There’s a reason these two gentlemen recieve such acclaim for their writing – they never fail to set the stage. Â The Best Sellers have learned to create the scene before the play starts and the audience is deeply involved way before they get 1/3 of the way through.
I’ve been beta-reading lately and it’s the one thing I see most often – I’m 1/3 of the way through the story before I can visualize the places and the “feel” of the setting. Â And when I get to the end I know how to weave the story using bits and pieces of the end. Â Oh, to write the beginning over – to grab the reader from the very first sentence and build until the climax.
In defense of writers, they have the story in their head. Â They know the place, the family, company, group, and they know the end. Â When they get done, some need to start again – this time describing the scene, family, and spirits to fit the ending. Â Tell me what the homestead looks and feels like. Â Describe where the story unfolds, the country, region, etc. Â Remember it’s a global market today and not every reader will know your country.
Talk about the weather, history, current events. Â Compare and contrast that to yesterday or tomorrow. Â Create a hidden character whose shoes can be filled by your reader. Â Most of my beta-writers can tell the story, and keep me reading to the end. Â Setting the stage seems to be much harder.