Jack Charles, author of the sensational thriller, Barley Sugar on Setting The Scene: Think like a film director, write like a novelist.
Believe me, I’m not here to teach you anything. When it comes to writing fiction, I’m not sure anyone is qualified to tell you how you should go about doing something. Plus, I didn’t trust most of my teachers, so, for me, adopting a stance in front of a whiteboard makes me a little suspicious of myself. What I can do though, is jot a few notes on how I approach setting the scene, in the hope that I can better understand it myself. That way, if you happen to find any of it useful, we’ve got ourselves a win-win.
Let’s Set the Scene
Okay, let’s set the scene. I’m sitting in a shrouded armchair in the living room of a flat I don’t live in. It’s almost 7 am, and February, never an early riser, has only just begun to show her face through the window. I draw my eyes, dot to dot, between the two unused picture hooks on the whitewashed wall in front of me. At an angle, standing on the floor beside the TV unit is a large, gothic mirror. I glance left, wondering why it hasn’t been hung, tracing the dawn shadow into the alcove and up to the books on the shelf. They’ve been stacked vertically, their spines forming a title ladder my eye can climb to the top shelf. There, in pride of place, is a framed poem, half-obscured by a DVD boxset and the orange handle of a hand axe. As I start to turn, a crow flies past the window…
In fiction, as in life, nothing happens by accident. Everything has meaning, and what I choose to say next is no exception. If I were to tell you that, beyond the glass, that crow glides across an orchard and perches in a tree at the edge of a village, your mind might go back to wondering why that mirror. But, if I were to describe that crow landing on the balcony railing of a council flat before descending to peck open a bin bag at the bottom of the block, the orange-handled hand axe immediately becomes ominous. You’ll ask yourself: why would someone keep that kind of weapon so close to hand in such a setting?
Or even, if this were a crime thriller, is Jack unknowingly sitting in a murder scene, sipping coffee and staring at recently repainted walls? Either way, your imagination has followed your sightline. A writer, much like a film director, must fill the frame, dress the set, and then manipulate the eye. We can lead or mislead simply through environmental storytelling.
That said, the biggest challenge I faced when writing Barley Sugar – a novel which unfolds over two separate timelines – was how to slipstream between the modern-day and London of the 1950s. After all, asking a reader to time travel every few chapters and switch back and forth between narratives can easily become jarring, or worse, confusing.
Two Timelines
I decided to create a contrast between the two timelines. I condensed the modern section down to a single weekend to allow room for the period parts, events which play out over the course of a decade, to be broken up and easily digested. I also tried to maintain momentum by setting the modern characters in motion, sending them on journeys, and having them unravel the mysteries of the backstory alongside the reader.
I chose to work my way into the Teddy Boy subculture through the inquisitive mind of a modern youth. Having that natural curiosity as a baseline opened the door for me to draw comparisons in fashion, music and the attitude of the time. That helped me to trace throughlines between the generations and paint the setting as relatable. Following an unknowledgeable character also allowed me to ask and answer any questions a reader might have, making the world more accessible.
For example, the iconic DA hairstyle, synonymous with Teddy Boys, is described in conversation. The youngster listening mistakenly conjures up a picture of John Travolta in the movie Grease. I was hedging my bets, banking on the fact that, like most of us, the character would be pulling from the millions of images he would’ve seen on film. Even though Travolta wears a leather jacket instead of an Edwardian drape, his infamous quiffed hair is bound to leave a silhouette in any reader’s mind, making the DA instantly recognisable to anyone who doesn’t know what a duck’s arse is!
Setting the Scene
Lastly, let’s talk about The Shining. For the record, it’s both one of my favourite books and films, but as a writer I, can appreciate why Stephen King famously had issues with Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation. As writers, we’re constantly told to trim and shorten. At times, this is obviously good advice, but when it comes to setting the scene, I believe it’s all about balance. In the novel, the Torrence family and the Overlook Hotel are both given time to breathe. Pages are spent making us privy to their family dynamics and the potential crumbling of their marriage. The hotel, a character in and of itself, is afforded the same treatment; a scrapbook in the basement revealing the violent history of the building. Article by article, we’re led through the hallways and behind closed doors.
In comparison, that history is all but lost in the movie, replaced by a general sense of atmosphere. The family’s previous struggles are given little attention, and Jack Torrence’s alcoholism – the subtext to the entire piece – is boiled down to a bar scene. Even his slow descent into madness is upended by his appearing crazed from the very first shot of him. Whilst both versions have their merits, I’d say, from a writer’s point of view, there are valuable lessons to be learned about pacing.
Anyway, really, I say all of that just to say this: setting the scene, for me at least, means to think like a film director but to write like a novelist.
(c) Jack Charles
Find Jack on socials @AuthorJackCharles
About Barley Sugar by Jack Charles:
Widow Deborah Coles is suffering a crisis of conscience about moving on with her life. When her 15 year old son, Lewis, finds himself in trouble with the police, she has little choice but to turn to her father in law for support.
Over the course of a weekend, career criminal, Francis Coles, proves an unorthodox educator, as he reveals the heartbreaking love story which has allowed their family to endure. Reminiscing on his youth in 1950’s London, Francis’s tale is one of Teddy Boy gang fights, rock n roll romance in the dancehalls and daring heists, as he and his two best friends descend into a vicious world of vendetta, revenge and murder.
Lewis listens and learns about the high price of survival, about how the trio – whilst maturing towards the prospect of fatherhood – would have their morality tested, and be forced to meet ever increasing stakes in order to protect not only their endeavours but also their relationships.
Deborah and Lewis will each inherit the family secrets, revelations which could reshape the way they look at love, loss and life.
Order your copy of Barley Sugar online here.
And see here for some Really Useful links on setting a scene.
