Best of Archives: Using Setting To Deepen Your Character

The following Best of Archives by Sandra Leesmith was published April 22, 2014.  See below for a new setting for Sandra in her new release LOVE'S HEALING. 

Hello Seekerville,  

Sandra here.

I have Chocolate Velvet coffee in the pot ready to enjoy. I have a beautiful platter of spring fruit, sliced and ready to nibble on. Also, the baker here in the RV park I'm in, bakes the most delicious cinnamon rolls. I had him bake up a separate batch for us. 

photo from www.nellisgroup.com used with permission

Have you ever thought of setting to deepen your character? I tend to use setting a lot in my stories, but I didn't consciously think I was doing so to deepen character, until I went to Mary Buckham's workshop at the Desert Dreams conference earlier this month.  She did an excellent job in showing us how to do that with her examples and demonstrations.

I was so impressed. She has several craft books on how to deepen character with setting, Writing Active Setting.

Mary Buckham is a bestselling ABA author who writes Thrillers and Urban Fantasy so some of her examples could be graphic, but her method of showing you how to use setting is powerful and a must read.  


What she does is take a simple statement of description and then show you how she would write it to show character.

In LOVE'S PROMISES the setting of Lake Tahoe is not only important in the plot, but is a great setting to show characters as well.

Purchased by Stone Lily Design -  used with permission 

For example in LOVE’S PROMISES, I could write.

Monica stood on the deck watching the sailboat go by. She leaned over the rail and looked into the clear water of Lake Tahoe.  

In LOVE'S PROMISES the setting of Lake Tahoe is not only important in the plot, but is a great setting to show characters as well.  But look how we can involve that same setting to show Monica’s emotions and deepen her character.

Monica glanced at the sailboat skidding across the crystal blue water of Lake Tahoe and leaned against the railing of the redwood deck that hung over the cliff. Thirty feet below, water lapped against the granite stones, a rhythmic sound which normally would have soothed her. Not today. She tapped her foot impatiently and rolled her eyes. 

Can you see how using the five senses help use the setting to show deeper characterization? The sailboat is skidding across the water and the water lapped against the granite stones. The strong active verbs show her restless impatience. We hear the water lapping and the sailboat is skidding across the water.

Here is another example where we see Monica’s property:  We could simply write: Monica drove her Jeep Cherokee up the road. She saw his Bronco. Why was he here early? She saw him across the creek. 

However, if we add emotion and senses the setting of her property deepens the characters and we see their reaction to each other.

Shifting her Jeep Cherokee into gear, Monica worked her way up the steep road skirting her property. She needed to grade an easier drive into the place. She sighed. Another set of permits. 
She crested the hill and spotted a Bronco with government license plates parked at the end of the road. Her heart quickened. What was his motive for coming early? 
Automatically, she set the brakes, released her seat belt, and swung out of the high vehicle. Before her legs touched ground, she searched the area. Greg Linsey wasn’t in the Bronco nor in the near vicinity. Biting her lip, Monica headed for the creek. “Morning.” His shout caught her up short.
She searched the dense brush downstream and saw movement on the other side of the gurgling water. He stepped from out of a clump of brush and crossed the stream looking like an ad from a sports magazine. Disconcerted by her reaction, Monica waited for him instead of meeting him halfway. 


The rough road brings frustration. We crest a hill and spot the Bronco. She asks what his motive for coming early. We see the dense brush and hear gurgling water as she looks for the direction of the sound of his voice. This setting shows off her reaction to seeing the handsome planner again.

In this scene Greg and his friend approach the famous Fanette Island, but instead of an elaborate description, we see the reactions to seeing Monica and her friends. Before this scene, Monica’s friends were in a speedboat showing Monica a beach and had almost ran into Greg and his friend on their sailboat. Sailboats have the right of way and Greg’s friend was rightfully annoyed.

