Writers Helping Writers^®

Setting

How to Build a Realistic Story World

June 15, 2017

How to Build a Realistic Story World

June 15, 2017

As a fantasy writer, one of my absolute favorite parts of the writing process is worldbuilding. I love creating new worlds, cities, and people groups from scratch. I probably either…

Using Real-World Locations to Ground Your Story’s Setting

May 16, 2017

Using Real-World Locations to Ground Your Story’s Setting

May 16, 2017

Last month I went on a writing retreat in Iceland. (Yes, Iceland! In fact, you can learn more about the annual Iceland Writers Retreat here.) It sounds like a remote…

Introducing One Stop For Writers’ Worldbuilding Tool

February 28, 2017

Introducing One Stop For Writers’ Worldbuilding Tool

February 28, 2017

We’ve all read amazing fiction where the worldbuilding captivated us as much as the characters did. And let’s all admit it, when we hit the last page of the final…

How to Choose Settings that Have Emotional Impact

October 20, 2016

How to Choose Settings that Have Emotional Impact

October 20, 2016

Generic settings won’t cut it if you want readers to feel the story–instead, your locations need emotional impact as this immerses them better in the point-of-view character’s experience. Shared experiences…

The Swiss Army Knife of Storytellers Is the Setting

September 15, 2016

The Swiss Army Knife of Storytellers Is the Setting

September 15, 2016

Writing the Urban and Rural Setting Thesaurus books taught Becca and me something big: the Setting is the Swiss Army Knife of Storytelling. Yes, it’s the truth. Because your setting…

Creating Mood in a Scene Using Light and Shadow

August 22, 2016

Creating Mood in a Scene Using Light and Shadow

August 22, 2016

What’s one of the first things a person does to set the mood at home for a romantic evening? She turns down the lights. This simple adjustment is a big…

Level Up Your Setting (and Story) by Thinking Outside the Box

May 31, 2016

Level Up Your Setting (and Story) by Thinking Outside the Box

May 31, 2016

Want to level up your setting and instantly pull readers deeper into your scenes? Start by thinking outside the box about where each moment takes place. The right setting does…

One Stop For Writers’ Descriptive Thesaurus Database

October 9, 2015

One Stop For Writers’ Descriptive Thesaurus Database

October 9, 2015

A Closer Look at Our Show-Don’t-Tell Database As some of you know, the heart of One Stop For Writers is our signature Descriptive Thesaurus Database. Visitors to this blog (and…

Want to Write a Best Seller? Change Your Mind

July 5, 2012

Want to Write a Best Seller? Change Your Mind

July 5, 2012

By Dr. John Yeoman Teenagers know better than we do, how to write great stories. Sounds absurd? We’re experienced authors, right? We know the craft tricks. We’ve pounded the keypad…

How to Write Unforgettable Settings: World Building

January 15, 2011

How to Write Unforgettable Settings: World Building

January 15, 2011

When it comes to unforgettable settings, we’ve touched on choosing the right setting, describing the setting, and maximizing the setting through various figures of speech and techniques. But what if…