settingthere

Settingthere is a term used in narrative design to describe the deliberate construction and revelation of a story's setting within scenes, treating the environment as an active element that shapes mood, action, and perception rather than a mere backdrop. The concept emphasizes how the place of events is felt and experienced in the moment, rather than simply described after the fact.

Origin and usage of the term are informal. It appears in online writing discussions, craft blogs, and game design forums, where writers contrast settingthere with more static notions of worldbuilding. There is no formal academic consensus, and definitions vary among authors, editors, and designers.

Core principles include spatial anchoring, sensory detail, and deictic reference. Settingthere aims to convey location and atmosphere through what characters do, say, and notice, using the “there” as a momentary focal frame that orients readers to space and mood. The technique treats setting as something that shifts with action and perception, not just a fixed background.

Techniques commonly associated with settingthere involve introducing concrete environmental cues at the start of scenes, showing changes in space through movement, and threading setting-related details across scenes to maintain reader orientation and world coherence. Consistency of world rules and tension between character goals and environmental constraints are often emphasized.

Applications span fiction, screenplay writing, and interactive media such as games and interactive fiction. Critics note that, because it is informal, settingthere can be subjective and overused, but proponents argue it supports clear orientation, immersive mood, and stronger narrative momentum.

See also: worldbuilding, setting (narrative), deictic reference, show, don’t tell.