tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post527003081622526550..comments2024-03-28T12:01:31.049-04:00Comments on Writers Who Kill: Location, location: choosing setting for books by Anna CastleJim Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-11983118116743123332015-05-24T17:25:47.593-04:002015-05-24T17:25:47.593-04:00Good blog, with lots of thought where it concerns ...Good blog, with lots of thought where it concerns the setting of your book. I don't write cozies, but I do incorporate places I know. My latest takes place in Cherry Grove, north of Myrtle Beach, and in Boston, my home town. What I really want to do is write a book set in Italy so I can do research. Now that's an idea.Polly Iyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05729656119287702191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-44601918191626755352015-05-24T08:10:19.597-04:002015-05-24T08:10:19.597-04:00Thanks, Anna, for your post and sage advice. I thi...Thanks, Anna, for your post and sage advice. I think coming up with your own place makes life a bit easier. You don't have to worry that readers who live in that town will be asking, "Where is that restaurant. We don't have a restaurant in town called that?" When you create your own location, no one can question anything you put in it.Grace Toppinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10291304815273486038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-82428699128570770332015-05-23T20:20:29.919-04:002015-05-23T20:20:29.919-04:00Anna, I had so much fun reading your post and look...Anna, I had so much fun reading your post and looking at those great links you shared. Thanks for stopping by the blog - I'll be looking for your books.Shari Randallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16425493627354028820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-43131419244892693382015-05-23T12:00:27.600-04:002015-05-23T12:00:27.600-04:00Welcome, Anna. An excellent blog. I created my fic...<br />Welcome, Anna. An excellent blog. I created my fictional small town in the area I live in, and it's sort of a composite of many of the small towns in N.E. Ohio. I refer to some of the larger towns not to far away without including specific details. I've actually drawn a map of my town so I can write down where the different businesses and homes are to refer to.Gloria Aldenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13581719606924364447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-35299583690824186232015-05-23T11:39:27.211-04:002015-05-23T11:39:27.211-04:00Thanks, Donnell Ann!
And KM, I have the same probl...Thanks, Donnell Ann!<br />And KM, I have the same problem. I never manage to look at the everything I need to look at. Frustrating, because I can't just hop across the Atlantic whenever I please. I can drive out to the Hill Country, though.<br />And I did kind of the same thing with Lost Hat too. It had to be fictional, because I'm going to slander many fine citizens. But I'm not good at making up maps and other such right-brained things. So Lost Hat is basically San Saba (home of Tommy Lee Jones) with the river in a different place.<br />Gettysburg would a fabulous setting for a story. What luck to live nearby!Anna Castlehttp://www.annacastle.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-28357224021412294052015-05-23T10:41:38.298-04:002015-05-23T10:41:38.298-04:00What a great blog! It points out a number of seemi...What a great blog! It points out a number of seemingly obvious things about locations for stories that I hadn't thought about.<br /><br />In my series, I invented a small city, since I wanted to include aspects of two places in Maryland--Hagerstown and Taneytown--and have it on a river. So I put in touches of Fairmont, WV, although sometimes I realize I'm describing something in Wilkes Barre, PA. I named it Rothsburg, because so many of the places in the area where I set it are "burgs" named after a founder.<br /><br />I figure no one will point out to me that the alley doesn't really run next to the funeral home; it's a driveway with no egress. Or that the hospital is actually on the opposite corner.<br /><br />Not long ago, I wrote a short story set in Gettysburg, very near where I live. Since I wanted the setting to be accurate, I went to the specific site and took notes. But I had to go back at dusk to see how dark it was when the lights came on. And back again to make sure the escape path I used actually ran through where I thought it did. And once again to see if the surface of a vacant lot would permit someone to drive on it without puncturing a tire. And yet again to check to see if a wall was too high to scale easily.<br /><br />I got the story done, but I think I may stick to imagined or semi-imagined sites in the future.KM Rockwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03973749764907859829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-60688741954019790402015-05-23T10:29:30.279-04:002015-05-23T10:29:30.279-04:00Anna, where have you been all my life? What sage ...Anna, where have you been all my life? What sage advice. Thank you for these wonderful tips. I love writing about the places I've lived because I truly have lived in some beautiful/amazing places, but to place a book somewhere I haven't lived is daunting. Thanks for this blog. You're such a wise woman!Donnell Ann Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07943037206984648849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-82789542667738148372015-05-23T10:11:02.948-04:002015-05-23T10:11:02.948-04:00Jim, I have the same problem, even with my own hom...Jim, I have the same problem, even with my own home town. I'd have to go and check out any Austin location, because things keep changing in this fast-growing city. Although it must be fun to re-discover a place along with your character.<br />And Warren, my advice is more "Write about what you want to learn." What you said, but with a twist :-).Anna Castlehttp://www.annacastle.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-66743808106698992192015-05-23T09:52:25.807-04:002015-05-23T09:52:25.807-04:00Lost Hat is a great name for a town. Learning wha...Lost Hat is a great name for a town. Learning what you want to write about is excellent advice.Warren Bullhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07789270258599769915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-22664336384467323942015-05-23T07:28:23.950-04:002015-05-23T07:28:23.950-04:00Anna -- I can see your point about writing about p...Anna -- I can see your point about writing about places you want to know about. I try to use places I already know, but it doesn’t always turn out well. I started a character with a Boston background. Which was fine because he was there when I lived in that neck of the woods. Now, years later, I have him returning and neither he nor I know what’s changed.<br /><br />Field Trip!<br /><br />~ Jim<br />Jim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.com