Gina Holmes | Savory Settings
September 5, 2014
When I began writing novels, description was not an area of strength for me, and
setting was just a place to plop my characters. Fast forward ten years and my
publisher compliments my upcoming release with a “You can smell the salt in this
one.” DRIFTWOOD TIDES
(releasing this September) is set at the Outer banks in North Carolina. You
can’t set a book a place like that without readers expecting a richly painted
scene. They want to feel the cold ocean foam on their feet, feel the grit of
sand between their toes, hear the seagulls circling above, see the cotton candy
colors in the sunset . . . and yes, smell the salt. 1. The best way to learn to master setting is by reading other books that have
done just that. One novel that sets the scene better than maybe any other book
I’ve read is To Kill a Mockingbird. Here’s one example of the
masterfulness of her scene-setting: “Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old town when I first knew it. In
rainy weather the streets turned to red slop, grass grew on the sidewalks, the
courthouse sagged in the square.” You don’t get better than that. Another novel that nails setting is A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. My first
novel, CROSSING OCEANS,
was probably my best for setting and may give you a few ideas, and a recent
release, BORN OF
PERSUASION by Jessica Dotta, does a masterful job of bringing another time
and place to life. 2. Go and feel the roses. It might go without saying to go to the place you are setting your work, but I’m
going to say it anyway. If you’re setting your scene in Maine, by all means go
there and experience that setting. Close your eyes and listen, first to the up
front sounds: sirens, traffic, subway, whatever. But don’t stop there. Listen
for the underlying background noise: car doors slamming, a car alarm in the
distance, children laughing, the flutter of pigeon wings. Now, listen beyond
that to the softer noises until you’ve made note of all the sounds the setting
has to offer. When your eyes are closed and you’re noting a particular sound,
before you open your eyes, try to guess what you’re hearing. While writing DRIFTWOOD
TIDES, I sat on the beach, closed my eyes and heard what I would have
guessed to be a sprinkler system rapidly firing. I knew it couldn’t be, but
that’s what it sounded like. It was actually the sound of chirping chicadas and
the sprinkler system description was something I was able to use to describe
that sound in the book. You can do the same close your eyes technique for smell and touch too. Write
down as many descriptions and comparisons as you can while they’re still fresh
in your mind. 3. If you can’t go there, the next best thing is visiting vicariously. Watch
movies set where your book is, take lots of notes. Read books, magazine
articles, blog posts, etc set there. Keep pictures of the inside and outside of
the home, courthouse, city streets, etc. that you can continue to reference as
you write. Pictures of the furrniture, toy box, anything that you might need to
describe. Study your pictures, then close your eyes and imagine what sounds,
smells, touches you would experience in that setting. 4. Observe the details. One little trick that brings fiction to life lies in
writing in the little things that we take for granted. Not just the sandy beach,
but the broken bits of seaweed and shell left in the wake of a retreating wave.
The water that fills a footprint left in the sand… watch how it is absorbed back
into the ground and the tiny bubbles that pop up right before it does. These are
the things that will firmly plant your reader into your story. 5. Have your setting serve more of a purpose than just eye or ear candy. Setting
a scene is important to ground your readers, but it should also help us to get
to know your characters better. Having your character experience the setting
through their unique outlook, mood and life experiences kills two birds with one
stone. If your character is an Eyore type, or just feeling melancholy at the
moment, then the boulder she is sitting on may feel hard and cold. If she was
just proposed to by the man of her dreams, than maybe she doesn’t notice the
boulder, but focuses instead on the meadow of wildflowers swaying in the soft
breeze beside her. If she has just lost someone she loves, the moment may be
bitter sweet. She notices the flowers, smiles, but then her smile fades when she
sees how many of the daisys are losing their pedals or are drying up from the
dry summer. You get the picture. And so will your readers.
Comments
23 comments posted.
Re: Gina Holmes | Savory Settings
All of the senses come into play when I read. (Mary Preston 7:55am September 5, 2014)
Those are really good tips, and because I live in a rural setting, I love being outside, and just trying to identify simple things, like the chirp of what bird made what chirp, for example, and the sound of a tractor in the distance. These little things make you feel safe, in a way, because you know you are home!! I'm really looking forward to reading your book, because I don't live far from a lake myself, and would relate to your book. Congratulations!! (Peggy Roberson 8:54am September 5, 2014)
I love to read and looking forward to this one! Love the cover. (Barbara Wells 9:31am September 5, 2014)
What a delightful setting which is my favorite. The ocean and beach are my ultimate escape. I am glad that you mentioned A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, a classic, which I love and treasure. (Sharon Berger 10:37am September 5, 2014)
With all the 'homework' you did on the setting, I'm sure I will feel like I am right there in North Carolina!
This story sounds like a good one - please enter me in the contest. (Susan Davco 10:45am September 5, 2014)
I live on Pensacola Beach and I love the solitude and listening to various sounds. (Lisa Garrett 11:31am September 5, 2014)
Very good advice, it sounds like a very good read! (Lynne Pearson 12:30pm September 5, 2014)
Story line sounds really good, can't wait to read it (Jeri Dickinson 6:07pm September 5, 2014)
Driftwood Tides sounds like a very good story! (Marcy Shuler 10:09pm September 5, 2014)
I love the tips that you give on writing a book. I always loved reading about different settings and would love to read this one. (Cindy Olp 11:18pm September 5, 2014)
Driftwood does make a point that we do need to stop and smell the roses from time to time. We don't do this enough with our hectic schedule. (Kai Wong 2:36am September 6, 2014)
When I read I just seem to jump into the book and live it so all my senses come alive. I block out everything else around me and live the book! I love it!!! (Bonnie Capuano 9:45am September 6, 2014)
My favorite books end up being the ones I truly "watch" in my mind as I read. If an author can do that for me, then I am a fan for life!! (Vicki Hancock 1:38pm September 6, 2014)
Looking forward to this book (Jeri Dickinson 3:42pm September 6, 2014)
sounds like there are a few mysteries to be solved (Diane McMahon 6:58pm September 6, 2014)
Great advice! We definitely need to stop and smell the roses!
I loved "Crossing Oceans" and I am sure I will love, "Driftwood Tides." (Judy Burgi 7:12pm September 6, 2014)
On 'Driftwood Tides' I'd like to take a ride- this sounds like a pretty good story! (John Dallal 7:34pm September 6, 2014)
Thank you for this advice! These are my favorite traits of writing- of course a great plot and amazing use of literary devices are outstanding, but what is any of that if the author cannot portray these? Many authors do not realize that the simple way to a readers heart is authenticity. I really appreciate your take on writing, which makes me very excited to read your new book! (R H 5:11am September 7, 2014)
This book has a lovely cover and a story I would enjoy reading. Thanks for the chance to win it. (Anna Speed 1:29pm September 7, 2014)
Though I come from an area farther north I really love being near the sea--the sounds, the smells, the feel on my skin. The cover of your book drew me in. I could feel it. It could have been me on the cover in real life. No, I am not in the business. I was speaking of experiencing what is just out of sight. I look forward to this story. I know you got it just right! (Sandra Spilecki 1:50pm September 7, 2014)
Book sounds really good. And them are great tips i like #2 i love to go to the beach and just set there and close my eyes and listen to the sounds. (Raeline Peterson 2:22pm September 7, 2014)
Makes me want to head down to the beach with a good book! (Maria Proctor 3:02pm September 7, 2014)
Love the descriptive words and the settings sound perfect. I can't wait to read these books. (Denise Austin 4:20pm September 7, 2014)
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