A Practical Guide to Making Your Settings Work for Your Story

Some writers treat setting as an afterthought—a simple backdrop for the plot to unfold. But the best stories don’t just happen somewhere; they emerge from places that feel alive, rich with history, symbolism, and emotion.

The Anatomy of Settings is a step-by-step guide for writers looking to craft immersive worlds that shape character arcs, deepen conflict, and reinforce theme. Whether you’re writing fantasy, science fiction, historical fiction, or contemporary stories, this book will help you transform your settings from static landscapes into dynamic forces that drive your narrative forward.

Drawing from mythology, psychology, and storytelling traditions, author Matt Wright presents a 10-step framework that takes you from the foundation of setting to its impact on your story’s climax and resolution. You’ll learn how to:

• Establish a setting’s identity and theme to connect it to your story’s deeper meaning
• Build history, culture, and myth that make the world feel real
• Use setting to challenge characters, create conflict, and drive plot
• Integrate setting into key story beats, from the inciting incident to the climax
• Avoid common world-building pitfalls that make settings feel flat or disconnected
• Apply setting techniques across genres—fantasy, sci-fi, mystery, thriller, and more

More than just a world-building manual, The Anatomy of Settings shows how setting can be a storytelling tool as powerful as plot and character. Whether you're crafting an epic fantasy realm, a dystopian future, or a small-town drama, this book will give you the tools to make your setting unforgettable.

Perfect for writers at any stage of their journey—beginners building their first world or experienced authors refining their craft.