Using Maps in Story Setting
One tool authors have when developing plot and storyline is using maps in story setting. Laying out the various places characters will go in the story will strengthen a manuscript with concrete details.
What a Map Can Show When Using Maps in Story Setting
Such a map helps me see logical inconsistencies in the layout of an author’s setting: If the poor side of town is north of the railroad tracks, what are all the multimillion-dollar mansions doing there? It also helps me correct problems like the auto shop and the Baptist church occupying the same corner of 10th and Main.
Often the information in the manuscript is so vague I don’t know where various elements go. Is the grocery store near the bank? I don’t know. How far is everything from everything else? I don’t know.
It’s not that readers necessarily need to know these things (the story events should make sense to the reader without having to refer to a map) but this is a clue that the setting is not as concrete as it could be. Instead of creating a story world and having a character interact with it, the author is shoving the character into various locations without any regard for how those locations relate to the overall setting.
When you detect a character being shoved around like a chess piece in this way, look closer, and you are likely to find related developmental problems, such as lack of clear goals, motivations, and conflicts.
The Setting Sketch
When I see a problem with setting, I often ask the author to consider doing a type of character sketch for the setting. This might include questions like:
- how old is the town a character is living in
- how diverse are the residents (and in what ways)
- what is the town famous for
- what is the climate like
- what do residents love and hate about it
These “setting sketches” can help the author go beyond visually describing a setting and can help them create a setting that feels like a real place.
Tips for Editors & Writers
Your Year-End Review
This time of year, things slow down at Club Ed and I have time to reflect on the past year. I always learn a new lesson or two. This year, the lesson was “simplify.” It may not look like it when you see all of the classes available on Club Ed, but we’ve streamlined a…
Simplifying Your Editorial Business
In June, a plugin conflict caused the Club Ed website to crash. This was after a server problem took it offline for a weekend and we had to switch hosts. I thought I was going to lose my mind. Having Club Ed offline not only costs money but greatly inconveniences students. The website developer said,…
Doubting Your Work vs Doubting Yourself
Newer editors often struggle with imposter syndrome, which is the feeling that they’re not really good at their work and pretty soon everyone will see right through them and point their fingers and laugh. I’ve struggled with this (imposter syndrome, not pointing fingers and laughing) off-and-on throughout my career, as do most people who want…