“Do you see what I see?” Carl hollered from the bow where he was trimming the jib sail. 
Greg looked in the direction where Carl pointed. Docked at Fannette Island—or as the locals called it, the Tea House Island—was the boat that had almost run them down. Greg intended to sail past it until he spotted the redhead standing in the stern. His heart picked up speed. Monica Scott. 
“Hang on,” he shouted as he quickly came about. 
“You going to land there?” Anticipation sounded in Carl’s voice. 
Greg nodded. “Forget revenge, buddy. I’ve got other motives for landing.” 
Carl stared at Greg and then at the shore. He whistled through his teeth. 
Greg watched her hand an ice chest to the man on shore. Evidently he’d been piloting the boat. Were they involved with each other? Another woman appeared and, with relief, he recognized who they were. The couple he’d seen her with at the South Shore Club. 
He tacked closer to shore. Monica noticed him then. He waved and had to chuckle at the look of surprise on the faces of all three of them. Monica grinned. Good. She recognized the humor in the situation. 


I didn’t do this as well as Mary Buckham does, but I think you get the idea.  You can not only see the sailboat approaching Fannette Island, but you feel their emotions. You also see that a situation becomes a source of humor which is characteristic of our hero.

photo by Michael on wikimedia used with permission

Julie Lessman sent me a couple samples of her writing that uses setting to show character development.

Excitement pulsed in her veins like the bay beneath the keel. Heart swelling with pride, she watched Bram straddle the tiller, so incredibly solid and male and tall. He emanated a strength that swirled heat in her belly as much as the wind swirled the waves, and when he tossed a grin over his shoulder, her heart soared along with the sea gulls overhead. “Alcatraz at your service, milady,” he shouted, sandy hair lashing in the breeze like a tawny-haired pirate who had truly pirated her heart. She clapped her hands in delight as the island loomed with its Cape Cod lighthouse, rising from the sea like some sinister presence growing before their eyes.

Can you see the ship, the San Francisco Bay and the island of Alcatraz? But you are also seeing the hero and learning some of his characteristics as she compares them to the setting.

 —Surprised by Love, by Julie Lessman

In another scene, Julie shows character in the setting.


Marcy stood at Mrs. Gerson’s kitchen window, in bleak harmony with the rivulets of water that slithered down the pane. It was a slow and steady rain, endless weeping from a gray and dismal sky, and Marcy felt a kinship with it. It showed no signs of letting up, much like the grief in her heart over the loss of her husband. A silent mourning over a spouse who was still very much alive, but whose love was as cold and dead as any corpse.

Can’t you feel Marcy’s  grief as the rivulets of water slither down the pane?

 — A Passion Denied, by Julie Lessman

We also have some great articles in our archives with more examples of how to use setting to deepen your story.  Scroll down  the list on the right to the word Settings and several posts will appear. 

The first article that appears is written by me and describes how I used setting in LOVE'S REFUGE and other books I wrote.

Janet Dean  wrote Setting Isn't Just Time and Place.  Janet does an excellent job in using her settings in her historical novels. She explains many examples in Courting the Doctors Daughter.

Check out another post I wrote in 2016 entitled Setting Your Scenes and gives examples from our Seekers. 

There are no comments on Fridays so we can catch up on our writing. But do not be dismayed. I have a special gift for all of you. The ecopy of my novella, HOLIDAY HOMECOMING is free today on Amazon.  Or you can order a print copy if you need a stocking stuffer for Christmas.

  Debbie fell in love with surfer, David Martin. Against her parent’s wishes, she married her first love. Would the help of an angel and the influence of the Christmas season bring forgiveness and redemption?

And so you know, HOLIDAY HOMECOMING is the prelude to my new release that is coming out today also.  LOVE'S HEALING is available today, December 8. Remember that books make great Christmas gifts. And who doesn't want to jump into the setting of Hawaii on a cold winter day? 

Will his secret destroy their love?

The secret destroying him, could destroy the one he's dared to love. While visiting her son in Hawaii, Debbie Martin meets retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Brian Roberts. She realizes she is finally ready to put the memories of her deceased husband to rest and move on to a new love. But will Brian’s secret destroy their love? Will their love heal old wounds?

And maybe there is a hint of an angel in this story as well.

Have a wonderful and blessed Christmas.

