Tart Words: Writers read. Readers bake. Bakers write.
Welcome! I'm Linda Gordon Hengerer, author of the Beach Tea Shop cozy mystery series, co-editor of the Happy Homicides cozy mystery anthology series, and baker of treats.If you get joy from reading, writing, or baking, join me to learn new skills to take your writing and/or baking to a different level. My happy place is filled with baking supplies, loaded bookshelves, and endless imagination - does this sound like yours, too? Maybe you've thought about writing a book someday, and decided someday was now - if you only knew where to start. You enjoy baking, but not making time-consuming treats that are gobbled up in less time than it took to measure the flour. You're the dictionary picture for "voracious reader," and you enjoy listening to your favorite authors and finding out the inspiration behind their stories. Tart Words is a podcast for all of those interests. I'm inviting some of my author friends to talk about writing, their books, and add a baker's dozen of getting-to-know-you questions in the Show Notes. I talk about writing and baking, and you'll find out more about your favorite author or find a new author to follow. Tart adj 1: agreeably sharp or acid to the taste; noun 1: an open pastry case containing a filling. Our words may occasionally be sharp or salty but are most often sweet. An open pastry case containing a filling suggests endless possibilities, and I hope the Tart Words podcast fills you full of joy and possibility.
Tart Words: Writers read. Readers bake. Bakers write.
5-Minute Drill: Setting
What do writers need to consider about Setting for their story?
Transcribed by Otter.ai; Lightly edited by Linda. Please forgive typos or grammar errors.
Episode 345 - Drill Setting
2:56
Linda 00:00
Welcome to Tart Words. I'm your host, Linda Hengerer. And I'm a writer, a reader, and a baker. I talk to writers about their latest book and what inspires them, chat with fellow author Suzanne Fox about what writers can learn from reading their favorite authors, and share fast and easy recipes for anyone looking for a sweet treat. Join me as I share Tart Bites, Tart Thoughts, and Tart Words.
In this episode of Tart Words, Linda Hengerer talks about Setting and gives writers a 5-Minute Drill.
Visuals will help, so I’ll use a movie as an example.
Setting can enhance or detract from story, depending on how you use it. There’s a reason why slasher movies are set in the dark: because menace hides in the shadows.
In The Wizard of Oz, the beginning and ending of the movie are in black and white while the fantastical world of Oz is in color.
When you think about Dorothy’s adventures in Oz, the threatening events take place in the turbulent storm, the dark forest, and the Wicked Witch of the West’s gloomy castle.
Dorothy’s journey on the Yellow Brick Road takes her from light and colorful Munchkinland to the Emerald City. Her adventures ebb and flow from light to dark as she meets new friends (the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion), and they survive encounters with the Wicked Witch of the West or her minions in her attempts to steal the Ruby Slippers.
5-Minute Drill: Setting
Think about your work in progress, or the genre you are or want to write in.
Set a timer for five minutes.
Write or type everything you can think of about your setting that enhances your story. Consider genre conventions or tropes, the tone of your story (for example, a rom-com will be lighter than a thriller), and how you want the reader to feel when they think about your story.
After the timer goes off, review what you wrote.
- Does your setting fit your genre?
- Does your setting convey the tone you want it to?
- Does your setting give the reader the feeling you want it to?
After your initial draft, consider doing a revision pass for setting that includes these elements.
Thank you for joining me this week. To view the complete show notes and the links mentioned in today's episode, visit tartwords.com/tart345. Follow now in the app you're using to listen to this podcast or sign up for email alerts through an easy signup form for bakers, readers, and writers at tartwords.com/about. Thank you again for joining me, Linda Hengerer, for this episode of Tart Thoughts.