By Darlene L. Turner @darlenelturner

Authors begin a new story by creating and building their characters—the hero, heroine, and villain, but shouldn’t we also consider the setting as a character? How can we do this effectively? Here’s what I’ve learned on this subject.

Setting is where your story resides. Could be a town, city, castle, beach, office, etc., and should be looked at in the same way as we do characters by using the senses and physical traits. We want to draw our readers in by transporting them to another world. The character of the Overlook Hotel in The Shining created suspense and haunted the reader. Middle Earth in the Lord of the Rings did the same. Our imaginations run wild in the world of Narnia. We want to learn more about the surroundings as it keeps us on the edge of our seats, turning the pages. 

What can we use to bring our settings alive, making them a separate character? 

Five senses – sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. The creaking of the stairs in a haunted mansion or the howling wind echoing in the corridor gives the reader goose bumps. How about the taste of coffee in our character’s favorite café or the smell of mildew in an old estate? The touch of a sharp knife as the killer holds it against his victim’s throat or the character catching a glimpse of the eerie castle blanketed in fog. The senses are powerful and ushers the reader into the story, capturing their attention.

Nature – Does the snow sparkle in the moonlight of the quaint small town or the fireflies flicker on a warm summer night in the campground? A slithering snake or an owl hooting in the middle of the night can create suspense in our settings. 

Weather – It can form tension, but don’t overdo it. Picture how a stormy night in an eerie town could add angst to your character. Also, the weather can help solve the crime. Were there footprints in the mud outside the castle’s window or a trail in the snow leading away from it?

Parts of speech – Similes and metaphors are a great way to help describe your locale and enhance the setting, but use them sparingly.

Powerful words – Pick the right words when describing the setting. Use strong verbs and nouns. The rain pelted or the trees swayed.

In the following scene, I used sensory plus a simile to produce tension and suspense:

The wrought iron gate creaked open, revealing the brick mansion in the distance. Ominous twin turrets towered at opposite ends while cypress trees lined the lane like sentinels protecting the property from outside forces.

Setting is a powerful character that can be used to establish the mood the writer is trying to portray. Choosing the right one is the key and we must go beyond the obvious to describe it. When we do our settings will come alive and stay with the reader long after the story is finished.

What is your favorite setting in a book?

Darlene L. Turner’s love of suspense began when she read her first Nancy Drew book. She’s turned that passion into her writing and believes readers will be captured by her plots, inspired by her strong characters, and moved by her inspirational message.

Darlene won the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense twice and an ACFW Genesis award. She’s represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. Her debut book, Border Breach, released in April, 2020 with Love Inspired Suspense. She has two books releasing in 2021: Abducted in Alaska (March) and Lethal Cover-Up (August).

Darlene met her husband Jeff at the turtle races in Ontario, Canada. She loves flavored coffee and plaid shirts. You can connect with Darlene at www.darlenelturner.com where there’s suspense beyond borders.