In South Florida, the landscape is ever-present, from the soaking heat of summer to the bluster of afternoon storms to the variety of insects and small reptiles that find their way inside your door. Perhaps this accounts for why I have to know where a story is set before I can begin writing. I need a sharp sense of the place, the landscape—before I can think about character, theme, and even plot.
Irish novelist, Anne Enright says it well: “All description is an opinion about the world. Find a place to stand.”
Place. Now that’s the operative word here.
Descriptive writing of place should offer more than specific details—it should establish a sense of perspective. Place is not just a practical or logistical consideration; it can be a powerful generator of tone and atmosphere. It can help dictate what is possible in a fictional world and what is not.
Essentially, a writer’s sense of place focuses on strengthening a writer’s ability to use setting in ways that push, expand, and further the idea of place.
So, writer, as you begin to craft your story, take the time to explore your setting using all your senses to give life to your story.
Write well, write often.
Maritza Cosano