Setting as Character

At the San Fransisco Conference, I listened to a great panel (Cara Black, Bharti Kirchner, Kemble Scott) talking about Setting as Character. I'd considered this before. In a few manuscripts I felt myself wanting more setting, especially if it was in a city that was interesting. In more manuscripts than I can count, there are faceless, nameless cities and towns that can be interchanged with countless other cities and towns. This isn't always a bad thing (but sometimes it is). In other manuscripts, it made me want to dive in even more, because the writer obviously knew what they were talking about.

So, when do you know setting is a character in your novel? Bharti says that you know you've achieved it if you take the story and set it in a another city and then examine it. Is it the same story? If the story no longer works, then you know you've made setting a character.

Kemble's stories take place in a specific neighborhood in San Fransisco (which means he's also got a built in audience). There is no way he could take the story out of the neighborhood, it wouldn't be the same story at all.

Now, I'm not saying to rush out and make setting a character, so necessary that we learn so much about it we want to puke. But I am saying to reexamine your story. Is there any place that could be made a little more interesting by exploiting the setting?

Dystopian novels are obvious: think Hunger Games. Setting was a HUGE part of that novel. The world, the district, the town, the house, the government, were key players in every scene. Make sure in your Dystopian (or SciFi or post-apocalyptic) novel that the setting is absolutely necessary (and developed, and flawless, etc).

But contemporary novels can work just the same way. I'm thinking of Will Grayson, Will Grayson. The towns that both Wills lived in didn't strike much of a cord with me, but the city they went to, did. There's a scene in which one Will is staring at his distorted reflection in the Bean. Does the artwork mean anything to me? Not really. But it got my imagination going and I started picturing the city as if I've never seen it before.

Thirteen Reasons Why is set in a nondescript town that could be anywhere in America. Thinking back, I can't even remember if we're even told what state it's in. But the town was vital to the plot, while the character is led from one landmark to another.

Historical novels are another great example. A Great and Terrible Beauty really captivated me because it is set at first in India, then England, and then in a fantasy land. Each, no matter how small, was beautifully crafted, small nuggets spread around for our pleasure. It never hit us over the head with historical facts, they just were; they sat there like o ya, that's the way it's supposed to be.

Now, my examples aren't solid examples of Setting as Character (check out the authors of the panel to see how to do it), but my examples do show how to sprinkle in a little flavor.

So whether you add a lot or just a little, make sure you add enough to get the reader interested, thinking, imagining. But don't go overboard and pepper us with lengthy descriptions (it's not the nineteenth century anymore, you'll bore your readers).

What are your favorite books based on the setting?

Happy writing!

San Fransisco Writer's Conference

What an amazing weekend! My first time in San Fran was a success! Visited Alcatraz my first day there (amazing!), and did conference stuff the rest of the time. It rained every day but Sunday when I left (California was teasing me).

Alcatraz

Highlights (among many):

Donald Maas, literary agent and author of Writing the Breakout Novel. If you ever get a chance to attend one of his workshops, do so. It's an invaluable experience and I've met countless writers and authors who have benefited from his wisdom.

Friday's lunch keynote speaker Dorothy Allison, author of Bastard out of Carolina. She was so funny that I really want to read her book now, though normally it isn't something I'd read.

Panel "Making Setting a Character in Your Novel" with authors Cara Black, Bharti Kirchner, and Kemble Scott. Fascinating topic, one I hadn't given a lot of thought to before.

YA panel with agents Amy Burkhardt, Minju Chang, Gordon Warnock, Jill Marsal, Caryn Wiseman, Christine Witthohn, April Ebernhardt, and Laurie McLean (I recommend all of them--wonderful people with so much wisdom to share).

Panel "How to Find your Tweet Spot: Promoting Yourself 140 Characters at a Time" with Tee Morris and Rusty Shelton.Check out both of their books (about Twitter and marketing). They were very informative and great speakers.


Speed Pitching: Pretty fun. I enjoyed listening to pitches and meeting a variety of interesting people. (Great to meet reader Heather McCorkle!)

San Fransisco from outside the hotel

Inspired by the topics of the conference, look for future blog posts. I'll pull from the experts while adding my two cents. Of course, the best place to really learn these things is by going to conferences yourselves or going directly to the source (when applicable). I'll be sure to give credit where credit is due.

Hope to see more of you at future conferences.

Happy writing!

San Fransisco Conference

Going on a business trip (don't you love how professional that sounds?). I'll be at the San Fransisco Writer's Conference this weekend, as will be fellow agent Gordon Warnock. If you're in the area, come hunt us down.

I don't have a fancy technology phone, so I won't be updating Blogger or Twitter while I'm gone. But I'll take good notes and blog about it on Monday. But check out the agency blog at www.andreahurst.com because Gordon might update.

Things I'm looking forward to:

• All star cast of panels. From Donald Maas and Alan Rinzler, to Laurie McLean and Amy Burkhardt (and Gordon of course), and of course best selling authors.
• Meeting the editors. What, you think you writers are the only ones who smoochz? While you're chasing us, we're chasing the editors, making and updating contacts (someone's gotta sell your book).
• Meeting other agents. Talking about the business, bragging about what projects we're working on, etc, etc. Because how would a job be any fun if you don't get to talk to people with similar passions?
• Meeting the authors/writers. Here is a hot spot of talent. If you've never been to a conference, do so. And pitch agents. We know that you're here to learn, to develop your craft, that you're serious about your work. We like seeing that, because it's less risky to go with you than someone who has never been to a conference or who doesn't work on their craft. We know you're in for the long haul. We like it.
• San Fransisco. I've never been! So I'm super excited to get in a teensy amount of sight seeing.

Happy writing!