Sandra Leesmith writes sweet romances to warm the heart. Sandra loves to play pickleball, hike, read, bicycle and write. She is based in Arizona, but she and her husband travel throughout the United States in their motorhome and enjoy the outdoors. You can find Sandra's books here on Amazon. Three of Sandra's most popular books are also audio books at Audible. You can read more of Sandra's posts here.

Best of the Archives: Dazzling Dozen, Plus One

Sandra here to welcome one of my favorite guests, Laurie Schnebly Campbell.  She taught us about The Hero's Fatal Flaw and today she is going to give us points for the heroine.  I made a pot of chocolate velvet coffee and have a kettle of hot water going for hot chocolate and tea so grab a cup and let's visit with Laurie.

The Dazzling Dozen, Plus One

by Laurie Schnebly Campbell

We've all heard of the Twelve Steps in the Hero's Journey, right? Maybe even written novels or screenplays using those steps, read Joseph Campbell's book, or taken a workshop on it.

Available on Amazon

Confession time: I've never really GOTTEN the hero's journey. I know there are thousands of writers who swear by it -- there's clearly some value in those twelve steps.

But for some reason, they've just never quite worked for me. My heroes don't meet wise mentors, don't face dark caves, don't return with elixirs... My heroes are just regular guys who hear advice from equally clueless friends, occasionally get rained on at the ball game, and maybe return with a hamburger.

Same is true for my heroines. Swell women, all of 'em, but they're sure not out there staging interplanetary raids and facing down corrupt sheriffs and rescuing secret formulas.

No, their journey is more internal. Even if they're taking off from their everyday life and flying to Cleveland, the challenges they face aren't the kind that'll have movie-goers crunching popcorn at twice the usual speed.

Their challenges are more like our own.

"My husband doesn't understand why I need time to write." "My best friend left the company and nobody else is as close." "I wish I could make Mom understand why I didn't choose her way."

And, like most of our heroines, we occasionally settle for being less than we can be.Of course, by and large, we do a pretty good job of looking out for our loved ones and ourselves. We speak up eventually when something bothers us. 

We try something new every so often; we recognize that even if our dreams aren't practical they aren't stupid. But even so, we don't always live up to our highest self. We're not always the strongest, healthiest, wisest, best person we can be.

And neither are our heroines.

That's where we get to the Heroine's Journey. Just like every action hero goes through twelve steps, a heroine who hasn't yet achieved the victory of being her true self needs to go through thirteen steps.

(Hmm, what does it mean that women have more steps then men?)

Each one of those steps takes her from being a person who depends on others for self-worth to a person who's innately worthy in her own right. She might start and finish the book as a scullery maid, but along the way she'll make a difference in her world and become her own person...usually for the first time in her life.

She'll go through the steps that Kim Hudson, author of The Virgin's Promise, calls the Price Of Conformity, Dressing The Part, Caught Shining, and ten intriguing others. And each one takes her closer to the ultimate triumph.

What's cool about this is that the heroine, like each of us, is involved with other people throughout her journey. Whether they're her parents, friends, co-workers, children, fellow peasants or students or country club members, she's engaged in some kind of society. 

Increasing the tension of the book, the people in this society want to keep her where THEY (often with the best and most loving intentions in the world) think she belongs, rather than where she gradually discovers she can truly become her best self.

So that's where we get the payoff of the lucky thirteenth step -- because once she's her best self, she doesn't just go off and forget where she came from. She makes things better for those around her, as well, and that's what makes her a REAL heroine.

Laurie will get into more detail on that next month in her class with Writer University. The name of the class she will offer in September is  "The Hero's Journey, For Heroines,"  Click on this link to register.

Laurie Schnebly Campbell always wondered what was wrong with her, not really GETTING the Hero's Journey, until she discovered its feminine counterpart. Then she got excited -- not only by the premise, but also by the chance to create a brand new online class for Writer University. 

She can't wait to see who else shares her enthusiasm for characters making discoveries within themselves, as well as within the world...no matter what their gender.

This article appeared in Seekerville September 2012. Remember no comments today so we can catch up on our writing and use what we have learned. However if you do want to ask Laurie any questions she said to email her privately. Go to BookLaurie and click on contact. She will look for emails and happily answer any questions you might have.

