BLOGWORDS – Monday 4 November 2019 – NEW WEEK NEW FACE – GUEST POST – J’NELL CIESIELSKI

BLOGWORDS – Monday 4 November 2019 – NEW WEEK NEW FACE – GUEST POST – J’NELL CIESIELSKI

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NEW WEEK NEW FACE – GUEST POST – J’NELL CIESIELSKI
 
SETTING: REALITY VS FICTION

 

Once upon a time in a land far, far away …

How many times as readers have we been swept away to places new or familiar by this timeless phrase and descriptions of palm trees, drafty castles, or moon dusted planets? Setting is an instrumental component in storytelling. It sets the tone, character background and expectations, and in some cases directs the narrative (where would The Little Mermaid be if she wasn’t under the sea?). Imagine some of the most distinctive stories you know: Robinson Crusoe, Braveheart, Lord of the Rings, or Alice in Wonderland. These stories would not be what they are without their unique settings. For them, setting is king.

How does a writer go about choosing the setting? In some instances, there is no choosing as it can only be one place. William Wallace does not exist outside Scotland, nor could Frodo make his epic journey through New Jersey. It had to be Middle Earth. In other cases, a story can be set just about anywhere the author prefers. Not being a fantasy writer myself, I can’t expound much on fantastical settings so for the sake of credibility we’ll stick to real locations that may or may not have fictional elements (spoiler: they usually do, otherwise it wouldn’t be fiction).

Ok. We’ve got our setting. Now what? Research! Remember how setting is king? Well, research is the shining crown that makes it so. Research must be conducted to know the lay of the land, to understand the weather, to see the rolling hills or crashing waves. A reader wants to walk the cobblestone streets of a French village with the characters. A reader wants to see the rusting colors of a sun setting over the mountains of Colorado. These emotions and experiences can only be evoked with proper research; otherwise literary pandemonium will break out as rooftops in Germany will suddenly be green (they’re terra cotta) and deserts will spring up in Iceland (hardly, as it’s known as the land of fire and ice). Take for example my recent novella set in Scotland. The country has a very distinct look, landscape, and feel. I wanted readers to shiver at the chilled winds sweeping off the granite crags, sway with the heather flowers thick as carpet across the moors, dive into the deep blue lochs, and stare in awe at the ancient stone castles home to the clans. Without including these key elements the story would fall flat and the characters would not have an authentic setting in which to act and react to. At some point, research isn’t enough. At some point, the story needs to start adding its own elements to the setting.

In real settings, fictional elements must be introduced in order to keep the story moving. It’s impossible to keep every detail accurate, otherwise you venture into non-fiction territory. Details must be added for characters to play off and live within that can’t be found in the real world. Looking again at my novella, Night Fox, I researched everything I could about the area in which the story is set and realized I needed to give the hero a home. Yes, there is a real place called Scotland with clan lairds who lived in castles during the eighteenth century, but there was never an estate called Strathmoore on McLendon lands. At least to my knowledge, because I made it up. Likewise there isn’t a village called Druimbeath, but I needed a place for my heroine and hero to interact (when one of them isn’t out committing highway robbery). These places may have sprung from my imagination, but the details about them are true to what existed in eighteenth century Scotland that I had compiled through extensive research. In other words, though my village and castle are made up they could easily be mistaken for real. But that’s also because I’m a stickler for details J

Which brings me to a final point that is hotly debated among readers. Detail accuracy. Does the writer keep the details as authentically accurate as possible for the setting/time period/nationality/etc. or do they keep things accurate-ish while liberally sprinkling in their own ideas of what things should look or sound like? As a historical writer this hits home for me because there is a high standard for keeping historicals as authentic as possible to the era presented, and while this is a noble endeavor, it’s not always possible when information becomes lost over the centuries. I believe in not placing so much importance on accuracy that enjoyment of the crafted story gets lost. Research what needs to be researched, but at the end of the day it’s called fiction for a reason and I for one will never mind a few make believe castles.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

[image error]Believing she was born in the wrong era, J’nell Ciesielski spends her days writing heart-stopping heroes, brave heroines, and adventurous exploits in times gone by. Winner of the Romance Through the Ages contest and Maggie Award, J’nell can often be found dreaming of a second home in Scotland, indulging in chocolate of any kind, or watching old black and white movies. Born a Florida girl, she now calls Virginia home, along with her very understanding husband, young daughter, and one lazy beagle.

 

Just for Fun …

My name is pronounced Juh-nell Suh-sell-ski
I’m not a fan of cooking, but I love baking. Probably because I can lick the bowl of cake batter
My heart belongs to no other dog than a beagle. I mean, c’mon. Have you ever seen a beagle puppy and not squealed?
I was married at Disney World
My favorite TV channel is TCM

 

http://www.jnellciesielski.com/

https://www.facebook.com/jnellciesielski

https://twitter.com/JnellCiesielski

https://www.goodreads.com/jnellciesielski

https://www.pinterest.com/jnellciesielski/

 

 

[image error] Available 15 November

 

#Blogwords, New Week New Face, #NWNF, Guest Post, J’nell Ciesielski