Why Setting Your Story Matters

Why Setting Your Story Matters Why Setting Your Story Matters Imogen Clark lives in Yorkshire, England with her husband and children.  She also writes books for young teenage girls under the pen name Lucinda Fox. In this article, Imogen talks about how establishing a real sense of setting in her novel improved her story, and even benefitted her marketing strategy.Picture the scene: You've read a great book that you want to share with your friend but your memory is letting you down on the details.â€Å"What's the title?† they ask. Blank. â€Å"Who wrote it?† Nothing. â€Å"Well, where's it set?†And, of course, you remember this because the setting of a book stays with you long after the metadata has faded. This is because it's the setting that takes a reader deep into the world of a novel, creating those vital visual images that allow them to travel with the protagonist. Whether a story is set in the heart of the Amazon jungle, a post-apocalyptic landscape, or on one street in London, the way that setting is described can make all the difference to a reader's experience. "It's the setting that takes a reader deep into the world of a novel." @imogenclark IlkleyBut this is not the side of the town that I wanted to portray in my book. In the novel, my protagonist, Cara, is trapped in Ilkley, forced to care for her terminally ill father whilst her elder brother escapes to London. The twee parts of the town - the areas that attract the tourists - mean nothing to her. Instead, she (and therefore the reader), focus on the darkly ominous moor that rises up like a shadow behind her house. The Ilkley of the book is a dank place where the sky remains resolutely grey.Of course, back in the real world, the sun does occasionally shine in Yorkshire, and I had pangs of guilt at drawing such a bleak picture of my hometown. But I had to remember that I had to see it through Cara's eyes, and not my own. "Authors need to depict a place through their character's eyes, not their own."  @imogenclark I can safely say that as a result of my developmental editor's advice to better establish a better sense of place, my book has immeasurably improved. It sits solidly in its setting and truly belongs there. Giving my book a home has also helped me with the writing and hopefully gives my readers a more satisfactory experience too. If they were to describe my book to their friends they might say, â€Å"Oh, you know. The one that’s set in Ilkley.†Please  share your thoughts, experiences, or any questions for Imogen Clark, in the comments below!Postcards From a Stranger is available in paperback  and on Amazon Kindle.