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WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®

WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®

Helping writers become bestselling authors

Setting Thesaurus Entry: Casino

April 4, 2009 by BECCA PUGLISI

Sight

flashing lights, domed cameras in ceiling, mirrors, slot machines, stools, buckets of coins, card tables (blackjack, poker, baccarat), chairs, cards, chips, roulette wheels, craps tables, dice, TV monitors, dealers, players, waiters/waitresses, drinks, food, pattern carpets…

Sounds

Swish of automatic doors, crank of slot machine arms, clink of coins falling into machines, alarms announcing winners, people laughing/talking/placing orders with servers/cashing in chips/rejoicing/lamenting, chips rattling in plastic buckets, cards being shuffled/dealt…

Smells

cigarette/cigar smoke, felt, perfume, cologne, aftershave, sweat, food smells, money, metal coins

Tastes

water, soda, alcoholic beverages, chewing gum, mints, cigarettes, sandwiches, hamburgers, nachos, wings, fries,

Touch

Soft carpet underfoot, cool air-conditioned air, padded stools and chairs, solid feel of wooden chair rungs, slick cards, plastic chips, felt tabletops, wooden table rims, warm dice, metal slot machine arms, trickle of sweat, too-warm clothing, sunglasses sliding…

Helpful hints:

–The words you choose can convey atmosphere and mood.

Example 1: Light-headed, I closed my eyes, my chin dropping to my chest. I was in so deep now–not only was my tip money gone, so was the money I’d taken out earlier for groceries. I reached for the handle and took a breath. Please, God…I need this…

–Similes and metaphors create strong imagery when used sparingly.

Example 1: (Simile) The dealer smiled as she took my stake, her hand sweeping over my chips like the hungry, inevitable tide…

Think beyond what a character sees, and provide a sensory feast for readers

Logo-OneStop-For-Writers-25-smallSetting is much more than just a backdrop, which is why choosing the right one and describing it well is so important. To help with this, we have expanded and integrated this thesaurus into our online library at One Stop For Writers. Each entry has been enhanced to include possible sources of conflict, people commonly found in these locales, and setting-specific notes and tips, and the collection itself has been augmented to include a whopping 230 entries—all of which have been cross-referenced with our other thesauruses for easy searchability. So if you’re interested in seeing a free sample of this powerful Setting Thesaurus, head on over and register at One Stop.

The Setting Thesaurus DuoOn the other hand, if you prefer your references in book form, we’ve got you covered, too. The Urban Setting Thesaurus and The Rural Setting Thesaurus are available for purchase in digital and print copies. In addition to the entries, each book contains instructional front matter to help you maximize your settings. With advice on topics like making your setting do double duty and using figurative language to bring them to life, these books offer ample information to help you maximize your settings and write them effectively.

BECCA PUGLISI
BECCA PUGLISI

Becca Puglisi is an international speaker, writing coach, and bestselling author of The Emotion Thesaurus and its sequels. Her books are available in five languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. She is passionate about learning and sharing her knowledge with others through her Writers Helping Writers blog and via One Stop For Writers—a powerhouse online library created to help writers elevate their storytelling.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Elisha Graniero says

    April 20, 2021 at 1:17 am

    Very good blog,thank so much for your effort in writing the posts.

  2. Gary says

    April 19, 2009 at 6:27 pm

    Congratulations on a great blog.

  3. Angela says

    April 6, 2009 at 7:50 pm

    Thanks, everyone! Ha Keri–how strange is that??

  4. Keri Mikulski says

    April 6, 2009 at 8:30 am

    I swear you read my mind.. I just wrote a scene with a casino. Love it! Thanks. 🙂

  5. Nate K. says

    April 5, 2009 at 3:33 pm

    Once again, super helpful. 🙂

  6. Becca says

    April 5, 2009 at 11:09 am

    PJ, there is no certainty of a book right now. We’re still kicking the idea around and putting together a proposal to see what we can do. Fingers crossed :).

  7. PJ Hoover says

    April 4, 2009 at 7:50 pm

    Perfect!
    So when does the book come out?

  8. Windsong says

    April 4, 2009 at 7:04 pm

    Thanks again for all you’re hard work! You guys are awesome! 🙂

Trackbacks

  1. Setting Thesaurus Entry Collection | WRITERS HELPING WRITERS says:
    October 11, 2013 at 9:37 pm

    […] Casino […]

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