Comments on: Making Your Story Believable with a Real Setting

By: Making Your Story Believable with a Real Setting | patricailiff

Making Your Story Believable with a Real Setting | patricailiff — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 04:08:28 +0000

[…] View the Original article […]

By: ellaquinnauthor

ellaquinnauthor — Tue, 07 May 2013 16:20:35 +0000

By: Why We (and Our Characters) Fall in Love: Part Three | Writers In The Storm Blog

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 11:01:37 +0000

[...] have a lucky reader who took the time to comment on Kat Martin’s Real Setting blog. Writers in the Storm is pleased to announce that random.org picked comment #3 as the winner of [...]

By: Julie Glover

Julie Glover — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 01:56:55 +0000

Living just south of Houston (Friendswood--ever heard of it?), I agree that our city is small-town people in a big-town metropolis. I'm impressed that you learned you way around here so quickly...and now I'm eager to read your book! I do find myself writing novels based on where I've lived or visited. Thanks for the tips!

By: Sharla Rae

Sharla Rae — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 23:15:25 +0000

I write historicals so I get away with a bit more but I research intensely. In Silver Caress I couldn't go to Silverton Colorado until "after" the book was written. I actually visited the saloon in the story and was amazed at how accurate my descriptions were. That said, today's modern world is constantly changing and visiting the story site really does help. I never thought of using Google Earth so thanks for that tip! Very helpful.

By: Carol Bodensteiner

Carol Bodensteiner — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 21:38:35 +0000

In reply to Joel D Canfield. Thanks, Joel. I appreciate your perspective. Like Edith, who just commented, knowing the landscape grounds me (in many ways).

By: Edith

Edith — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 20:14:55 +0000

As a beginner I find it easier to base my fictional town on one I know so well - my own! It certainly helped me feel confidence writing about the landscape, and allowed me to concentrate on my characters instead. They were challenging enough! 🙂 Great article, thank you!

By: Joel D Canfield

Joel D Canfield — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 19:21:53 +0000

In reply to Carol Bodensteiner. That reminds me of the fictional town Kinsey Millhone lives in, as written by Sue Grafton. Well, it's really Santa Barbara, but because it's all fictional, she can move a street, make up businesses that don't exist, put a park where there's a parking lot, stuff like that. I'm not sure if "careful" is the right word. I think you're being intelligently creative.

By: Carol Bodensteiner

Carol Bodensteiner — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:35:41 +0000

I'm writing a novel set in WWI era Iowa. As I've written, I've had the county seat town I grew up near in my mind. But I've changed the name of the town, street names, business names, etc., because the town is only about 5,000 people and people in the area today would think I'm basing the story on real people. And it really is fiction. Am I being too careful?

By: marsharwest

marsharwest — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 15:43:35 +0000

I cut my romantic suspense teeth reading Phyllis Whitney, Mary Stuart, and Victoria Holt. A big part of their books was the setting. I love being able to learn about new places when I'm reading. My first book, coming out this summer, VERMONT ESCAPE, is set in Woodstock, VT. Visited a couple of times and fell in love!
I thought the comment above about not writing tragedies set in real places interesting. I'll have to think on that one.