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A SENSE OF PLACEHOW TO TAKE THE READER THERE

Presented by GINGER MARCINKOWSKI, M.F.A.

Author & Speaker

+WHAT IS A SENSE OF PLACE?

Anchor to a story-it is place that often drives story

Character

Setting tells us where you are* What the mood is What time frame you are writing from What action may be taking place

It is adaptable World view Up close view

*From Janet Burroway’s, Imaginative Writing: The Elements of Craft 2007. Pg. 135

+Let’s Try an Exercise

The man gathered clams for dinner.

Rewrite using one or more of the following: Concrete details Smell Sound Taste Touch

(Pg. 27 TBL)

+WHAT SETTING DOES

Creates a mood-(The Pearl Diver, pg. 4-5)

Stands as a Symbol-(Run, River Currents pg. 104)

Gives the reader a rich imagery- (Run, River Currents pg. 26-27)

Creates Conflict or harmony with characters- ( Ironweed, pg. 1) (Wise Blood, pg. 9)

Adds humor-(Help Wanted: Female pg.4)

+Let’s Try an Exercise

Think about your writing place for a moment. Describe:

What it looks like What it smells like How you feel there

Do you love or hate it? Why?

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Write about one of the photos

+LET’S TRY AN EXERCISE IN

IMAGERY

Here are a list of clichés. Create a setting from them using concrete details.

A dark and stormy night

Raining cats and dogs

Freeze you to death

Scorching hot

Foggy as pea soup

Balmy weather

Fragrant as new-mown hayAdapted from Janet Burroway’s, Imaginative Writing, The Elements of Craft. Pg. 140

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Use Setting to…• Create a world

• Weather

• Time of Day/or Place in Time

• Characters familiar or unfamiliar with place

• Show Emotion

+ACTION WORDS

Hurdle instead of throw

Elated instead of pleased

Enraged instead of angry

Munch instead of eat

Use words like pilfer, snatch, contemplate, sprint, nibble, escape, frets, exploded, raw sores, stifled, rattled, squeezed, stoked, nestled, brushed, mingled…all visual, powerful words…

+CHECKLIST FOR SETTING

Write down What you “see” What you “smell” What you “taste” How something “feels” What you “hear”

Mood Somber Safe Threatening Common

Prompts Use old photos Research Visit Someplace you love

Your words Create imagery Set tone Forward story Show action

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A SENSE OF PLACEHOW TO TAKE THE READER THERE

Presented by GINGER MARCINKOWSKI, M.F.A.

Author & Speaker