Alida and Kathryn are joined by Robert Scanlon this week. We talk about setting. Some key components, mistakes writers make, and a certain novel none of us liked.
Show Notes:
What makes a setting? And how can you use it to immerse your reader in your story? What details are good, and when does showing your research ruin the story you are trying to tell?
What we talked about:
What elements of setting Robert found in the canon of Science Fiction that he opted to use in his own fiction? (3:56)
What makes it setting? (5:55)
What is the process of discovering the minutiae of setting? How do you go beyond just the time and place? (7:30)
What should you include in setting? What should you leave out? (10:12)
What can happen when you don’t find the right audience for your story? (13:25)
How can you use your setting to immerse your reader into your story? (17:30)
Make your setting work in your story. (21:51)
Setting should be intentional and enriching, not just showing your research. (23:05)
Things we mentioned:
- Seveneves by Neal Stephenson
- Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
- Cloud Atlas the Movie
- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
- Constellation by Robert Scanlon
