I think my favorite common misconception about setting is that it’s just where your story takes place. Sure, that’s part of what a setting is for your story, but it’s far from the only thing. For your readers, setting is directly linked to the overall mood.
One of my all-time favorite films as a kid was , and every time I discuss setting and mood, I’m back to sitting on my parent’s living room floor watching Atreyu’s horse, Artax, succumb to despair in the Swamp of Sadness. Yes, this was an important moment in Atreyu’s journey, as well as a symbol of sorrow and misery, but when I think about the Swamp, that’s not what I remember about it—I remember the scraggly trees,
