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What Makes Fictional Settings Feel So Real? Examples from Popular Fiction

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I love books where the setting is central to the plot.

In fact, I would say that in these cases, the setting itself is a character in the story.

In this post I’d like to share with you three things that make these setting so memorable. (And, if you are a writer, how you can write settings that will really have an impact on your readers.) I’m also going to share some examples from Popular stories to give you an idea of what this looks like in action.

A setting plays a deeper role in a story when it:

  1. Uses all the senses. When we walk around the world we aren’t just seeing the places we go, we are experiencing them will all of our senses. Instead of just describing the way a setting looks, be sure to add the way it feels, sounds, and smells to help your reader feel immersed in the setting as they read.
  2. The characteristics of the setting allow it to affect the plot and the other characters in the story. If a character is dealing with feelings of seclusion, loneliness, or self-reliance, then setting your story on an island or a cabin up in the mountains would be a great way to reflect these inner struggles. Having a setting that reflects the inner world of your characters or that physically affects their choices or conflicts can really make the setting stand out.
  3. The little details matter. Every story has a setting, but the little details about the settings are what make it real. It’s one thing to say a character is standing in a garden. It’s another to say that they are standing in an overgrown garden with a chipped white fence where the gate creeks loudly and the weeds snag at their skirt as they walk down the rocky path to the dirt road. The details give the setting its personality.

Below I’ve provided some vivid examples from literature where the setting has a lot to do with the overall story and the charter’s experiences.

  • Love in a Fallen City by Eileen Chang – The first novella in this collection starts with beautiful descriptions of the house and garden, but it intentionally reflects the blend between Eastern and Western aesthetics. This sets the deeper themes of the story by reflecting the characters’ struggles in navigating a social class system that blends Chinese and English cultural expressions.
  • Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman – The setting in this story is really the central focus, while the characters are merely moving through this world at the mercy of what the setting has in store for them. Neverwhere is unique in that the setting is both fantastical and modern at the same time. The story takes place in London, but not just the way we experience it today, and instead in a parallel universe of sorts where fantasy becomes reality. Gaiman’s more popular story, Coraline, uses those sensory descriptions I mentioned earlier, and even though the book is short, the setting really makes the story extra creepy.
  • The Writer’s Retreat by Julia Bartz – This story, like many other thrillers, utilizes a house in a secluded area as the backdrop of the terrifying drama that unfolds. Similar stories include The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley, and We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer. These stories, and the circumstances faced by their characters, would not be possible if they were set anywhere else. That’s the power of a well-chosen setting.
  • Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling – The magical world and Hogwarts Castle are half of what makes this series so captivating. Just take a look Universal’s “Harry Potter Land” in Orlando. It really is the setting of a hidden magical world within our modern world (much like Neverwhere) that makes these stories feel so real for us. And more than that, this setting was well-crafted down to the details awhile also containing expansive world building.

Settings really do have the power to take us to a whole new world, and to feel the emotional depth of a story as we walk side-by-side with the characters, wherever they go.

*Author’s Note: In my blog I might reference stories or authors that are considered controversial. However, throughout my studies I have taken the stance that removing the artist from their art is sometimes necessary in order to see the beauty of the fantasy behind the grim reality. After all, that’s what stories are for. They give us hope when the world lets us down. Unfortunately, sometimes that person that lets us down was the one holding the pen.

Review: Andromeda by Therese Bohman

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I just finished a book that was so painfully relatable and so well-written that it took me two months to read.

I had to take it one page at a time, stopping and pondering on what it had said as if it were a book of poetry.

Each paragraph was written in flowing prose, usually on a mundane topic, but the final sentence for each paragraph was a sharp statement that carried weight and truth, even if it was only a couple of words.

This book held my heart and my senses. It read almost like a diary or as if you had found old letters that were too personal to read. Like you were peaking into the life of a person that was both relatable to yourself while simultaneously heartbreaking to relate to.

The themes discussed in the book were the old versus the new, tradition versus modernity, age versus maturity, art and literature versus life, and most of all the complicated emotions and relationships we find ourselves in.

The book is ANDROMEDA by Therese Bohman.

This book is NOT for everyone.

It tells the story from the perspective of two characters. One is a young woman who interns at a publishing house, and the other is an older man who is the editor of the publishing house.

I know what you are thinking, but hold on….

This isn’t one of those power dynamic relationships that leads to trouble. This isn’t about the ways in which men are controlling or women are victims. In fact, this technically can’t be considered a romance at all. Nothing happens.

This book is about relationships, yes. But it is more about how we want to be seen, how we see others, and how the little things in life all add up to equal our experiences. How life happens in the in-between spaces.

