The Swiss Army Knife of Storytellers Is the Setting

Writing the Urban and Rural Setting Thesaurus books taught Becca and me something big: the Setting is the Swiss Army Knife of Storytelling.

Yes, it’s the truth. Because your setting touches everything in the story, there’s very little it can’t do. Let’s look at some of its superpowers.

Things the setting can do:

•  Create conflict or tension
•  Foreshadow a coming event
•  Encourage an emotion-driven action or choice
•  Remind a character of the past (good or bad)
•  Poke at an old wound
•  Challenge the hero to face his fears
•  Recreate a wounding event so the hero can navigate it successfully & let go of past pain
•  Show or reinforce the story stakes
•  Characterize one or more characters
•  Display symbolism or motifs that reinforce a deeper message or meaning
•  Reinforce a specific mood
•  Help steer the plot
•  Test through obstacles and setbacks
•  Give the setting an emotional value & deploy emotional triggers
•  Deliver important backstory

(Click here to download this as a Setting Checklist)

Setting isn’t just where things happen—it’s a tool you can use to do a lot of heavy lifting. It can stir up conflict, hint that something big is coming, or push a character toward a choice they’re not ready to make. A place can trigger memories, poke at old wounds, or force your hero to face something they’ve been avoiding. It can even echo past pain, so they finally get a shot at doing things differently.

The setting is versatile. It allows us to show, not tell in so many important ways.

The right setting builds mood, reveals stakes, deepens character, and helps steer the story forward—all while layering in meaning that sticks with the reader. Learning how to use it fully is one of the best things we can do to elevate our writing. To see an example of setting in action, check out How the Setting Can Steer Your Plot. 

That’s the real power of setting—it doesn’t just support the story; it strengthens everything around it.

When you treat the environment as an active story element instead of just a backdrop, your scenes gain depth and meaning. It’s one of the most versatile tools in your writer toolbox—and when you use it with purpose, everything else in your story gets sharper!

Both the Urban and Rural Setting Thesaurus guides delve into the benefits of the setting and show you how to unlock the power of each story location. You’ll also find lists of sensory descriptions for over 225 fictional and real-world settings for whenever you need a brainstorming nudge.

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