Hi Reader!
March was another crazy busy month! Here's what happened:
- I landed 2 new clients (so excited about that!)
- I signed up for PENCON, and I can't wait to attend the workshops for editors
- My daughter had her 18th birthday
- I finally purchased a Business Finance Tracker
- We started cleaning up the yard from February's ice storm damage
I'm sure I'm leaving a lot out!
How was your March?
๐ก This Month's Writing Tip
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How to Create a Captivating Setting for Your Fiction Novel
A story's setting can help enhance the characters and the plot. But getting the setting "just right" can be hit or miss: Too many details may get skimmed, while not enough details leave the characters with no place to be.
A great story setting should:
- engage the reader
- set the mood
- increase emotional connection to your characters
- deepen your plot
- help tell your story
- enhance your characters
But how do you write a captivating story setting that hooks readers?
1) Plan your setting.โ
Ask:
โ- What's the most surprising thing about this place?
- What's one thing my main character loves/hates about this place?
- What is the history of the setting?
- How is this setting important to my main characters?
2) Research
โAsk:
โ- How dense is the population?
- What nationalities are represented in the population?
- What is the main religion of the area?
- What other religions are there?
- What is the climate like?
- What is the government like?
- What are the terrain and other geographical features like?
- What are the typical weather patterns for that time of year?
3) Describe
โAsk:
โ- What physical objects are around?
- What does it smell like?
- What does it taste like?
- What does it sound like?
- What does it look like (light, dark, dusty?)
- What time is it?
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Tips:
- Decide what mood you're trying to create by thinking about how you want your reader to feel. Use words to describe emotion.
- Show the reader the setting. Don't just tell them there was ugly wallpaper. Describe it: The wallpaper looked like it was from the mid-1950s. It was covered in yellow and orange mushrooms and smelled like a dusty old attic."
- Build on the setting. Start with location and geography, then add more details.
- Don't forget about your characters!
- Don't describe the setting all at one time.
- Don't over-describe.
- Remember - the plot and the characters are affected by the setting.
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Want more details? You'll find them in my blog post! ๐
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New Posts on the Blog
What do bestselling authors like Francine Rivers, Karen Kingsbury, and Max Lucado have in common?
They all know how powerful strategic metadata keywords boost their booksโ discoverability!
In this post, you'll learn about finding and choosing the best keywords for your book's metadata.
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โ๏ธ This Month's Writing Prompt
Write a scene detailing your greatest fear. Now, imagine that has come true for your character.
Need help with your manuscript?
Are you a self-publishing author? Don't overlook the importance of a final set of eyes!
To learn more about what proofreading involves, check out my services page. When you're ready for a proofreader, I would love to chat!
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See you next month!
Michelle
"God has given each of you a gift. Use it to help each other. This will show Godโs loving-favor." 1 Peter 4:10
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