Ok so I have a basic idea for scene's, storylines, plots & even characters but then I hit the location problem. I live in the city and to be honest I find city life to be dull and drab nothing about it excites me one bit but that is where I live now and have all my life. So when trying to work out where to base your characters what do you guys do? I could use the city as it is although I cant se that being a good idea although it worked for James Herbert using locations around the south of england. I could use parts of the city re-named and set out how I want it. Or I could use places I have visited and seen to create a totaly fictional location. This subject always knocks me back and some ideas of what other people think or do is a question I have always wanted to ask. So what do you all think ? Many thanks Ian
All of those could work. I guess that's part of the issue. You just really need to figure out what the story needs from the location. Locations can both hinder and help your characters in various ways. If you need to dump a body for instance, a swamp to dump it in would be nice. Random example, I know, but you get the picture. As for me, I seem to always be using New York or Santa Fe. In a fantasy world I created, the city is like a mixture of them both. I know the places, so I feel confident writing about them. And that's pretty much why I choose them.
Thanks for the input I see where you are coming from with places you know. I used to spend some time near the south coast of england every year and its always been a special place to me so maybe I can use elements of where I live mixed with the coastal aspect of the south to create a new place for my story. As to the swamp for the body ..... nothing random about that its the perfect place to dump one Cheers Ian
