Quick Tip: Don’t Forget Your Location

Too often, writers treat locations as an afterthought. They decide where a scene takes place, stick it in the slugline, and then forget about it. The resulting scene feels like it could take place anywhere.

So consider the location. Think about how that will change the scene. Maybe it offers interesting furniture and objects characters can interact with. Behavior changes in public versus private spaces. Layout impacts blocking. These are just some of the ways how the location you choose should be influencing the scene you write.

This covers both the most original and fantastic locations, like T Rex monastery on an asteroid, and the most mundane, like a kitchen or living room. Wherever you set the scene, take a moment. Picture yourself there. How things are laid out. What you can touch, what’s in your way. And then gift that to your characters and their choices.

You can also examine how your favorite movies and scenes use their environments. Every space has the potential to affect your scene and make it more interesting. It just requires taking the time to consider the options and not defaulting to the first, generic choice.