Write On! - Setting the Scene
How to Set The Scene
When setting the scene of a story, use descriptive words to describe the location, time, atmosphere, and details that will help your reader visualize where the story is taking place.
Primary Considerations for Setting the Scene:
Althea’s Train Ride
Althea fell asleep on the train. When she awoke, she realized she missed her stop. Instead of familiar surroundings, she saw people dressed in old-fashioned clothing, rickety, old buildings, including a saloon with the cutest swinging doors, horses tied to posts, wagons bouncing down the dirt streets being pulled by horses and donkeys, and absolutely no pavement or modern conveniences. It looked like a scene from an old western movie.
Frank’s Fishing Adventure
The fishing boat ran into an unexpected storm. Frank was worried because he hadn’t seen land in hours. Suddenly the wind began howling and the rain seemed to be whipping from every direction. The murky conditions caused poor visibility.
Rachel’s Interview
The power outage caused the entire city to go black. Rachel called out for the receptionist to reschedule her interview, but there was no reply. She stumbled to the desk to write a note, but instead of a pen, her fingers landed on what felt like an arm. It was covered in something wet and sticky and smelled like metal.
Paul’s Plantation
Paul has had many dreams of growing up on the southern plantation, but he had never been that far south before today. As he drove down the tree-lined road, he saw about fifteen beautiful horses happily galloping through the tall, green grass that was swaying in the breeze. He saw cows lazily resting in a huge field of dandelions behind the white picket fence he remembered from his dreams. He saw a small, babbling brook, gently flowing past the most gigantic willow tree he had ever seen in his life. It was even bigger than the one he saw in his dreams.
Selena’s Waterfall
Hiking through a dense forest, Selena came across the most beautiful waterfall she had ever seen. The water looked inviting, but as she stripped down to her under clothes, and entered the warm, blue water, she thought she heard a giggle coming from the bushes.
This week we focused on setting the scene of the story. We used writing prompts that described a scene, timeline, or location. The idea was for you to use your imagination and continue writing, paying close attention to all details that you believe your readers need to know.
As you can see, I have also participated in this challenge. My stories are listed above. You are welcome to read them and to leave comments (constructive criticism is welcome, rudeness is not.)
This is a safe place to learn, grow, and develop your writing skills. You are encouraged (but not required) to post your stories in the comments.
Have fun with this process and I can’t wait to see your take on each of the writing prompts. Write on, my friends!
