{"id":27079,"date":"2023-04-21T03:00:48","date_gmt":"2023-04-21T10:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/?p=27079"},"modified":"2023-04-25T07:20:28","modified_gmt":"2023-04-25T14:20:28","slug":"5-ways-to-avoid-white-room-syndrome-and-bring-life-to-your-fiction-by-linnea-gradin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2023\/04\/21\/5-ways-to-avoid-white-room-syndrome-and-bring-life-to-your-fiction-by-linnea-gradin\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Ways to Avoid \u201cWhite Room Syndrome\u201d and Bring Life to Your Fiction by Linnea Gradin"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"5<\/a>Let\u2019s welcome back Linnea Gradin<\/a> as she shares with us \u201c5 Ways to Avoid \u201cWhite Room Syndrome\u201d and Bring Life to Your Fiction.\u201d Enjoy!<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cWhite room syndrome\u201d is what happens when your writing feels abstract<\/strong>, floating in some otherworldly vacuum with nothing grounding it to physical reality. The author seems to have forgotten to add color to the background, resulting in a flat and unfinished story that feels like an empty, white room.<\/p>\n

If this sounds familiar, this article will outline 5 ways to build a strong setting<\/a> and sense of place — key steps if you want to improve your writing<\/a> and bring some color back to your pages.<\/p>\n

1. Spot the signs of \u201cwhite room syndrome\u201d<\/h2>\n

White room syndrome is characterized by an absence of atmosphere.<\/p>\n

This makes it seem like characters are acting out scenes in complete isolation and can make it hard for readers to visualize and navigate the story.<\/p>\n

As a writer,<\/strong> it can be difficult to spot because you<\/i> know what the world of your novel looks like, but how do you know if it\u2019s the same for your readers?<\/p>\n

Getting an outside perspective can be helpful, but you can also self-diagnose by scanning your writing scene by scene, searching your writing software<\/a> for words and sentences related to setting.<\/p>\n

If you can\u2019t find any, that\u2019s a clue.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Equally, if you find that you\u2019re only using vague, generalized descriptions like \u201cthey were in a classroom\u201d without capturing what that individual classroom looks or feels<\/i> like, that\u2019s probably a sign of white room syndrome too.<\/p>\n

2. Continuously set the scene<\/h2>\n

The most obvious solution is to add more queues to set the scene.<\/p>\n

As a rule of thumb<\/strong>, you want to make sure that you include at least two or three details about the setting every time you change scenes or when action takes place.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s not enough to sprinkle some details about the setting in an opening paragraph and then forget about it. Rather, you want to inject discreet notes about the setting throughout the story.<\/p>\n

Weaving details into the narrative in this way ensures the setting remains vivid in the reader\u2019s mind<\/strong> and helps create a consistent sense of place which feels integral to the storytelling.<\/p>\n

3. Focus on sensations<\/h2>\n

A common problem that authors run into when editing<\/a> their texts for setting is that they overcompensate and add lackluster exposition.<\/p>\n

Not only is this inefficient,<\/strong> but, to the reader, the room still feels pretty bare: it may make sense logically, but there\u2019s no emotional or sensory resonance.<\/p>\n

One way to give readers the sense that they\u2019re in the room with the characters is to implicitly<\/i> describe details and focus on sensations.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t just write \u201cshe sat down at the caf\u00e9,\u201d<\/strong> and think the readers will know what the caf\u00e9 is like.<\/p>\n

Instead, describe the smell of burnt coffee, the sticky residue on the table, and the wobbly chair.<\/p>\n

Without spelling it out,<\/strong> readers know that it\u2019s not the best caf\u00e9 in the world, and they can imagine the rest.<\/p>\n

4. Give the space a larger context<\/h2>\n

Another great exercise to make your space come alive is to give it purpose beyond the bounds of a scene so that readers believe in its continued existence even after they close the book.<\/p>\n

You can think of it as a character in its own right<\/strong>, with its own separate journey: the waitress serving coffee after your character leaves, and customers coming and going.<\/p>\n

You can also use space as a metaphor.<\/p>\n

For instance, a darkening sky can indicate the arrival of evil or internal turmoil; you can use setting as an obstacle in the form of an insurmountable mountain; or you can use setting as an opportunity in the form of a crack in the pavement, instigating a stumbling meet-cute.<\/p>\n

Lastly, consider what the implicit rules of the space are:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n