Hi guys. So I'm really stuck. No matter what I write (my genres are fantasy/dark gothic/erotica) I am soooooo not a very geographical person. It's no good me doing research on places as just doesn't help. Is it ok to make up a fantasy setting? And would it be best to use a town?/city? Or a village? I know a village is smaller than a city or town, but out of a city and town which would you consider the smallest community? Thanks
Towns are smaller than cities. If it's fantasy, there are no world rules so you can make up any topography you want. There is no best, it's whatever suits your story.
All of your proposals are perfectly fine. The question to answer (and only you can) is which is best for you? I myself am a doodler of maps and other such arcana to help me make my way through my world.
I usually just use some bastardization of my home town - it's easier for me to draw upon. That way when I get stuck I can take a drive or a walk and find inspiration. Plus, by making it a fake town I can also alter things that I don't like and control the amount of detail. Given the realm of fantasy any option goes. You can give it a futuristic or gothic or medieval twist. To get inspired for description, I usually check out artwork or photos on the internet. It really helps.
Thanks guys. I will get started with that. At least now I'm looking at creating a town and not a city
I once had a writing teacher who told me that the more specific you can make setting, the more universal it becomes to your reader... I thought that if I made the setting kind of vague and unformed, then everyone would be able to relate, but he convinced me that it's actually the opposite: all the little details bring it alive for everyone. [link removed]
I think since it fantasy a Village made of Candy, that floats 3 ft above the ground and somersaults every time someone says "Flower pot". -Sorry couldn't help myself- Basically write what ever you want, in fantasy don't know something about a place, invent it. Your world we just along for the ride. Is it ok to make up fanasty places, just ask George R. R. Martin, Tolken or Terry Pratchett. But if you mean a fantasy setting based in real world, yeah sure that's ok to, BUT you have to make it believable and realistic. No one cares (apart from geographers). Oh and Smallest community one guy in hut with his pet Duck Harold.
Consistency. If a road leads up a hill, it always leads up a hill. If the tavern is next to the brothel, then it better be there tomorrow. Other than that, the reader really had no idea and won't care unless you make a big deal of it.
You can name things what you want in fantasy, as long as it fits later. I'd suggest that any place you name you write down on one piece of paper, as a guide for the next time that place, if it is used, comes up again.
