Developing Settings Using Art
Sometimes developing a setting can be difficult. Here are some ways you might approach it in a different manner.
Let's face it, when writing Action/Adventure stories, there are often a lot of fight scenes. Movies have the advantage of camera angle - they build the set, and then they let the actors and the camera do the rest. In stories, we don't have that benefit. We, as authors, have to see every single side of that room, so as the fight turns and moves, so can the description that we use.
That is easier said than done, however.
Visualizing it can sometimes be the hardest, so here are a few ways you might be able to visualize the scene/setting and really solidify what is all around your characters:
Draw a Picture - I know, I know - you're not an artist, you're a writer! But... fact is, it doesn't have to look pretty. It just has to function as a blueprint, of sorts, to help you as things move around. I might be cheesy, but there are times when I even like to put little army men on it once I have it drawn out, and move them around as I write, changing their positions to match what is going on in the fight.
I make the pictures detailed. I put the alarm clocks, discarded socks, pictures on the walls, etc. That way, when the characters move over there, I know exactly what they will disturb during the altercation.
Create a Miniature - Sometimes all it takes to make a miniature is some cardboard that's cut out, or some small toys. This method seems a little more playful and a little less art, but it is actually surprising how much it helps to move people around and make a visual this way. The benefit over the drawing, of course, is that the miniature model would be 3-Dimensional, whereas the picture is flat. You can actually knock the table over in the miniature, which is amusing in itself.
Pipe Cleaners - Pipe Cleaners are excellent for creating a blueprint as large as you'd like for really cheap. You can also make it three dimensional by putting the corners of the walls, etc. You can create a see-through model in which to visualize, and it is a whole lot of fun. (And colorful! If you like colors...)
These are not the only ways, of course, but they are some that you can use to visualize your scenes, and at the same time, help you add detail to your writing when you use the pictures or models as a guide. |