Describing a place is one of the easiest kinds of description to apply to both fiction and nonfiction. Any piece of fiction will have a setting, and many types of nonfiction include descriptions of places. This lesson offers several strategies and exercises for describing setting.

In Fiction Writing:
• for practical reasons - mysteries, farces, and more
• to show characters' personalities
• to create context

In Nonfiction Writing:
• to flatter or criticize (a review)