My story is based in present day New Orleans. I'm wondering if I should use real street names, or if I should make some up? I obviously don't mind making any up, it just never occured to me to use anything other than the real names. (Sorry if this is in the wrong place.)
I'd say you should probably use real street names if they're in the city proper. You might have some leniency if they're sort of on the outskirts, but everyone will know the major places like Bourbon or Chartres and they will be expecting to hear them. I found a really funny name generator that will give you good names for suburban streets, but this is New Orleans, so I don't know if it's applicable. But if you ever pick a more yuppie area, this is a great site: http://www.jimwegryn.com/Names/StreetNameGenerator.htm It told me, for instance, that I should name the annoyingly snooty street my character lived on "High River Glade."
the commonly followed rule of thumb is to use real names for anything but where characters live, or a business you've made up... if you have to use a real street for a residence, for some reason, then give it a street number that doesn't exist... like, if the real street goes from the 100s to the 1400's, use a higher or lower number... be careful not to name intersections that don't exist, such as saying characters met at the corner of bourbon street and a street that in reality runs parallel to it...
In my personal opinion, f it were something like a fanfic, I wouldn't worry about it, but for an original story, I'd be worried to use any real places, as to any complications that may arise with it. It may help to do some research on it, to see if there are any laws or views on it. In any case I'd say use the most popular and well known places, streets, parks, shops etc alike, place that, if you were a read, would expect to find there as is already been said.
Google Maps will give you plenty of street names for any part of the modern world, aqs well an overall feel for the naming pattern in the chosen area.
