Setting Thesaurus Entry: Shopping Mall

Sight

Crowds, bright store signs, sale signs, glass doors/windows, clothing racks, shelves, displays, washrooms, food courts, benches, garbage cans, specialty item kiosks, shopping bags, store logos, tile floors, plants, escalators, stairs, cash machines, sales staff, customers, people sipping from coffee/specialty drink cups (slushes, ice cappuccinos, etc), baby…

Sounds

Boots and shoes on tile, people talking, laughing, eching/mish-mashed crowd voices, people calling out to others, cell phones ringing, cash registers printing off receipts, the crackle of a security radio, plastic bags crinkling, zippers on purses & jackets being unzipped/zipped, slurping from straws, kids asking questions/whining/pointing things out to…

Smells

Food from the food court (meat grilling, grease, fresh bread products (yeasty, buttery), cinnamon, salt, spicy foods, BBQ, hot dogs, burgers), bad breath, body odor, perfume, hair spray and products, strong perfumes/body sprays from beauty product counters, popcorn, fabric, paper, cleaning supplies, coffee, wet shoes…

Tastes

water, coffee, pop, mints, gum, the acrid tang of AC, food from the food court (see above), snack food bought at stores (cookies, candy, chocolate, camels, chips, ice cream), cough drops, tobacco chew, dust, dry mouth from dry air

Touch

Stepping onto an escalator, pushing past/brushing by other shoppers, leaning against shopping counters, digging through purse for cash or credit cards, digging in pocket for wallet, cup coins in palm and sort through for correct change, the feel of a cool smoothing drink in the hand, sucking on a straw, the drag of heavy shopping bags cutting at…

Helpful hints:

–The words you choose can convey atmosphere and mood.

Example 1: Fred sat on the bench outside of Benita’s Fine Clothing waiting for his wife, his arms heavy and his chin dipping toward his chest. He didn’t know what he feared worse–the Visa bill, or that he’d be stuck in this hell-spawned mall until closing…

–Similes and metaphors create strong imagery when used sparingly.

Example 1: (Simile) Middle age men rushed into the Sony store and their boxing day sale like football players running for the touchdown…

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.