Author R.A. Gasparac

Okay, we’ve gone through Out Plotting, Worldbuilding, and Character Development, now we can get to the ‘Setting’ portion of this NaNoWriMo Prep Series!

What will we cover?

• Pinterst as a prompt
• How setting affects characters
• How setting affects characters choices

Pinterest as your Prompt

In my previous post about creating Pinterest Mood Boards, I showed you both character and setting inspiration from my time building my novella mood boards.  There is a reason those images resonated within you.  It’s time to put them to good use. We are going to look at your setting inspiration and take stock of the emotions they invoke, and why.

Think of your story and ask yourself a very important set of questions:

1. What type of setting would the reader expect for this part of the story?
2. What is the most unexpected setting for what is happening?
3. How can I merge those two?

(Am I the only one that is unable to breath after reading “A long time ago in a galaxy far far away…”, and before the music begins with the main title?)

How Settings Affect Characters

I want you for a moment to contemplate a setting for a vampire feeding on a human.  No, really – in your minds eye, what is the first thing you see?  The first and easiest choice will always be a dark setting, that highlights the contrast of living and dying.  Maybe a dungeon, or cemetery?

Now, ask yourself where is the last place you would expect to read of a vampire feeding on a human? For me, I would say at a baby shower.  See how instantly you need to know more details? Do that with your settings. Take the time to really think about the contrast in where your action is happening.

How setting can affect your Characters choices

The name of the game for adding more and more conflict, action , and steady pacing in your story is throwing more adversity at your characters.  The best ways to do this is to limit your characters choices. You have to use your environment to limit it.

It is expected for a mother to feed her baby while completing household chores. What if we switched things up? New mother is trying to balance her role as a happy housewife while completing a laundry list of chores after she completes her mission to assassinate the president of the United States WHILE Breastfeeding (mother of the year award goes to…).    THAT’S a story someone needs more information on.  (…and talk about multi-tasking.)

Think about the Avengers Film Franchise.  A bunch of superheroes save the world, and traditionally you expect to see the fanfare of the people of New York celebrating them. Instead, we are given a victory lap of reality in the form of Shawarma after the credits rolled…

So, did I miss anything you think is important? Feel free to share your tips and ticks in the comments below!