Using fictional places within real places in Fiction?

ChewyLewey

Hi all

Just wondering has anyone invented a town or city within a real country/city/region, and what the benefits/downsides are?

Basically my story is a crime story (organised crime, drug dealing etc...) set in Dublin, but I'm not sure where in Dublin it should be set, so I'm considering using my own fake suburb/town within Dublin.

The reasons for this being that I'm not sure I could accurately and convincingly describe the real places themselves, and it may seem lame and unconvincing to those who know these areas. Basically I think it would give me more scope and be easier for me to use my own fictional town/area, but do you think this could detract from the realism? Like someone from Dublin reading it thinking 'where the hell is that?'

Thanks for any responses

pickarooney

Works OK for Weatherfield.

P. Breathnach

pickarooney wrote: »

Works OK for Weatherfield.

And Barrystown.

Perhaps Roddy Doyle might be happy if you set your story there. It could, over time, become a generic location for works of fiction set in Dublin.

PurpleBee

Or you could follow the lead of Hardy's Wessex and create a whole new county!