The basic triad of writing a tale is setting, character, and plot. Without all of these you cannot write a complete story. The point is to transport readers to another world and make them fall in love with it. Each part of the triad has a job to fulfill so the readers feel pulled into the story.
Setting
Setting is the world and societal structure of the story. It’s not only what’s around the characters in each scene, but the tone of that environment as well. Setting’s job is to engage the reader in a physical sense. They need to see, smell, taste, feel, and hear the world of the story. They should understand the social structure of the world and what something as simple as a dropped handkerchief means to the people in that world. All of this information allows the reader to feel like they are a part of its society. Connecting with the setting is the first step in transporting readers into a story.
Character
After getting a sense of the setting, readers need to connect with characters. Many people read for the sense of escaping into a different world, but the characters are what makes readers stay to finish the book. A character’s role is to draw the reader in emotionally. If people can relate and care about the characters, they will become invested in the story. That emotional investment is a deeper hook than the physical one setting offers, and it pulls readers even further into the story.
Plot
The final way to transport readers into a story is through plot. This is the events that make up the story, and you have to connect each plot point to form a satisfying ending. The plot’s job is to be intellectually engaging for the readers. A good story makes people want to talk about it and guess what will happen next.
Giant epic fantasies like The Lord of the Rings, The Wheel of Time, and The Stormlight Archive do this best. They get people talking between books to discuss what’s happened and speculate what’s next. Even when the series is complete, people love talking about what they thought certain scenes meant or how the author foreshadowed events. If you can make people engage with the story intellectually and try to put the plot pieces together themselves, you have them completely hooked.
Final Thoughts
Setting, character, and plot make of the foundation of any story. I heard a little piece of advice that has stuck with me, and I’d like to share it with you. If you can do two of these things really well, you will have a writing career. If you can do all three, you’ll have a bestseller. I encourage you to analyze your work for your strengths and weaknesses. Does one come naturally to you? Is there one that you need to study the craft more to do better?
For me, I’ve had to work hard on improving my setting descriptions. I’m not always spatially aware so my beginning stories often happened in a “white room” where I let the reader fill in the blanks. Thanks to a lot of practice, research, and writing critique partners, I’m getting much better at setting. I encourage you to find your weakest point and do the same. If you can engage your readers physically, emotionally, and intellectually, you’ll have a strong story.
Thanks for reading!
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