As someone who has had similar situations to the one in the book, I found it beautiful and heartbreaking. The topic was personal, but more than that, the execution was flawless.

It was aesthetic and poetic, and perfect. I almost cried when it was over. It was simultaneously about everything and nothing, and I highly recommend you read it if it sounds at all interesting to you.

The Life Experiences That Inspired My Writing

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My stories are about healing.

Specifically, I am interested in how love can heal our deepest wounds and transform our lives. However, for my characters to need healing, they had to experience some form of trauma. And if you have read my work, you know that the trauma that my characters face is real and raw.

I’ll never forget reading a comment for Maple Creek from a reader who had left an abusive husband. She said, “We spent three months in a women’s shelter. I knew when I started reading this book, what it was about. Very good writing.”

Now if I’m being honest, overall, Maple Creek was in many ways a mistake and a stain on my career. I was inexperienced in publishing and I was in a very dark place in my life mentally and emotionally. I didn’t have an editor, and the moment I finished the book my cursor hovered over the button to delete the manuscript permanently.

In a moment of panic I published the book typos and all to save it from being wiped out of existence… by me. I told myself that if even one person liked it, I would continue my writing career. But there was no way anyone would like it, right? And needless to say, the book created some pretty reviews. most of the initial emotional reactions to the book were anger and disgust. Part of me felt validated in my low self-esteem.

But then, something remarkable happened:

The book received good reviews, too.

And not just good reviews, but some reviews that the book had been an emotional journey for the readers, that they related to it, loved it, and were sharing it with their friends.

How could a disaster of a manuscript like that receive any positive reviews?

The answer is this: because the story, in many ways, was true.

Obviously the characters and setting were fiction, but the deeper truth behind what the characters were expereincing was real.

I had been in and out of dangerous and abusive relationships, just like Sarah. And just like Sarah, I had a complicated relationship with my parents and the places from my past. And the inspiration behind Sarah and Emily’s love sprouted from the recent realizations that I, too, wasn’t straight. I’m an asexual panromantic. I’d had feelings for men and women, including trans women. And my relationship with sex had been complicated by my orientation coupled with the abuse and social pressures that I faced being raised as a girl in a hyper-sexual culture. And yes, many of my friends are queer and trans, and they have faced the same discrimination that the characters in the book did.

All of my stories, from books like Caravan or Miner of Mine to short stories like “Hope” are based on the personal traumas and healing experiences from my own life.

That’s why I went back and had editors fix them instead of deleting them. That’s why I continued to write and went on to find deeper healing, which I now continue to reflect in my stories and share with readers.

Because life isn’t perfect.

When we make mistakes, we need to heal them, not throw ourselves away. Because we need to know that we aren’t alone in the world. And most of all, because I want my stories to remind my readers that there is love in the world, and no matter what trauma we face, we can heal.

Exploring the Charm of Small-Town Romance Settings

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I love writing small-town romance. And millions of people love to read it. But why is a small-town romance so intriguing? What is so romantic about being stuck in the middle of nowhere?

Well, here are the top 5 reasons small towns would make romantic backdrops for your latest love story.

  1. Slow-Paced Days – In the city life your characters have to deal with crowds, stressful commutes, and the hustle and bustle of a demanding work schedule. People are always around and breathing down their neck and there is very little alone time unless they are in their home. However, in a small-town setting, privacy is easy to find, which can add to the intimacy of even the simplest scenes. Your characters will be able to relax, and take it slow.
  2. Beautiful Landscapes – From charming farmland in the deep south to wide open western landscapes, small towns are known for having a plethora of natural beauty. Sure, the fancy dining found in Manhattan can be romantic, but being kissed at a picnic in a field of wildflowers at sunset definitely has a special something to it, too!
  3. Everyone is Family – In small towns most people are either related or very close friends. Everyone knows everyone, so being welcomed into a warm, close-knit community can feel really special for your characters. This allows your characters to experience a wide range of love: from romantic to platonic to familial.
  4. Secrets to Uncover – Since not many people go down the dirt roads or through the fields in these settings, it can be easy to uncover secrets that might be hidden there. Discovering new things and having secrets with each other is a fun way to add depth to your plot and bring your characters even closer together.
  5. Giving Up Their Life for Love – Oftentimes, your main character won’t be from this remote place. (And your reader probably isn’t, either.) They will usually have to leave their life behind if they choose to stay in this place with their new found love. Leaving it all behind and starting a new life is a very romantic idea for many readers. I mean, who hasn’t wished they could just drop everything and run away? So, having your romance blossom in this sort of small-town setting can play into this fantasy for your readers.

Happy Writing! 🙂