Angela Ackerman - The Urban Setting Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to City Spaces

THE URBAN SETTING
THESAURUS:

A Writers Guide to City Spaces

Angela Ackerman
Becca Puglisi

MORE WRITERS HELPING WRITERS BOOKS

The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writers Guide to Character Expression

The Positive Trait Thesaurus: A Writers Guide to Character Attributes

The Negative Trait Thesaurus: A Writers Guide to Character Flaws

The Rural Setting Thesaurus: A Writers Guide to Personal and Natural Spaces

Copyright 2016 by Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi

All rights reserved

Writers Helping Writers

First print edition, June 2016

ISBN: 978-0-9897725-8-7

No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in print or electronic form without prior permission of the authors. Please respect the hard work of the authors and do not participate in or encourage the piracy of copyrighted materials.

Edited by: C. S. Lakin and Michael Dunne

Book cover design by: Scarlett Rugers Design 2016

EBook formatting by: Polgarus Studio

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi are bestselling authors, writing coaches, and international speakers. Their books are available in five languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. Angela and Becca also co-founded their popular Writers Helping Writers site, a hub where authors can hone their craft, as well as One Stop for Writers, an innovative online library built to help writers elevate their storytelling.

DEDICATIONS

To every writer who ever dreamed, and then had the courage to follow that dream wherever it led.

And especially to Lee, for not using the ants.

Wish you had a powerhouse writing resource at your fingertips that could save you valuable time while elevating your storytelling? One Stop for Writers might just be the answer. Brought to you by Becca and Angela, the authors of this and other bestselling writing books, along with Lee Powell, the creator of Scrivener for Windows, the One Stop online library is the resource youve been searching for.

Our unique thesaurus collection covers emotions, settings, weather, characterization, symbolism, and other elements of description, and will help set your book apart by bringing the fresh imagery and deeper meaning that your readers crave. Along with an array of unique tools, tutorials, structure maps, timelines, and generators, you can also plan and organize your writing like never before.

Stop by sometime if you like; registration is always free.

PRAISE FOR THE EMOTION THESAURUS

One of the challenges a fiction writer faces, especially when prolific, is coming up with fresh ways to describe emotions. This handy compendium fills that need. It is both a reference and a brainstorming tool, and one of the resources I'll be turning to most often as I write my own books.

~ James Scott Bell, best-selling author of Deceived and Plot & Structure

PRAISE FOR THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE TRAIT THESAURUS BOOKS

In these brilliantly conceived, superbly organized and astonishingly thorough volumes, Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi have created an invaluable resource for writers and storytellers. Whether you are searching for new and unique ways to add and define characters, or brainstorming methods for revealing those characters without resorting to clichs, it is hard to imagine two more powerful tools for adding depth and dimension to your screenplays, novels or plays.

~ Michael Hauge, Hollywood script consultant and story expert , author of Writing Screenplays That Sell

Table of Contents

THE GIANT MISCONCEPTION: WHO CARES ABOUT THE SETTING?

When discussing the bones of structure for strong storytelling, certain elements always get top billing. Characters, for example, usually crest the food chain, and rightfully soas they and their emotions are the beating heart of any story. The hero in particular is what draws a reader in, as his inner world is a complex landscape of needs, desire, fears, and the hope that some greater fulfillment might be his. Readers empathize with the protagonists journey of self-discovery as he conquers obstacles on the road to his goal. They also cheer at each achievement that gets the main character closer to that place where he feels satisfied and complete.

The red carpet is also rolled out for plot, because without outer events to shape the heros path (providing opposition and opportunity as he chases his goal), readers are left with a character who wanders aimlessly and without purpose.

Plot and characterization are the two titans of storytellingthere is no doubt. Other important elements often taught by editors and story coaches tie into these heavyweights: voice, pacing, conflict, theme, description, and dialogue.

But what about the setting? Where does it fit in on the importance scale?

Thats a good question. Newer writers sometimes make the mistake of assuming that the setting is no more than a backdrop for a storys events; its a necessary part, but its not important enough to waste too many words describing, and its definitely not worth stressing over when it comes to choosing the right one for a scene.

Of course, this type of thinking is the downfall of many writers because, while its often overlooked, the setting is, in fact, a powerhouse of storytelling description that deepens every scene. Not only does it anchor the reader in events as they unfold, but, chosen carefully, the right setting can help characterize the storys cast, deliver backstory in a way that enriches, convey emotion, supply tension, and accomplish a host of other things to give readers a one-of-a-kind experience. In fact, out of all the ingredients that make a compelling story, setting is one of the most versatile yet often underutilized.

Why is this? Simple: its due to a misconception that readers arent interested in the setting and will skip right over descriptive passages. Because of this, writers often dont look beneath the surface to see what a setting can truly do; they miss out on all the ways it can shine a light on a characters mind-set and add depth to the bigger story. Instead, they focus on giving only enough setting detail to provide context for the reader. And while context is important to provide a sense of place, its only a sliver of what the setting brings to the storytelling table.

Describing a setting does come with challenges. Finding the perfect balance of showing and telling that wont slow the pace can be tricky. An avalanche of description may cause readers to skip ahead, but we also dont want to provide so little that they have to work hard to visualize the scene. If mounting frustration over being unable to imagine the characters world reaches a critical point, the book cover may close and never reopen.