How do you engage your reader into a story, capture their imagination from the first page, and immerse them in a fictional
world? It’s more than setting, fashion and time period. Creating Storyworld is a technique used by classic authors like CS Lewis, JRR Tolkien, even Jane Austin, an element of storytelling that is often overlooked, but which can take a mediocre novel to award-winning.
So, what is storyworld?
It’s the sounds, smells, tastes, touch, and rich, focused visual details that convey the impressions, opinions and overall state of emotion of the pov character, and in turn, the reader.
It’s more than the fabric or backdrop of the story – start thinking of the storyworld as third character in your novel. Middle Earth. WW2 London, Mitford. Narnia. Oz. Where-ever your story is set, it will have a character, a feeling to it that lends itself to the story, and works either with your character, or against them.
A book without a storyworld is like a green screen to a movie Set up your storyworld correctly, and it allows your reader to move
freely about the book.
Here is a checklist to consider as you are building Storyworld.
N- News: Just the facts, ma’am.
Let’s start with the basics – the 5 W’s. Who, What, Where, Why, When. As the reader we need to know who is in the scene, where it is, when it is, what is going on around them, and a little about why they’re there.
O: Observations –What’s in your world?
Utilize the 5 senses: To really draw your storyworld you need to use the 5 senses to engage our emotions. Sight, Smell, Sound, Touch, Taste
V: Voices – Who is speaking?
Building storyworld isn’t just about putting your character into the world, but moving your character through it. A static storyworld is boring. We need to see your character engage with it. And that means they need to interact. Which means dialogue. Add dialogue, through conversation, signs, books – anything that has a “voice.”
E: Emotions – it’s all in the details
Think: What is the ONE detail you could highlight that captures the world in a nutshell.
What are you trying to convey, and how is that metaphor already in your scene?
L: Language that is specific
Specific nouns and details do more to evoke emotions and create place than commonalities.
Some Cautions:
Don’t do a Storyworld dump. The key to great storyworld building is weaving this in between the action. Think – 3-5 sentences at the most. Long passages of description tire the reader – but we need to see the world, so weave it in.
Use Action: Give your character something to do in the scene. As they move through the scene, you can describe it without the reader even realizing that they’re slowly being drawn into the world.
TRICK YOUR READER…Use verbs that convey the emotion of the scene; subconsciously they raise the sense of dread for the entire scene.
Draw us in every now and again with a Sense. Just like interspersing the world between actions, sprinkle the senses throughout the scene so they can see or taste or hear the world.
Look for Step 6, Building your Premise, tomorrow!
Write On!
Susie May
