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| Rose Ross Zediker |
What’s a confined setting? A location of some
type that basically ‘locks’ the couple together with no escape. Confined
settings keep your couple together and heightens the conflict because there are
few places for them to be alone.
In my novella, Railroaded into Love, I used a railroad chapel car for my confined
setting. Although it is parked on a side rail and they do walk to a nearby town,
their ‘home’ quarters is close. There is nowhere for the couple to go that they
don’t run into each other which heightens conflict if they are fighting anger
or attraction.
Historical fiction gives you a lot of leeway
with confined settings because there were few or non-existent communication
devices so there was no way to call for help. Also modes of transportation was
limited so couples would have to stay put in their setting until the next stage
coach, train or visiting neighbor came through their area.
Other confined settings for historical fiction
could be:
A wilderness cabin
A covered wagon
A homestead
A riverboat
A line shack
Confined settings in contemporary fiction is
trickier. Everyone owns a cell phone so
you can’t ‘lock’ your characters in an attic or department store because they
can call for help. You can lock them in a building with thick walls where they
can’t receive a signal or have both of their cell phones die, but if you do
that you must create a very realistic situation like a raging thunderstorm or
blizzard that knocks out power or if you write suspense, a kidnapping or
hostage situation.
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A few ideas for confined contemporary settings
are:
An airport
An off season hunting cabin
A National or State Park lodge
A rural retreat center
An abandoned warehouse.
Also keep in mind for confined settings in
contemporary novellas that modes of transportation are more readily available.
A hunting cabin right off of a main state highway isn’t a confined setting
because a character with a broken down car can walk to the highway and hitch a
ride. However, if the characters were deep into a forest leaf peeping, got
lost, and stumbled across a hunting cabin, it can be a confined setting.
Almost any place can be a confined setting if
your reason for the character(s) to be there is believable. Don’t hesitate in
either historical or contemporary to use the weather. A blizzard, tornado or flash
flood can all be devices to get your characters ‘stuck’ in a confined setting.
Now let’s have some fun. Share your confined
setting ideas. Either one you’ve used while writing a story or read in a
favorite book or novella.
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There are two chances to win a book today. One
commenter will receive her latest release, Lassoed
by Marriage. Another commenter will receive her previous book with Barbour
Publishing, Dakota Love.
BIO: Multi-published
author and RITA finalist, Rose Ross Zediker, writes contemporary and historical
inspirational romances and has over one hundred publishing credits in the
Christian magazine genre for children and adults. Her titles have appeared on
ECPA bestseller lists and been finalists for the RITA, National Reader's
Choice, Booksellers Best and Book Buyers Best award contests. Rose is a member
of the American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America.
or look for her on Twitter as @SDAuthor.
