I hope you enjoyed last month’s story bite writing prompt. For October, let’s talk about setting. The setting is where your story takes place, and it’s ultimately description, but there are a lot of ways to show it.
Craigmillar Castle, Edinburgh (Photo: Diane Magras)
Take this castle, for instance. The picture shows the wall that leads up to the inner courtyard and then the keep of Craigmillar Castle. Let’s just focus on this wall. What does it look like?
That’s a question without an easy answer. What this wall looks like depends on who’s looking at it.
A medieval historian might look at this wall and think, “Aha, 15th century!”
A kid in a school group might look at the wall and shiver with delight at the thought of stepping through into the courtyard.
A different kid in the same school group might shudder with unease.
How you describe a setting depends on who is experiencing it. For some people, a castle wall would be a magnificent structure, filled with history. For others, it’s a grim and unpleasant reminder of past wars. And for others, it’s a canvas scattered with stories and life good and bad.
Choose a character. It can be you. Or it can be that medieval historian I mentioned before, or the kid who’s excited about seeing the castle, or the kid who finds it creepy and intimidating.
Now go back at look at that first castle picture. (Go back as many times as you need to.)
What draws your eye when you look at this picture? The looming wall? The sun or the grass? The color of the stones? The stains? The doorway? Something else? Everything? (If everything, name them.)
What does it feel like to approach the castle? How does the grass feel under your feet? Is there a wind? Are you cold or hot? What does the air smell like?
Do you touch the castle wall? What does the stone feel like under your fingers?
How do you feel looking at this castle and knowing you’re about to step through that doorway? Eager? Excited? Nervous?
What do you think you’ll find on the other side?
For this story bite, answer as many of these questions as you’d like, or come up with your own questions and answers about the castle. Write a paragraph (it can be just two sentences if you want). Remember how you or your character is feeling. Put your mind in the scene.
And have fun!
Directions:
Submit your story bite to me through your teacher or with your school email address or home email address and include: your first name, grade, school’s name (or “homeschooled”), town, and state.
Each month, I’ll post a story bite that I’ve received the month before and say a few things that I like about it.
Teachers: if your make story bites part of a lesson, please let me know how it went. And share them! I’d love to see your students’ work.
