After reading this guidebook, you'll have a method for ensuring that your story is well-told, well-paced, and highly effective. You'll be guided through the process of reviewing your story, scene-by-scene, until it works.
We won't focus on copy-edi...
I once read a book where I didn't skim any of the setting descriptions. This surprised me (because I tend to skim description), so I asked myself why I read every word.
To learn what captured me, I re-read the book and highlighted every sentence that described the setting. I discovered the author only described objects or locations relevant to the plot. I also realized the author designed the location of each setting to elicit emotion.
Settings are made up of the location of the scene, the time, objects, senses, weather and so on.
The Story Elements we'll cover are:
1. Location
2. Date/Time
3. Objects
4. Senses: Smell, Taste, Sight, Sound, Touch
5. Weather
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Emotions
In each scene, there will be emotions you want the POV character, the protagonist, and the antagonist to feel.
What do the characters working against the POV character feel?
Love interests, helper characters or best friends will also have emotions, so don't forget about them.
Most importantly, what do you want the reader to feel?
The location of the scene can profoundly influence how a character or reader feels and you are in control of setting this up.
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Location
The location is the place where a scene happens. so let's make the most of it.
Here is my favorite story editing question. Once you've determined the location for each scene, ask yourself: Is the location the best place for emotional impact?
This one little question helps you:
- Increase or decrease conflict
- Increase or decrease tension
- Set the mood
- Highlight emotion
- Show characterization
- Slow down or speed up pacing
Thinking about the location in terms of emotional impact will help you choose the best location. Let me give you an example.
Suppose you have a character who is afraid of the dark. Imagine the character is about to have a confrontation with an employee. If the character feels confident being in his office and you want him to be in a position of strength, then use the office as a setting.
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If you want him to feel vulnerable during the confrontation, try locating him outside, at night, in an isolated parking lot. And make it very dark. The streetlight is broken. There is no moon. Maybe it's windy, so a yell for help won't be heard.
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Do you see the difference? The location can help you bring out emotion in the scene by showing conflict, tension, mood, and characterization.
Conflict is action that ishappening.
Tension is the suspicion/dread something willhappen.
You decide what emotion you want the reader to feel, then decide how the location can help elicit that emotion.
If you think the location is not the best place for emotional impact, it's time for a rewrite. Set the scene where you can elicit strong emotions, then rewrite the scene in that location.
Your Mission
Review each scene and ask yourself, "Is this the best location for emotional impact?" If it's not, consider changing the location and rewriting the scene.
This is a great question to ask yourself because it will spark your imagination, and it will help you come up with all kinds of interesting locations for a scene.
