2 Rules of Creating a Fabulous Setting

Setting is sometimes the neglected stepchild of the writing world. We lavish attention on our characters and plot, but sometimes forget how powerful a fabulous setting can be.

Some genres, particularly those that fall within the realm of speculative fiction (fantasy and science fiction), tend to give more attention to setting, simply because their stories require intensive worldbuilding. We can all borrow a page from some fantasy writers and watch and learn from their detailed and engaging settings.

You’ll be hard pressed to find a better example than The Final Empire, the first book in Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn trilogy. The world he creates in this story is exquisite in its detail and its verisimilitude. He offers a world unique from both our own and from that found in many similar fantasy novels.

Brandon Sanderson’s 2 Fast Rules of Fabulous Settings

The true power of his setting is grounded in a couple of hard facts.

Setting Rule #1: The Setting Should Matter to the Story

Sanderson’s world in Mistborn plays a much bigger role than that of a mere backdrop, a two-dimensional painting on the stage behind the actors. If your settings aren’t intrinsic to your stories to the extent of almost being a character unto themselves, you’re missing an important opportunity.

Setting Rule #2: Describe With the Right Number of Details

Sanderson brings his setting to life through a deft administration of details: not too many, not too few. He highlights the details that are important—the unique and pertinent points—by exemplifying them through his characters’ interactions with the world.

If you’ve created a solid setting as the foundation for your plot—and described it vividly—you’re well on your to writing a story readers won’t easily forget.