.
Do you like the rewrite? Did you discover it added more depth to the story or insights into your character?
Intention: T o start showing you the power of using sensory details while keeping you aware that if you change the character you’ll change which senses they use or how they relate to the sensory details of a specific Setting.
RECAP
* Use specific sounds to thread through descriptive details that can pull and anchor the reader onto the page.
* As you change your Setting , look at opportunities to quickly orient and anchor the reader as to where the characters are by focusing in on sensory details of that specific Setting .
* Change up your sensory details so you are not always using the same senses.
* By using more sensory details in your Setting description readers can feel themselves pulled deeper into a story on a three-dimensional level vs. simply a visual level.
* Make sure though that your detail is specific to the place and specific to the POV character’s awareness.
WRAP UP
I hope you have learned from the examples and explanation s in this book of how to use your Setting descriptions in your own work to enhance the reader’s experience. If you want more information on how to maximize Active Setting look for the next two books in this series Writing Active Setting: Book 2 : Setting to Show Emotion, Add Conflict , and Show Back Story ; and in Writing Active Setting: Book 3: Anchoring, Action, as a Character and More , coming soon in 2013 .
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Barr, Nevada., Burn, Minotaur Books; 1 edition (August 3, 2010)
Bourne, Joanna., The Spymaster’s Lady ; Berkley Pub Group (2008)
Buckham, Mary., Invisible Recruit ; Silhouette (2006)
Collins, Suzanne., The Hunger Games ; Scholastic Press; Reprint (2010)
Crais, Robert., The Watchman ; Simon & Schuster (2007)
Evanovich, Janet., Seven Up ; St. Martin 's Publishers; 1st edition (2002)
Ford, Jamie., Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet ; Ballantine Books (2009)
Gardiner, Meg. , China Lake ; Signet; Reprint (2008)
Gardiner, Meg., The Memory Collector ; Dutton Adult (2009)
Gerritsen, Tess., Ice Cold ; Ballantine