• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About
    • About WHW
    • Press Kit
    • Resident Writing Coaches
    • Contact Us
    • Podcasts & Interviews
    • Master Storytelling Newsletter
    • Guest Post Guidelines
    • Privacy Policy
    • Charities & Support
  • Bookstore
    • Bookstore
    • Foreign Editions
    • Book Reviews
    • Free Thesaurus Sampler
  • Blog
  • Software
  • Workshops
  • Resources
    • List of Resources
    • Recommended Writing Books
    • WHW Descriptive Thesaurus Collection
    • Free Tools & Worksheets
    • Grab A Free Show-Dont-Tell Pro Pack
  • WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®

WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®

Helping writers become bestselling authors

Setting Thesaurus Entry: Elevator

January 22, 2010 by ANGELA ACKERMAN

Sight

Metal doors, metal or faux panelled walls, sticky surfaces, smudges, fingerprints, gum wrappers, dirt, pea gravel on the floor, poster ads behind glass, a sanitizer dispenser, operation panel, buttons for the floors, opening and closing the door, a slot for a key, a bright red emergency button, florescent lighting, a handrail, a video camera, speakers in the roof or…
Sounds

Metal rubbing against metal, squeals, squeaks, hydraulics pressing the doors shut, the crackle of the intercom, music from speakers, breaks squeezing the wires, the car shuddering and jerking as it slows, a metallic hum, people coughing, rustling clothing and jackets, people asking for a floor number button to be pressed, small talk…

Smells

Wet & dirty mat or floor, too many perfumes/aftershaves/hair products mingling, dirty diaper smells from babies in strollers, cough drops, bad breath, hand sanitizer, body odors, cleaning products (if you’re lucky)…

Tastes

Gum, candies, cough drops, pop, juice or water brought into the elevator (but really, I wouldn’t recommend eating or drinking on the elevator!)

Touch

Pressing/jabbing a plastic button, shuffling to the walls to make room, holding breath or trying to make oneself small in a crowded elevator, clutching the metal handrail, trying to not touch the grimy walls, clasping hands in front of self, waiting, head craned up to watch the floor number display, smiling or nodding a hello to a fellow passenger you make…

Helpful hints:–The words you choose can convey atmosphere and mood.

Example 1: ‘Stand by Your Man’ drifted from the elevator speaker as I jabbed the button to take me to the lobby. Hell would freeze over before I set foot inside the Aritzia Suites again–the nerve of Donnie, promising he was done with the womanizing! I glared at my smudged reflection in the metal doors as the singer’s loving twang stabbed at my eardrums. If the elevator didn’t open in the next five seconds I’d rip that damn speaker right out the roof…

–Similes and metaphors create strong imagery when used sparingly.

Example 1: (Simile) The doors screeched as they opened at the third floor, and as an elderly man started through, began to jerk shut like a the metal jaws of a monster attempting to procure a leg or two for its midday meal…

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, because both books are now 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.

Bookmark and Share
ANGELA ACKERMAN
ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kelly says

    January 25, 2010 at 12:47 pm

    I can’t see the word elevator without humming “Love in an Elevator by Aerosmith”…

  2. Angela says

    January 25, 2010 at 10:55 am

    Bish, I’ve never taken that elevator–I can only imagine!

    I don’t mind elevators as long as the doors don’t try to eat people or they don’t shudder and jerk and sqeaul, making one wonder if it’s in its death throws….

  3. Angela says

    January 25, 2010 at 9:53 am

    Thanks Jon–back atcha!

    Shannon, I guess I should think these things through before choosing a comparison, huh?

    Susan, thanks so much!

    veach, thank you so much! I appreciate you passing this on!

    Kristi, thanks–I stopped by and got your email, too!

  4. Bish Denham says

    January 25, 2010 at 9:45 am

    Not a big fan of elevators, but not phobic. A ride to the top of the Empire State Building and back down…that was an experience!

  5. Kristi Faith says

    January 24, 2010 at 8:08 pm

    Wonderful post, so true that many authors leave out such wonderful details!

    I left an answer to your question on Critter Corner also-wanted to let you know in case you didn’t get it in an email. 🙂

    Kristi

  6. veach st. glines says

    January 24, 2010 at 7:33 pm

    In a comment on Resident Alien, you asked about this map widget: http://www.clustrmaps.com/

    Hope this is what you invoked the love of zombies for.

  7. Susan J. Reinhardt says

    January 24, 2010 at 5:48 pm

    You give new meaning to observing your surroundings. Thank you for this helpful feature.

    Blessings,
    Susan 🙂

  8. Shannon O'Donnell says

    January 24, 2010 at 3:22 pm

    An elevator rivaling a truck stop washroom is enough to trigger my gag reflex right here at the computer – I guess that means it’s effective imagery! hahaha. 🙂

  9. Jonathon Arntson says

    January 24, 2010 at 2:53 pm

    You’re tubular!

Primary Sidebar


Welcome!

Writing is hard. Angela & Becca make it easier. Get ready to level up your fiction with game-changing tools, resources, and advice.

Follow Us

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Subscribe to the Blog

Check your inbox to confirm! If gremlins tried to eat it, you might have to check your spam folder.

Read by Category

Grab Our Button

Writers Helping Writers

Software that Will Change the Writing Game

One Stop for Writers

WRITERS HELPING WRITERS® · Copyright © 2023 · WEBSITE DESIGN BY LAUGH EAT LEARN

Cookies are delicious and ours help make your experience here better. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with our cookie use. Cookie settingsGOT IT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. More on our Privacy Policy here.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
 

Loading Comments...