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 