Sandra Leesmith writes sweet romances to warm the heart. Sandra loves to play pickleball, hike, read, bicycle and write. She is based in Arizona, but she and her husband travel throughout the United States in their motorhome and enjoy the outdoors. You can find Sandra's books here on Amazon. Three of Sandra's most popular books are also audio books at Audible. You can read more of Sandra's posts here.

Yes, You Can Be a Story Genius!

If you’ve been a Seekerville regular for a while, you may remember a post from a few years ago by Seekervillager Mary Curry entitled, “Story: Your Brain on Drugs.” Mary based her post on Wired for Story: The Writer's Guide to Using Brain Science to Hook Readers from the Very First Sentence, by Lisa Cron. If you haven’t read Mary’s blog, be sure to check it out later, because it contains some fascinating insights into why we love stories so much—and why they matter.

Lisa Cron has since published another book, Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel (Before You Waste Three Years Writing 327 Pages That Go Nowhere). After coming across this book recently, I devoured it, highlighting dozens of passages that not only reinforced points from Cron’s previous book but also (re)opened my eyes to several vital aspects of storytelling.

It starts with “what if . . . ?”

Maybe you’ve played the “what if” game and come up with a general premise for your story. What if a girl is swept up in a tornado and lands in a magical place threatened by a wicked witch? What if a small, furry-footed creature is called upon to destroy a powerful ring before an evil lord uses it to take over the world?

Intriguing ideas, to be sure. But are they stories yet? Not until we know something about the central characters and have been given a reason to care.

That’s why I agree completely when Lisa Cron states: 

“Ultimately, all stories are character driven—yes, all stories.” 

Why? Because a story really isn’t about what happens. It’s about how the central character makes sense of what happens. And if the author hasn’t made the reader care about why any of this matters to the protagonist, there goes another book slammed shut and tossed aside.

What every story must have, according to Cron, is “the third rail”— kind of like the powered rail that drives a cable car or subway train. Cron explains the “third rail” in terms of the protagonist’s internal struggle to achieve a goal or strong desire while at the same time remaining true to the fear that is keeping her from fulfilling that desire. 

In other words, it’s the emotional power source that keeps driving the story forward. So, if you want your reader to stay connected to the story, then every action, description, and plot point must somehow connect with that “third rail.”

We care about Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz because we can relate to her frustration and discouragement when everyone seems too busy to pay her any attention. We care about Frodo in The Lord of the Rings because on some level we know what it’s like to feel small and insignificant, to be compelled to accept a task seemingly beyond our abilities or our courage.

Does your story make a point?

But again, story isn’t about what happens. The things that happen in your story should ultimately make a point—the overarching theme, or, as we’ve discussed here in Seekerville before, the Moral Premise. “The point,” Cron writes, “is what is borne out in the protagonist’s inner struggle.”

One of the first things you need to know about your story, then, is what your protagonist wants. Keep digging to discover the answers to the following questions:

• Why does your character want this? In other words, what will getting it mean to her?
• What is the misbelief that is keeping her from getting what she wants?

A misbelief is a belief that feels right to your character because of something that happened in her past. The belief may even be considered a universally accepted truth, until carried to extreme. Whatever the belief, it has skewed the lens through which your character views her world, and not in a positive way. 

How the character overcomes her misbeliefs is what your story is all about.

So the real story actually begins long before page one of your novel. As you dig deeper, Cron recommends actually writing out the scene where your character first forms her misbeliefs. While the scene may not appear in your novel except in brief references or flashbacks, the insights gained will flesh out your character’s background and help to ensure her actions and decisions are consistent with who she is.

Cron’s book walks you through the full process of discovering your story—far too much to cover in a single blog post—but here are a few of the important steps:

• Identify three key turning points in the story that will help you develop the escalating arc.
• Figure out the one thing that will catapult your protagonist into action at the beginning of the story.
• Make a list of obstacles that could keep your protagonist from reaching her goals.
• Sketch out the scope of your story—the time frame covered, the external plot and internal struggles. Beneath each “what,” always be asking yourself “why?”

Being a “story genius” takes time.

