Being There In Person

  There's nothing like being there yourself for a writer to get the flavor of a story's setting. I just returned from a vacation in San Diego County, where my current work in progress is set, and it opened my eyes to new facts and useful details. I've swapped one city for another that fits better for where the MC lives. Look out, keyboard, my fingers want to fly!
  I still might need something later on that I didn't capture by camera, notebook, or memory, and it's unlikely I'll get back there again soon. Even if you've never traveled to the location you're writing about, there are several research tools to help. Find an Internet or magazine photo that is a good representation of what you want to describe and tape it near your monitor. Check out Google Earth for both overhead shots and street views of real locations. Talk with someone who lives there. Then again, you might find places in your writing where the imagination is adequate enough to get it right.
  I read Rachelle Christensen's Wrong Number last year after having been to the ice caves that she describes in that book. When my perception of the place matched her descriptions, my mind's eye candy became even more delicious, more stimulating. That's what we're striving for.
  How do you make a setting or description come alive?

Homework takes a Vacation

  Write what you know. It’s good advice, but sometimes the muse takes you elsewhere. We ride the journey with research replacing experience. Hopefully it’s enough.

  I completed a historical novel set in ancient Mesoamerica. There was no way for me to literally go back in time to grab the details. Research was imperative, but I could also get creative. For example, I invented a fruit that was eaten.

  Directly contrasting this is my current work in progress, set in modern San Diego County. Again, research is imperative. If I don’t get a localism right, someone will call me on it. That’s partly why I picked this setting. I get to visit there this very week! I’m off to sunny California and excited to absorb the sites and sounds, culture and language. A camera and notebook are must haves. Plus, when I’m through writing, I have YA nieces and nephews who can comb through those details. Tip: Have you checked out Google Earth in the street view? Awesomesauce.

  Sometimes we pick a setting for the exotic/rugged/secluded/whatever qualities it has. I picked this area for familiarity. When it doesn’t really matter which city you pick, make life easier. Write what you know.

  Settings let you visualize and get the flavor of an area but they also need to fit your story. Both of these photos were taken in San Diego County. The setting you pick makes a big difference. Where is your story set?