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WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®

WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®

Helping writers become bestselling authors

Setting Thesaurus Entry: Medieval Castle Armory

November 13, 2010 by ANGELA ACKERMAN

Sight

Flagstone floor, stone block walls, thick, reinforced wooden door, narrow slit windows high on wall, castle banners and colors, candles or lanterns for a light source, racks with weapons of the era: sharpened spears, poleaxe, polearm, halberd, tables holding spiked…

Sounds

The clink of metal, hammer on steel, the hiss of steam, crackle of flame, the grinding rasp of metal against the granite sharpening wheel, chain links clinking, creaks, scrapes, the quiet crumple sound of leather creasing, heavy boots against the stone floor, grunts, steel…

Smells

The tang of metal, smoke, oils, leather, cold stone, wax, gunpowder, soot, blood, polished wood, sweat

Tastes

Sweat, dust

Touch

Leather-wrapped sword handle against palm, the drag of a shield and armour on shoulders and arms, the burn of chafing leather against skin, the pull of a chain mail shirt, curling fingers around a smooth pole weapon, testing the edge of a blade for sharpness with thumb or finger, the press of bodies, bumping/nudging against other soldiers, a…

Helpful hints:

–The words you choose can convey atmosphere and mood.

Example 1: Edmond raced into the armoury, following the acrid scent in the air straight to the four casks of oil sitting along the far wall. The squire rubbed at his watering eyes, debating on how to best transport them and then heaved the first into his arms. Rolling the casks across to the doorway would save his energy for the stair climb to the castle walls, but the uneven flagstones might weaken the seal on the barrel. He dare not risk it. A fire here would not only claim his life, it would write the ending to the war…

–Similes and metaphors create strong imagery when used sparingly.

Example 1: (Metaphor) As enemies hacked at the bolted armoury door, fear slipped down Amos’ back in burning trails, setting fire to the raw skin beneath his chain mail shirt…

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.

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.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jacqui says

    November 28, 2010 at 10:41 pm

    How clever. I list descriptors by category on my blog, but you’ve taken this to a whole new level. I may borrow the idea.

  2. Slushpile Slut says

    November 20, 2010 at 12:56 pm

    Popping in to say I LOVE this!! Thx so much for all your hard work 🙂

  3. Nicholas Klacsanszky says

    November 16, 2010 at 6:44 pm

    This is a very interesting concept – to group a subject of words into one framework. This is extremely helpful for writers. It is true that regular thesaurus’ don’t really do the job.
    The thesaurus posts on your blog seems akin to the Thinker’s Thesaurus, a kind of intuitive and close to reality thesaurus. Sometimes it’s just fun to read even when not looking for words.

  4. Beth says

    November 15, 2010 at 4:40 am

    You’ve got some great suggestions here. Good list!

  5. Susanne Drazic says

    November 14, 2010 at 10:13 pm

    Wow, great list! Thanks for taking the time to put these together.

  6. Rebecca Ryals Russell says

    November 14, 2010 at 9:43 pm

    I LOVE this site. Sure makes it easier to come up sensory details while writing. Awesome.

  7. Jaleh D says

    November 14, 2010 at 9:05 pm

    This is going to come in handy at some point. Soon. I imagine. 😀

  8. Sharon K. Mayhew says

    November 14, 2010 at 4:39 pm

    Wonderful post, Angela! You took me to the armory in Edinburg, Scotland… Very nice!

  9. Heather says

    November 14, 2010 at 12:17 pm

    Ahhh, this is my happy place, truly. Excellent post! I love the examples.

  10. Angela Ackerman says

    November 14, 2010 at 10:52 am

    Great glad this one is fueling imaginations. Happy writing!

    Angela

  11. Riv Re says

    November 14, 2010 at 2:31 am

    Thanks for this! These entries are brilliant, and some really help my writing! I’m writing a fantasy with lots of war and battle, and this is really useful! Thanks again!

  12. SWK says

    November 13, 2010 at 5:08 pm

    How do you do it, Angela? I write contemporary fiction but reading through this list was practically a novel itself (and lots of fun)–I could hear the “crackle of flame” and smell the “gunpowder”!

  13. Becca Puglisi says

    November 13, 2010 at 3:28 pm

    Excellent job, Angela!

  14. Shannon O'Donnell says

    November 13, 2010 at 12:01 pm

    Your examples are fantastic with this one, Angela – love it! 🙂

  15. Karen Lange says

    November 13, 2010 at 11:20 am

    Wonderful, as always! Love the examples, too. Have a great weekend!

  16. Michelle Gregory says

    November 13, 2010 at 11:15 am

    perfect. just what i needed for my story. now to find something on medieval war camps.

  17. Joanna St. James says

    November 13, 2010 at 9:46 am

    I went to a medieval village once its called Eze near nice I have to go back because my battery went donw right before i climbed the hill

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