Writers are advised to
“write about what you know.” I was born on the west side of Cincinnati where
I’ve lived for most of my life. I love my city, especially the west side, which
is why I decided years ago to make it the setting for my Malone mysteries. The
first three books take place in upper Westwood and Cheviot, not far from where
I grew up. As I wrote, I could picture the places so vividly in my mind and I
wanted my readers to be able to do that too.
In the last two books,
I chose to change the setting to South Carolina. I had vacationed there
numerous times and fell in love with Charleston, Beaufort, Mt. Pleasant and
Fripp Island. Those were other places I felt comfortable writing about because
I was familiar with them. Not to mention all the printed material I’d gathered
on my trips and all the photos I’d taken, never dreaming those places would later
be used in my books.
There are many positives
to writing about “real” places. For me, one of them has been the wonderful
response I’ve gotten from local readers who have told me they love reading
about places close to where they live. But there are also negatives to setting
a book in a real place. When I wrote my Malone mysteries, I wanted to be
geographically and historically accurate but I occasionally needed to exercise
poetic license for the sake of the story. I had to explain that to a few
readers who were as familiar with the area as I was.
When I finished my
five-book series, I honestly didn’t know what I would write next. Nor did I
know where the story would take place. I’ve traveled to many fantastic places
and I briefly considered using one of those. And then it hit me! Why not create
a town? A place where the geography and the history could be whatever I wanted
them to be?
As it happened, one
Sunday, my mother, my friend, Mary, and I took a day trip to visit The Story Inn, a restaurant/historic site in a remote part of Indiana. The name
of my fictional town jumped out at me and, little by little, the plot and the
characters came to life. I hope, as you read the book, they’ll come to life for
you too.
I've used 'real' settings in some of my writing. But, as you know, both of my series are set in places I invented. I believe both processes have their advantages. And, in the Sticks series, my characters do occasionally visit nearby Harrisburg, Pennsylvania's capital.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, John. I've read several of your books and I think you've done a great job of making your "fictional" settings seem "real."
DeleteMy books take place in real places, with one exception, and that was a story that took place in a fictional ghost town. You're right about creating a town and it's history. Fun stuff. Loved your book!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Marja! It was so much fun to write!
DeleteI like to use fictional towns in my novels, that way I can put whatever I like where ever I like. Some of the places in real towns or cities change from year to year. Where there was a restaurant last year, there is now a beauty salon. I've especially noticed the stores in strip malls change all the time. WHat was once my local Fedex store is now an insurance agency, LOL! You did a great job creating "Storyville." It seems like a nice little town in which to live.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Evelyn.
DeleteI hadn't thought of it that way but what you wrote is true. Another reason to use fictional settings. :)