| Newspaper writers like to answer the quad W | | | | When I was writing detective novels, I put the |
| questions: Who, What, Where, When? I'm | | | | novels in the "present." Bone China based my |
| surprised to see how often one of these items is | | | | detective, Richard Lacey, in York, Pennsylvania |
| either completely left out of a story or not | | | | and had him working in Lancaster County in the |
| answered adequately to the satisfaction of the | | | | factitious town of Brentonville. There were a |
| reader (me). | | | | couple of minor settings but almost all of the |
| Setting is often the key to the success of a | | | | action takes place in the environs of "Brentonville." |
| short story. Characterization may be less | | | | I had lived in York but while writing the novel, I |
| important. The short story reader doesn't care if | | | | took several trips back to Lancaster County and |
| a lady likes red shoes unless that is a very | | | | collected all the specifics I could on the location. |
| important point in the story. Poe invented the | | | | In Bone China, a major character is a ceramic |
| short story right after the author of the Book of | | | | engineer working in a ceramic factory. There was |
| Ruth in the Bible. Poe used setting to chill our | | | | no problem of having him talk like a ceramic |
| bones. | | | | engineer working in a pottery setting. I am a |
| In novels, both characterization and setting are | | | | ceramic engineer and I was working in a ceramic |
| extremely important. These items are often | | | | factory when I research the novel. That made |
| treated separately by those who like to tell us | | | | my research easy. They say that writers should |
| how we should write. However, the characters | | | | write about what they know about. I say that |
| must fit into the setting in one of two ways: The | | | | writers should write abut what they can find out. |
| character was born and raised in the setting or | | | | Researching a location is not just important, it is |
| the character was imported into the setting (by | | | | fun. You can deduct the expenses if your trip is |
| the writer). | | | | strictly business. I never did that, but I think you |
| The first of these is obvious in my sister's | | | | could convince the IRS to accept the deduction. |
| favorite book, How Green Was My Valley. My | | | | Okay, I wouldn't even try it. I'm too honest. |
| sister died when she was eighteen-years-old and I | | | | After you have thoroughly investigated your |
| inherited the book. We Jones kids are (or where) | | | | setting(s), you can then proceed to the subject |
| one-half Welch and we Welch kids are interested | | | | of your characters. How do they fit into this |
| in our heritage. We are half English too, but that | | | | setting? |
| half has no significance to a kid with Welch blood | | | | Placing Your Characters in the Setting |
| running in his veins. My sister could identify with | | | | I like to draw my characters or collect photos or |
| the people in the book. | | | | illustrations, etc. For example, in Bone China, |
| I'll tell you how deep this is. When I took my wife | | | | Detective Richard Lacey was a football player. I |
| and son to England in 1984, I felt that I had finally | | | | didn't make drawings or collect photos of football |
| got back home. When we took the train to Wales | | | | players because a football player is what writers |
| and walked where my grandfather had walked, I | | | | call a stereotype. However, the starring lady was |
| knew I was home. I had heard my grandfather's | | | | different. I looked in slick magazines for such a |
| stories many times. I knew about his family, how | | | | fine lady. She had to be rich, beautiful, and be |
| he was baptized at night in the North Sea, and | | | | handsomely dressed. |
| how he was kicked out of school and sent to he | | | | Now here is a point. Don't write long descriptions |
| mines when he was only nine years old. | | | | of your characters. Let the information leak out. |
| His job in the mine was to help his father prepare | | | | By that I mean to let your characters be |
| and set explosive charges in the coal face. I | | | | revealed in normal dialog. George sat back in his |
| remember his telling me about the water | | | | chair and said, "Wow! Where did you get that |
| continually dripping in the mine and the long haul | | | | lovely silk dress, Mildred? It show's you off-- Well, |
| down and up out of the mine. If you have seen | | | | I shouldn't say that!" |
| the movie version of How Green Was My Valley, | | | | Your characters must sound like the folks that |
| you have the picture. I have always thought that | | | | live in your setting area. Well, if ya' dink dat, den |
| my grandfather's schoolmaster was in cahoots | | | | I'm a goin' to give ya' dis! I don't suggest that you |
| with the mine owners, supplying them workers | | | | write like that. I would rather use Frank rose |
| for the mining of coal. | | | | angrily. "Well, if you think that, I'm a gonna give |
| Importing characters into a setting can be | | | | you this!" If you want your reader to know that |
| dramatic. Did you read the book by Jack Higgins | | | | "t" is "d" to Frank, you can do that in other ways. |
| (or see the movie) The Eagle Has Landed? | | | | Can't you? |
| German paratroopers are dropped into a British | | | | In my western novels, Bull and Revenge on the |
| countryside. Their object is to capture Churchill | | | | Mogollon Rim. many of the characters are |
| and take him back to Germany; Vel, vie are her! | | | | stereotypes of the old west. Still, each character |
| Another would be when Godzilla drops into Tokyo. | | | | had to be research to some extent. Just don't |
| Back to Setting | | | | assume you know everything when your |
| Once you have decided to put your characters | | | | character is a stereotype. If he is an old west |
| into a particular setting you must make sure that | | | | doctor, research old west doctors. People like |
| you have the setting right. I like to draw a map | | | | realism in fiction. But remember that if you bore |
| of the setting for reference during writing. If the | | | | them with details they will lay down your book. |
| setting is in a town, I like to layout the streets | | | | Conclusion |
| and mark the locations of important landmarks | | | | Well, it's time to mosey on out of here and hit |
| (like Joe's house, his girlfriend's house, and the | | | | the old Chisholm Trail. |
| factory where he works). At times, writers | | | | For practice look up "Chisholm Trail" on the |
| include such maps in the inside cover or in the | | | | Internet and see what you come up with. |
| text of their book. | | | | How about "Medieval England?" What did you get |
| Now when did the event take place? If it is 1845 | | | | there? |
| in the Salt Lake Valley, don't have the Mormon | | | | Research is not as hard as you think. |
| Temple on the site map. In fact, you shouldn't | | | | Try "Language of the Old West." Did you come |
| have anything on your site map that hints of | | | | up with the Old West Writer's Guide? |
| civilization. You can have a few Ute Indians hunting | | | | Put "Puritan customs and dress" into your search |
| ducks out on the shores of Great Salt Lake. You | | | | engine. What did you get? All of a sudden you |
| can have Mountain Man Jim Bridger passing | | | | learn about the King Philip War and Oliver |
| though--but the Mormon's, including my | | | | Cromwell. |
| great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather will | | | | Go to and read a daily entry from Pepy's Diary. |
| not be dragging in until 1847. | | | | Old Sam wrote in code in the 1600s but some |
| To establish your setting you must do some | | | | body finally broke it. How was his language |
| research. You must establish the time period | | | | different from yours? |
| (which may just be "the present)," the location | | | | Well, I think you've got it! |
| (real or imaginary), the customs, apparel, | | | | But go to your library and get a writing book on |
| hardware, construction, instruments, firearms, and | | | | "setting" and a book on "characterization." You will |
| on and on and on. This requires research. When I | | | | get far better explanations there. If you want to |
| was writing western novels, I collected a large | | | | buy a book, get used copies at or |
| library of books on the old west. Some of the | | | | Your library will have a copy of Writer's Digest. |
| books were references for writers. I could find | | | | There are some very good articles on the |
| out anything from contraception methods to | | | | subjects in that book. |
| underwear. | | | | |