Since my long-awaited wedding is this Saturday, and my honeymoon in Tennessee will immediately follow, you can imagine how up-to-my-ears I am with last minute details, and of course, last minute stress!
That being said, I’d like to say a few words on setting. As writers, I’m sure you heard that sometimes the setting “becomes a character” in a poem, story, or novel. Next week, I will be in a new setting of my own–The Great Smoky Mountains. I’m a Jersey girl, so talk about new surroundings! In literature, as in life, the ‘backdrop’ to our stories are worth more value than we give it credit for. We tend to focus on plot and characters, but often overlook the setting, and in some ways, take it for granted.
Even though it’s true that those other elements I spoke of–characters, plot, tension, conflict–do drive the story forward, the story itself would be completely different in another setting. Especially since a well-rounded setting includes both time and place; an entire novel’s values, morals, and lifestyles could very well depend on the setting.
I came across a great article from Writer’s Digest this afternoon:
http://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/adriana-trigiani?et_mid=571494&rid=3058805
Enjoy the advice from author Adriana Trigiani, while I continue to plan for my wedding–and my new (yet temporary setting) 🙂
theintrinsicwriter 
Congratulations on your wedding! Blessings and good wishes!
Thank you, Donna!
many happy wishes for your wedding and your life together. i hope that this new adventure gives you plenty to write about. xx
ps. i blogged
Thank you, Bev. I hope it gives me inspiration as well…after all this is over, I’ll need to get back in the swing of things!
Happy Happy wedding day! 🙂 May you have a beautiful day and life together! 🙂
Thanks Cheryl!
Must be so exciting with the wedding coming up! Congrats and have fun in the Smoky Mountains. They are lovely this time of year. 🙂
I’ve found that the setting can drive the story in many subtle ways, as well as the more obvious ones. Values and traditions of a time (the bride’s family funds the wedding 😉 ) as well as the surroundings (rainy weather makes roads treacherous) can shift the story in lots of different directions. Having control over the setting gives me so much power as a writer, and perhaps being so omnipotent in my story’s world is part of the attraction.
Thanks for the link!
Thanks Kirsten. I agree about having that control. Sometimes it takes a lot of research to get it right, but it’s worth it. And for the record, it’s more like the bride herself paying for the wedding!
Congrats to the new couple! Enjoy your honeymoon setting! 🙂
Thanks Sylver! See you at the next WWW meeting!
How did I miss that you had gotten married! Wishing you a lifetime of happiness- Congratulations!
Thank you, Julie!