I have always been fascinated that American Martha Grimes writes a very successful British police procedural series.
The series is set around different British pubs, and includes deft descriptions of various British locales.
How does Martha Grimes do it? I think it would be extremely hard to accurately portray an area of the world where you’re only a visitor and not a resident.
The location for my Myrtle Clover series is Bradley, North Carolina. No one will write me to say that Bradley absolutely doesn’t have a tree-lined Main Street because the power company had the trees cut down. They won’t remind me that there are no one-story houses bordering the lake there. No one will catch me misrepresenting the menu in the favorite diner there.
Because Bradley, NC is completely made up.
I’m going out on a limb with my new series, though. It’s set in Memphis, Tennessee (and I’m a North Carolina resident.) I’m going to spend some time in Memphis in July to make sure all my setting descriptions are accurate. But I’m a little nervous. There’s nothing like messing up the facts to bring a reader out of a book that they were previously enjoying. Although I don’t spend a ton of time writing setting, it’s an important component to my books…and I want to get it right.
Does anyone else write books set in areas where you don’t reside? How do you do your research—online, in person, or a combination of the two?
I’m doing lots of research for my travel memoir because I want to setting into context, explaining the history behind the mud mosque I’m visiting or why Timbuktu is considered mystical.
It’s becoming familiar with setting in a different way, but I can still relate.
I looked through the internet. Luckily I don’t have to describe the setting much further than an apartment or small setting like that due to the nature of my book. But even for the apartment I did some major research to find out what kind of living spaces they had in that city and such. Probably more than I needed to do. LOL
My first book is set in Korea. I lived there for nearly two years, so, that was easy, and an advantage. Still, a couple of the scenes are set in places I pulled completely out of my head. But, Korea is so unknown to most readers that I coulda said about anything.
My second novel is set in the Pacific Northwest where I used to live. Again, advantage Kindley. I was able to actually visit some of the places I wrote about. for others, I was able to fake it because a generic Northwest description fits lots of Northwest places.
A couple of thoughts on your question. –The internet, of course. –When I visit I take my camera and lots of photos. I find this more speedy and useful than notes. –I’ve tried a voice recorder, but, somehow that’s kinda awkward for me. –In the end, though you don’t have to visit a place to write about it…but, with a capital B, it’s way, way more easy if you do visit.
Best Regards, Galen.
GalenKindley.com
A lot of my research is on the internet. I have a mystery that I am working on that takes place in a small town in Pennsylvania (I lived in the area for 20 years so I am well familiar with the climate, terrain, landmarks, etc). My current fantasy WIP spends part of its time in two small fictitious towns in southern California (I lived in southern California for a couple of years so I am familiar with it) and of course, there is worldbuilding for the fantasy world. I also have a number of scenes for the interactive history lessons where I did research on the internet.
Cool topic for a post!
Nancy, from Just a Thought…
My first mystery novel, Mood Swing: The Bipolar Murders, was set in New York City’s East Village. I’d lived in NYC for 18 years and know the city well, but even so, I was concerned my knowledge wasn’t up to date enough – the East Village I protrayed was much funkier than the gentrified neighborhood it is now, and I said as much in my afterword. But I took care to get the directions of one-way streets right – as you say, errors in regard to that kind of detail can really alienate the reader.
Eldercide is set in a lakeside community much like my own in Rensselaer County, NY, but like you, I created a fictitious name – it’s Kooperskill, a name not usd in New York State, though there’s one in New Jersey (I believe it begins withi a “C” though. I didn’t want my neighbors trying to pinpoint the exact locales of such heinous crimes.
For me, it would be hard to write about a place I’m not intimately acquainted with, although I suppose I could if the price were right.
Julie Lomoe
Julie Lomoe’s Musings Mysterioso
http://julielomoe.wordpress.com