As a romance writer, you know relationships and conflicts between your characters are crucial to creating a compelling and emotional story. But have you considered the importance role setting plays in bringing those elements to life?
Done well, the setting used for your romance novel can help enhance and enrich character development, plot, and themes of your story. Creating atmosphere, depth, and authenticity, it can serve as a backdrop for your characters’ serene or chaotic romantic journey.
How can you use setting to elevate your romance writing? Here are five tips to get you started:
Choose a setting that fits the tone and theme of your story. If you’re writing a steamy and suspenseful romance, a dark and shadowy city might be the perfect fit. If you’re going for a sweet and lighthearted romance, a sunny and idyllic small town could be a perfect fit. But take it a step further and juxtapose the above example. A dark romance set in an idyllic small town, imagine that.
Use sensory details to bring your setting to life. When describing a bustling market in a crowded city or a secluded beach on a tropical island, make sure you use all five senses to bring your setting to life. Looks like? Smells like? The sounds? How does it feel? As writers, we have one favourite and we use it all the time. Mine is sight, what’s yours?
Use the setting to reflect emotions and states of mind. Is your main character feeling lonely and isolated in a big, impersonal city? Or are they feeling alive and free in the great rural outdoors? Setting can be a powerful tool for conveying experiences.
Use the setting to create conflict and tension. A beautiful and serene setting can add a sense of calm and happiness to your story. Imagine using it to create drama and tension as well. While a remote and dangerous location, can add a sense of risk and excitement to your romance.
Use the setting to deepen your themes and message. Does your romance novel explore themes of identity, belonging, or social justice? Using the setting to bring those themes to the forefront and give them added depth and resonance. Culture or customs unique to certain locations can give readers a better understanding of what the character is experiencing.
By considering the role of setting in your writing, you create rich and immersive stories that will keep your readers turning the pages. Happy writing!