Even if you're not writing a milieu (Lord of the Rings, anyone?), setting is important to a story.
Maybe you're not creating an entirely new world or universe, but you are creating your character's universe, and that means adding insight into who she is based on everything that surrounds her.
The buildings, the decor, the weather, the people--the sights, the smells, the sounds--these all affect your character in some way. They not only make up her environment, but they set the mood and atmosphere.
In a word, setting = details.
Use exposition to your advantage, and give your reader little insights into your character by discussing the things around her and how she reacts to them.
A couch can tell us as much about a character as the words that come out of her mouth, sometimes moreso.
For instance. . . .
Is it a shabby couch? Worn on one end and fraying at the edges? Is the pattern faded? The middle sagging?
Is it an heirloom? Something she remembers from her grandmother's home? Stiff velvet cushions and hand-carved legs?
Is it sleek white leather? Clean lines? Not single rip or tear?
It's amazing what a single piece of furniture can tell us about who someone is and what they value.
Don't skim over this important part of the writing process.
Be Brilliant!
~Katie~
