5 Tips to Help Set the Scene

By georgelthomas on 3 Mar 2020 • ( 9 )

Hi everyone, I hope you’re all well! Today, I’m talking about setting, and, more importantly, ways in which you can help the reader to connect with the scene you are describing.

So without further ado, here are

5 Tips to Help Set the Scene

1 Smells
It’s a good idea to add smells at the beginning of the scene to help the reader get a sense of the setting right away. After all, when you walk into a room, if there is a strong smell, it will probably be one of, if not the first thing you notice.

2 Sounds
Sounds, or perhaps even the lack of sound, can help to add atmosphere to a scene. Certain sounds or silences can also help to invoke emotion. We’ve all been witness to an awkward silence or the creepiness of the sounds a house makes at night.

3 Light
Light can play an important part in describing the setting of your story to the reader. The type of light that is being described, how bright the light is, and where the light is coming from can help the reader to get a good sense of the atmosphere and mood. The same can also be said for darkness and shade. Varying the light and shade can make for an interesting read.

4 Detail
When you are describing your story’s setting, it’s best not to overdo the detail or to be too specific. It’s better to focus on a few of the most important and vibrant details. Readers are fairly good at filling in the gaps and every reader will picture the scene you have described in a different way.

5 Colour
Colour can have a huge impact on the way a reader envisions the scene you’re describing. If you describe things in shades of greys or blacks then these can help to convey a tense and creepy atmosphere, and the same can be said of lighter and brighter colours. You could also use colour to symbolize the characters’ inner emotional states. For example, dark colours such as blues, purples and blacks can be used to convey negative emotions, or bright colours such as reds, yellows and oranges for positive.

As always, thank you very much for reading my words. I really do appreciate it.

Until next time,

George