To thoroughly work through each step presented in Cron’s book will take a significant amount of time and brain power. I confess, I haven’t gone through the entire process yet, but reading Story Genius with my own wip in mind definitely gave me some new insights. When I’m ready to start my next book, I’m planning to implement even more of Cron’s techniques.

Lest anyone think this is going to transform me from pantser to plotter, though, don’t count on it! No matter how much preplanning I may convince myself to do, when it comes to actually writing the story, I’ll always leave room to be surprised by my characters!

Question: Writers, think about the story you’re working on right now. Readers, think about the book you’re currently reading. Can you identify what the protagonist wants most (dig deep here!) AND the misbeliefs keeping her/him from achieving it?  

Today’s giveaways: Writers, would you like your own copy of Lisa Cron’s book? I’m giving away one copy today! Also giving away a copy of my historical romance Castles in the Clouds (Flowers of Eden, book 2), recently named a finalist in the 2017 Selah Awards and the 2017 National Excellence in Romance Fiction Awards. Just mention your interest in the comments to be entered in either or both drawings.

About Myra: Award-winning author Myra Johnson writes emotionally gripping stories about love, life, and faith. Myra is a two-time finalist for the prestigious ACFW Carol Awards and winner of Christian Retailing’s Best for historical fiction. Originally from Texas but now residing in the beautiful Carolinas, Myra and her husband love the climate and scenery, but they may never get used to the pulled pork Carolinians call “barbecue”! The Johnsons share their home with two very pampered doggies who don’t always understand the meaning of “Mom’s trying to write.” They’re also currently harboring their younger daughter and family (six in all plus a kitty!) as they transition toward their next missionary calling. With grandkids underfoot ranging in age from 14 down to 3, there’s never a dull moment! 

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Stripping Your Characters of Their Identities

Ramping up internal conflict the easy way.

with guest Connie Queen.

No, we’re not talking about leaving our characters in a chilly state of dress or even giving them amnesia. Today, we’re talking about stripping them of the very thing that makes them, well, them.

But why would we do that?

Stripping your character of a core piece of identity strengthens internal conflict.

Most of us realize we need to give our character’s problems, something that makes them less than perfect. There are many informative posts that talk about internal conflict and ways to make it stronger. 

While we don’t want our characters having to call the suicide hotline or spend half their day on the couch talking with their therapist, at least one of our characters should face a major internal struggle.

For me, there are two things I’ve learned that make that easier. And who doesn’t like things easier?

1. Foster care.

Let’s go back seventeen years.

My husband and I were sitting in a training class to become foster care parents. The instructor handed out five little pieces of paper to everyone and said, “Write down the five most important things in your life, or what makes you, you.”

I don’t remember exactly what I wrote, but it was something along the lines of:

God, Church, being a wife, being a mom, I’m the daughter of Tex Monk.

“Now,” the instructor said, “pick one of your pieces and throw it away. Wad it up and toss it into the middle of the floor. You’re giving it up.” 

This made me uncomfortable, as it did everyone, but we took a deep breath, selected the least important thing, (Really? I couldn’t live without any of them but the instructor would never know) and flung our precious papers to the ground. Then another round followed by another until she had us dispose of everything that mattered to us. Ok, this wasn’t funny. 

“There,” she said when the floor was littered with our very being. “That’s what these kids are asked to give up.”

This stuck with me. These kids were giving up parents, siblings, religion, friends, schools, pets, toys and everything they’ve ever known. It didn’t matter if their parents were imperfect. It was their world. Gone in an instant. (BTW this is why these children don’t give a hoot if your house is bigger, filled with better toys and you’re really nice people.)

2. Narrative Identity

My sister used narrative identity in her thesis which led to numerous conversations between us of how it applied to our own lives and that of our friends. 

Now that this concept is ingrained in my mind, I can’t help but apply it to my writing.

I’d explain the loss of narrative identity like this, “You’re going about your life believing something about yourself when the rug is suddenly pulled out from underneath you. Now you doubt your identity. You can either try to get back on your normal path so your identity doesn’t change, or abandon your identity in search of a new one.”

