Setting Thesaurus Entry: Elevator

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

Setting 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.

On 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.