So, basically both my MCs are going on a road trip from New Jersey to New Brunswick, CA. I know it sounds crazy but that's what's happening and I need ideas as I've never taken this trip myself. What are some places to stop that would be along that path? The trip is going to be over the course of a few days. My MCs are a boy (18) and a girl (17). They barely know each other in the beginning but are very friendly by the end. I don't want this trip to take too long, either because this is the mere beginning of my story. Thank you in advance to anyone who contributes.
I'm afraid that my response won't be very responsive to your actual question, because I'm concerned about the combination of these two factors: Your characters getting to know each other during events that I think you're saying don't have substantial plot significance. (I base that on the second sentence above.) Long chunks of narrative with no plot significance are worrying. If the entire purpose of this part of the book were to get them from Point A to Point B, I'd say just get them there with a one-liner: After five days of fried clams, Big Boy burgers, and endless stretches of road, they finally rolled into New Brunswick... But if they get to know each other during this time, then that won't work--the reader needs to see that. So I would suggest either getting them there without the getting-to-know-you (edited to clarify: For example, they could travel separately for some reason), or adding some plot events to the road trip so that it earns its keep and its length in terms of both plot progression and character development.
Thanks for your suggestions. I am planning on adding significant events and decided to stretch out the trip, because you're right about it having to progress.
Google maps satellite view or Google Earth, you can see the route first hand, zoom in to street level, literally.
I like this. One of the things I try to do when presenting a scene is to always make it do double-duty. Even triple duty. If you can make your scenes advance the plot (have significant things happen during the scene), develop character AND setting, all at the same time ...hey, you're laughing. I'd work hard on putting all three of these factors to work, if you can.
What is the reason of this traveling ? I mean, why two unfamiliar boy and girl have to go in a road trip ? Are they traveling alone or are along with some other passengers ( for example journeying by a tour )? However, why the two unfamiliar person have to go to a twosome road trip?
I've driven from nj to nb, so email me if you want any details about the route, what to see along the way, etc.... but I don't see why it should take 'a few' days... it's only about 750 miles on I-95, less than a 13 hour drive, non-stop... so shouldn't take more than a couple of days, if they wanted to take their time... I'd need to know more about them and why they're going there together, before I could suggest places to stop along the way... for instance, being teens, I doubt they'd want to stop off at historical sites... love and hugs, maia maia3maia@hotmail.com
