Unfamiliar locations

nervous_twitch

I'm writing something a bit lengthy and I want to set elements of the stories in places I've never been. Do you think its feasible to set narratives in particular countries/cities you have never visited? Would it be sufficient just to research these locations thoroughly? I know in fantasy its easy enough to create worlds, but would you ever write about an existing location that you don't know too much about? Thanks.

pickarooney

I've done it a couple of times but only for short passages and not in great detail. You can get away with a lot with some simple research on Google Earth/Maps/Street View as regards the general geography of a place, but it's hard to get any real sense of the area without having visited it. There's always the fear that locals or people who know the place will see through your sham

dawvee

There are successful published authors who can't be bothered to get such things right. I remember reading something by Paul Coelho set partly in Dublin, and he was certainly no James Joyce. The fact is that for most books, the majority of readers won't have lived wherever it's set and won't know the difference. The big exception I can think of is New York, and maybe a few other large cities where people all but know them from countless other depictions in books, film and tv.

The lesson I take from all that is that strict attention to real-world detail isn't necessary, unless that's what you're actually going for. As long as the locations you've created are consistent and believable, and most of all work within your story, that's the main thing.

pickarooney

I think one of the worst examples (and one of the worst books I've ever read) was The Celestine Prophecy which had characters driving cars to Machu Picchu and Iquitos if I rememebr correctly.

nervous_twitch

I think the passage could be more than fleeting. I'll try my hand at extensive research, a fleck of creative liberties, and see where it takes me cheers guys!

EileenG

Use the internet. YouTube is brilliant for seeing unfamiliar locations without having to buy an airline ticket. Let's say you want to see it in Paris. Search Paris on Youtube, and you'll not only find the tourist office type videos, you'll find lots from drunken idiots driving around at midnight taping everything they see, which often provides exactly what you need for when your character comes out of a night club at 2am.

Also, search your e-mail list as well as Facebook friends. See if any of them are from Paris (or wherever) or have been, or have friends there. Then get them to read your scene and point out anything that's out of kilter.

iguana

Another idea is to find a forum about the area you want to write about and ask the users some question. So if you want to set it in Sligo, for example, go on the Sligo forum here and ask a few questions, get some local colour. You'll find similar forums for most areas of the world, it'll be tougher if it's an area in a country where you don't speak the language. Then a good idea is to ask about the area on travel forums so English speakers who have visited can give you advice.

Ahbegob

two words
'Street View'

nervous_twitch

Ahbegob wrote: »

two words
'Street View'

haha, not where I'm writing about.. population circa 17

Antilles

Heh, Street View covers places with populations less than 17