Today we continue creating a sense of place within your memoir, a setting for key scenes. (If you missed Thursday’s post, click on Must-know info about your memoir’s sense of place.)
Why is a sense of place important? Because it helps draw your readers in—it gives them a sense of being there with you.
C.S. Lakin explains it this way: “Without setting, how can you have a story? Some (many) scenes I’ve edited and critiqued appear to be floating in space or some nebulous location. The writer seems so intent on conveying dialogue or explaining about characters that he forgets (or thinks it is unimportant) to mention where his characters just happen to be.
“And then there are other manuscripts in which setting is occasionally mentioned in passing, but almost as an afterthought…. [H]e throws out a few token lines that objectively name the place or sketch a vague description and moves on.
“And that’s a shame, because a writer like that is missing out on a great opportunity to bring his [story] to life. The more real a place is to readers, the easier they can be transported there to experience the story.”
Your goal: Make those settings tangible for your readers.
Look for spots in your manuscript that leave yourself, your memoir’s characters, or readers “floating in space.” Make revisions to anchor each key setting.
And remember to use sensory details (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste).
There you have it, your Tuesday Tidbit.
Come back Thursday for more on
how to create top-notch settings for your memoir.
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