We feel connected to place in a story when we see it through characters’ senses. Bring senses such as sight, hearing, touch, smell and even taste (there’s edible wallpaper in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) into your setting. Using every sense might not make sense for your book, yet it’s possible. In Roald Dahl’s children’s classic, set in a sweet factory full of wonder, it somehow makes sense even the wallpaper is delicious.
1. Describe place through characters’ senses
2. Include time period in description
3. Include small-scale changes in time
4. Show how characters feel about your setting
5. Keep setting description relevant to the story
6. Make a list of adjectives to describe your story locations
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