Why setting is important

1. It helps set the mood. A proper setting helps to prepare the reader for what emotions will occur within the scene.
2. It hints at what could happen. You wouldn't expect to see a snowstorm in the desert. Your setting will play a role in what can and cannot happen during the story.
3. It can become a central character in your story. If your setting is intriguing enough, it can become just as important a character as your main character.
4. It can become a challenge for your characters to overcome. A difficult setting can make for interesting situations for the characters to face.
5. It can decide what story you have to tell. Sometimes by deciding what your setting will be, ideas for potential stories will fill your mind.
6. It shapes the rest of the story. Is your story set in a cramped spaceship lost in space? Or is it in a bustling city full of thousands of people? Whatever story you want to tell, there is a setting which will fit it just right.
7. It can cause conflict between your characters. Placing your characters in a situation that threatens their ability to work together can be very entertaining.
8. It helps decide what cultural and technological things will be in your story. If your story is set in the old west, then you probably won't find a computer. Always remember what would be acceptable for your chosen setting, and if you're going to have something unusual for that setting, have an explanation for it.
9. Settings shape your characters. If your main character has lived his entire life in a desert, then he would probably be overwhelmed at seeing the ocean for the first time. Remember where your character comes from, and how that place is different from where he will find himself during the story.
10. A stable setting can provide an anchor. When the plot escalates and the characters and readers are feeling the pressure, a solid setting can give them something comforting to latch onto.