Setting

In some ways setting can be as important as the characters and conflict of your story. Quick research will provide you with four general categories: time, place, mood, experience/context. These topics will help you further develop your setting.

The first three topics give you a general backdrop to where, and when, your story is taking place. Below I have listed the primary categories of setting and listed a few other items to consider.

Time
Time of Day
Pace
Time in History

Place
Central Location
Wider Geography
Particular Building

Experience/Context
Flora & Fauna
Activities and Occupations
Weather or Climate
Customs, History, and Folklore
Population

Mood
The mood, otherwise called atmosphere or feel, of the story is connected to the setting. Take one scene for example: Two armies clashing. Write this scene. Now let's visually explore different aspects of the background of the scene.

Imagine the following geographical settings:

1. Desert
2. Snowy Mountains
3. Marshland
4. Plains
5. Forested Hills

Now, add the following time of day to each:
1. Day
2. Night

Place these weather/climate conditions into the list:
1. Rainy
2. Snowy
3. Dry and Hot
4. Windy

By now you should have a lengthy list which inspires different reactions. Write what you feel next to each set of descriptions. Better yet, write how your character would feel.

Now ask yourself a couple of questions:

1. Is my setting in this world, the real world, or in an imaginary or new world?
2. Do I want to reveal my setting through characters and their experiences or do I want to tell my reader about the world?

Setting adds flavor to your story. A vibrant setting helps keep your reader engaged.

Learn More About It
Building Your Story's Setting
Discover The Basic Elements of Setting In a Story
Elements of setting: How to create a vivid world
Fiction Writing Exercises for Developing Setting
Four Ways to Bring Settings to Life
Setting: Using Scene To Enrich Your Writing
Special Fiction Writing Week: Creating a Setting