Can
your readers smell the food on the table and hear the sounds of the
countryside? Setting is a critical feature of any novel, and should be another character;
drawing the reader in and making them feel the rain on their face. One of the
greatest challenges in writing Land of My
Dreams, my debut contemporary Christian romance, was to make the reader
feel as if they were in Scotland. This was no small undertaking, considering I
have only spent two weeks there in my entire life.
In
2006, when my husband and I were preparing for a trip to Scotland, I began to
gather information in order to see as much as possible. However, it wasn’t
enough to make me an expert. Here are seven steps which helped me create a
story world capable of convincing readers I had lived in Scotland:
First,
if at all possible, travel to the place you’re writing about. When I went to
Scotland, it never occurred to me that I would someday write a book about it. I
kept a trip diary, and we took over 700 photographs, but only a few are of the
area where the book takes place.
Second,
learn cultural details, music, food, speech, history. I filled my iPod with
Scottish folk tunes and classics and devoured tour books. Scotland is not
northern England. It is a country with a rich and moving history of its own.
And yes, I ate haggis.
Third,
what is the weather like? Rain is a part of life. If Scots waited for the
weather to clear, they would never do anything. Sunshine is as unique for them
as rain is in my native New Mexico. Children played in the pouring rain wearing
sleeveless shirts and shorts while I was bundled against the dreich weather, and hoping not to get drookit.
Fourth,
learn something about how people talk. Basically, dreich is wet and rainy, and
drookit is soaking wet. They use “Way In” instead of “Entrance,” and “Way Out”
instead of “Exit.” When you order water the waiter will ask if you want “Still”
or “Sparkling.” I was criticized for having male characters say it was a
“lovely day,” but it is a common term for both men and women. There are
websites of common Scottish/Gaelic names, slang, and phrases.
Fifth,
I created a screen-saver of over 400 photos of the area where Land of My Dreams takes place. I have
scenery, historical places, road signs, shop windows, and animals, almost
anything that is a part of everyday life. If I need to describe something I
look at the photos and then write and revise until it feels right.
Sixth,
create similes and metaphors that compare and contrast things familiar to your
audience with things that are commonplace to the characters. For example,
Kieran is drawn to Bonny “like a bee to heather.”
Last,
find someone who has lived there. I offered a $75 Amazon card on the Romance
Loop of ACFW for someone to edit for Scottish content. Contemporary must be as
accurate as or more so than historical because people can go there and see if
what you said is true.
Efforts
to make your story world appealing, realistic, and mood-setting will be worth
all the research that goes into creating it. When someone reads Land of My Dreams, I want them to smell
the New Mexico chile roasting and hear the skirl of bagpipes.
© Copyright by
Norma Gail Thurston Holtman, October 10, 2014
About
the author:
Norma Gail’s debut contemporary Christian romance, Land of My
Dreams, set in Scotland and New Mexico released in April 2014. She has led
weekly women’s Bible studies for 19 years. Her devotionals, poetry have
appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, and in “The
Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers,
FaithWriters, and the New Mexico Christian Novelists. She is a former RN who
lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 38 years. They have
two adult children.
You
connect with Norma at:
www.normagail.org
@Norma_Gail
Book
Trailer:
Land of My Dreams is available at:
I do think that the research is terribly important. I want to immerse myself & enjoy.
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting, Mary! I find research, whether in person, on the Internet, or through books and maps to be one of the most exciting things about writing.
DeleteGreat tips for creating setting! Love your suggestion to travel to your setting...thinking about putting my next book in Hawaii. :-)
ReplyDeleteI now find myself looking at everywhere I go, even my own hometown, as potential settings and picking up things that cover all the senses. Thanks for taking time to comment!
DeleteI'm with you, Pat. However, I don't know how well this'll work for me since I write historicals. :)
DeleteThat is so interesting.. I didn't realize how much work in research some authors do.. My mother visited Scotland and her pictures were so beautiful.. I have cousins who play the bagpipes & I could imagine the scene.. I'd enjoy reading your book!
ReplyDeletedkstevensneAT outlook DoTCom
Thanks Deanna! If you do read Land of My Dreams I would love to hear what you think of it!
DeleteNorma, thanks for the wonderful post. I'm still striving to make that setting another character in my stories. On the upside, at least the research into Texas history is so enjoyable. :)
ReplyDeleteIt will come p, Crystal! I need to do some Texas research myself!
DeleteYou did do a wonderful job of bringing the diverse settings in your story to life, Norma!
ReplyDelete