This month we’ve talked about great settings and ways to write your own great setting for your own masterpiece. And it has been an absolute delight getting to talk about this overlook element of writing and literature, so I wanted to continue celebrating this series with another really fun post.
Today, I want to talk about setting that are underrepresented in literature and writing. I’m taking about the settings most authors don’t write about or the ones I want to see because I think they have a lot of unexplored potential. It’s a hard concept to explain without just doing it, so let’s dive in head first and you’ll get the gist:
Settings Steeped in Underrepresented Cultures
I mentioned this before in my post about common setting mistakes, but I wanted to mention it again. So many fantasy settings are too influenced by historical English structures, but there are some amazing cultures out there that authors should really turn to for inspiration. For example, check out some Native American tribes and their beliefs and practices. What about Aboriginal Australians or, shoot, even ancient Egyptians? Please don’t just steal their cultures and misrepresent them, but definitely see how they can inspire you. How can you take these amazing, deep, thoughtful cultures and find a way to respectfully represent them in your own setting? I think that’s an amazing challenge.
The Ambiguous Setting
I think I hardly see this one because it usually annoys people, but I love an ambiguous setting. I love reading a novel and being unsure of the exact time and place and it slowly becomes unraveled. I love thinking “wait, is this 2010’s? Are we back in the ‘80’s? Is this 1950’s Chicago? Where is this?” It’s fun if you can slowly reveal clues to the reader as you develop the setting until everything finally comes together without ever having to be 100% confirmed. I think that just adds another interesting layer of depth to a story that I don’t get to see too often.
The Supportive Society
With the recent dystopian craze that blew through a few years ago, we now have tons and tons of books that deal with characters fighting against an oppressive society, but sometimes supportive societies can be just as dangerous. For example, look at the United States. We allow for free speech, but sometimes people don’t understand what is protected by that and what isn’t (it’s a lesson I have to have with my kiddos every year. No, free speech does not mean you can say whatever you want, whenever you want). I think it would be interesting to read about a society that allows characters these freedoms, but these freedoms aren’t regulated and it can cause a lot of trouble. It’s not something I haven’t seen much, so I think it could make for something really unique and creative.
The Focal Point War
Another setting point you might be questioning me on, but hear me out. Yes, most stories set in some kind of fantasy world or dystopian society feature some kind of war, but it’s typically used as background noise. Very rarely is it front and center. Even in Red Queen I didn’t feel like the war was as prevalent as Aveyard was trying to make it. The war only showed up when it was convenient and some action was needed. I want to see a story steeped in that fictional war and all the drama and destruction is causes. I think it could make for some action packed literature that would be a thrilling read.
What types of settings do you want to see more of in literature? What books do you feel have unique settings that really captured your interest? Let me know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow my blog for more setting discussions.
Happy reading,
-kj
American Sweetheart Reads 