Is the NYC setting overdone?

I totally agree. (Go, Royals!)

 

Haha yes!! I felt the same way, but opposite when i moved down south to Charleston, having lived my whole life in NY, and being half euro and half moroccan. I am white - like natalie portman kind of. Nothing exotic. In NY, I'm used to a mixture of ethnicities and being apart of a 90% brunette population lol. When I moved here... I got oggled at a lot, you'd think I was penelope cruz or something. I get asked where I'm from all the time and have been told "they don't make girls like you around here" by a blonde guy with some flirty southern drawl hahaha!! I actually am very flattered by all the attention and it's always from guys wearng camoflage or looking like a cowboy or a farmer. Am I in the twilight zone or a Nora roberts novel?! Yet, in a college cafeteria, one day an asian girl walked by... She had a trail of love sick puppies carrying her books and basically doing all her bidding (much like nyself lol) and my guy friends all stoped to drool over her and I asked them who she was, one told me "that's the asian girl from my high school". My response was "THE asian girl? As in- the one and only??" ... I WAS IN THE TWILIGHT ZONE!!!

When I brought my southern bf to NY, he was particularly bewildered by China Town too. I think China Town is unique to us all, it was my favorite place to go as a kid for all the colors and chachki shops. I don't think I could ever get tired of going to China Town!

 

I agree- NYC is ever changing, so there is always more to explore in the city. I personally don't get sick of nyc narratives. Possibly for reasons of nostalgia (since I moved from ny to the south when my family did and am super homesick), but it's also full of more surprises and a variety of cultures and sub-cultures and issues.

Hahaha yes! I am feeling this point.

 

Right there, you have an advantage over a lot of stories that take place in NYC. Many, and I'd reckon to guess most, stories that take place in NYC are not written by NYC natives or even people that live there. So if you are from there, you instantly have an advantage over a big portion of stories.

NYC overdone? Ehh, maybe. But overdone by people who actually know what they're talking about? Nah, I don't think so.

You'd be surprised. Current demographic trends, according to general consensus, indicates that by the year 2050, whites will actually become a minority in America. You say "only 40 years" but I think you underestimate how quick things can change. 40 years is quite a lot of time.

I know this probably didn't help you decide on a setting - if anything I probably just made it harder for you - but it's some points to think about. Ultimately, it's your decision.

If you want my opinion? I'd go with Charleston. So many people ride bikes and walk in NYC anyway that the effects of the travel ban probably wouldn't hit NYC as hard as it would other cities. I think the effects would be more noticeable in Charleston.

 

I think NYC is over done so much. Everyone uses it but it is a cool city and I can see the attraction. I love setting stories in America but also in England but I'm tryng to be different with my own stories. However saying that it's up to the writer, if they feel like it's NYC story then go with it. Some stories are meant to be set there like I can't see Fifty Shades of Grey being anywhere but Seattle (other overdone city).

Go with what your head is saying is right.

 

I've never been to Nigeria, I'm estranged from my family and don't know the first thing about starting a company. I couldn't write that story.

 

Lol. Thanks for sharing that, I enjoyed it.

It's funny to be stared at as the only Asian about. I remember once when I bumped into a man in New Hampshire who exclaimed, "There are orientals in Australia?!" That had me giggling.

This whole thread brings back my memory of the 5 months in the United States for work when I was much younger.

In NYC, I loved sitting on the train and seeing the graffiti. And even though the Statue of Liberty was much smaller than I expected (I'm sorry! I expected bigger!), she was perfectly formed and absolutely gorgeous to me. The first glimpse I got of her had me jumping up and down in excitement. I had the same experience I got when I saw a famous artwork in real life when I was in Europe. I also wish I could fully remember and write down in words the experience of sitting on a boat cruising away and looking back at the city. So NYC can never be overdone because it is so vibrant and filled with life, which can never be boring.

And while I hope you do go through the NYC idea and write your own version of the city, the other responses do trigger memories of how MANY parts of the US are fascinating. I may sound a little dumb in saying so, but it was exactly like being in the movies. It's bringing back memories that I won't go into. I do remember that each time I went for a drive out of the state I was based in, there was always new and interesting encounters. So on some level, I have to think that you shouldn't limit yourself, there's so many places I'd have loved to visit during my time there. The southern states I missed, so I intend to head that way at some point.

 

Why would a man in New Hampshire be talking about Australia? And if he was, doesn't he realize we're right next to Asia? We have loads of Asian immigrants, it comes from having a densely populated region on your doorstep.

 

@Oscar Leigh you realize I'm in the same time zone as you right? Like in the state below I think. I've lived in Oz since I was two. I realized that two of my favourite online personalities (that would include you) live in the same time zones. We're all stacked on top of each other.

The sense I got from the Americans I spoke to that visiting Australia was a bit of far off exotic place. So it's no surprise these individuals are unaware that Australia is very multicultural (at least in the main cities). In some ways, it was actually adorable. I don't see it as a fault, only that it's not as easy for some to be able to travel the world or be interested since we're all pretty busy with our own lives. He was also much older.

 

Oh. Okay. I was checking that with my comment there. Cool. (Now I know I can bother you at times when the Americans are asleep! )

 

@Oscar Leigh

Hate to tell you Oscar, I am always online atm. I sleep on average 2-3 hours a night for the past month - I've sold my soul to work. You can certainly bother me, but know you will probably be bothering a zombie and should not have too high an expectation that I will make any sense.

 

I don't think NYC is overdone at all. Sure, there are tons of books set there, and there will be tons more. FYI -- You probably are aware of this since you grew up in NYC, but Fire Island has no vehicles except for emergency vehicles. I believe there is one on the island. LOL. If possible, I recommend a trip out there. It will be totally fun, and you'll get a real sense of what life without cars feels like.