Examples:

A woman believes she’s a good wife. After 19 years, her husband comes home and says he want a divorce. She can try to save the marriage or divorce him and be open to finding another man—hence trying to hang onto her identity. Or she can abandon ship by swearing off men and immersing herself in her new career as a divorce attorney. 

• From my current WIP:

Riley, my hero, is a doting uncle to his 6-month-old nephew. His sister asks Riley to drop her son off at daycare. On the way, Riley receives a call from his captain informing him they received a break on a big case. Distracted with his boss’s lengthy phone call, Riley forgets his sleeping nephew in the backseat. The baby dies. Not only is Riley challenged by what he believes about himself, but also what his family, social media, and his employer thinks about him. Is he a monster like the public claims, or is there room for him to be redeemed? 

• My friend, Leah, the caregiver:

A wife and a mother to two teenage sons. Anyone who knew Leah would tell you it was her life to tend to other people. A few years ago, she learned she had cancer. As the illness progressed, her role as a caregiver was changed. Gone were the days of her cooking, cleaning and taking care of her family, but rather, she had to lean on them for everything. I went to see her toward the end. She was lying in bed and asked me to tell her what I had been writing. As I started telling her the stories, her eyes drifted shut. I thought I’d put her to sleep, but then her eyes fluttered open and she asked more questions. It didn’t hit me until after I left that she’d done it again. Even sick and weak, it was always Leah’s job to take care of others.

Unlike the example in my WIP, Leah’s challenge was private. So much so, most of her acquaintances probably never realized how much it affected her. 

When creating your character’s internal conflict, consider whether their challenge should be secret or public. Private doesn’t mean less impactful.

• Hoosiers

Remember Gene Hackman as Norman Dale? The basketball coach who punched one of his own players. Years later, he moves to a small town to coach their high school. He faces resistance from the players, parents, and the attractive acting principal. (He chooses to get back on the normal path and his challenge was public.)

• Angels in the Outfield

Dan Glover went from “I don’t like kids” and being a cursing, kicking-the-dirt professional baseball coach to cleaning up his act and adopting two foster boys. (He abandoned his old identity and grabbed hold of a new one. His challenge was public.)

Possible identities to overthrow.

• Career. For some, their career is a major factor in how they identify themselves. I’d be willing to wager most teachers, nurses, military, peace officers, pastors, lawyers, and yes, authors, would write their occupation on one of those white slips of paper if taking that foster care class. 

What about a pastor who, when is facing bankruptcy, steals from the church treasury, intending to pay it back? What about a nurse who accidentally gives the wrong medicine? 

• Faith. A person’s belief, or lack of belief, in God and how that relates to their everyday decisions. Either way, an 180-degree turn would be monumental.

• Family. If you’ll notice I put dad on my paper. “oh, you’re Tex Monk’s daughter”. That phrase brought on certain expectations of who I should be. My identity would be quite different if my dad had been a druggy who had abandoned his family to pursue his life of crime. 

• Romantic relationships. How people of the opposite sex treat us can affect how we view ourselves. In school, I thought of myself as a good athlete who all they guys liked, but not necessarily the cheer leader-type that they wanted to date. I married my husband when I was 18. My view of romance would be different had I never been asked out, never been kissed (hmm, sounds like an idea for a movie), or had a boyfriend that cheated on me.

So, when creating my character’s internal conflict, I always ask if it overthrows or strips them of their identity. If not, I dig deeper.

What about you? What would you put on your paper? Have you ever been thrown into a narrative abyss? Did you abandon your identity or try to get back on the course? How about your characters? Please share.

Seekerville, thank you for having me today. I’m honored to be your guest.

Connie Queen lives in north Texas with her husband of over thirty-one years, two kids, and several Great Danes. She has 6 more grown kids and 8 grandkids (one more on the way) scattered across the state. 

She has been writing for many years, but only seriously the last few. She has finaled in numerous contests. Although she used to write western historicals, she now targets suspense lines. Connie is a member of ACFW.  She does NOT like pictures of herself. 

Connect with Connie at: 
Facebook: Connie Queen 
Twitter: @conniesuequeen 

Today Connie is giving away an amazing 15-ounce Seekerville mug to TWO different commenters. Winners announced in the Weekend Edition!