I need your help!

7 posts / 0 new

Thu, 2013-02-14 00:59

I need your help!

I'm at a crossroads, and some help from my fellow writers.

Right now, the books I'm writing are all based on real places such as Camden, Maine, Alcatraz prison, and Ancient Rome.

However, I'm wondering if I shouldn't use a different world that I've been thinking about it. As you can imagine, I've never been to Camden, Alcatraz, or Rome (especially not ANCIENT Rome).

I'm wondering if I should give up using these real places in favor of the cities and worlds that I have in my head, though I feel that my future readers would better be able to connect to the REAL world, regardless of my wants.

Using my own environments would also save me the trouble of going through hours of unnecessary research on places that I've never been.

Can anyone give me some insight on what would be the best idea? I would greatly appreciate it.

Thu, 2013-02-14 07:53

jolono

Hi Craig. My advice would be to write about what you know. I always find the story comes across much better. So, if you feel that you know these places that are in your head, then give it a try. The great thing about this site is that you can try things out. Some might works, others won't.

Thu, 2013-02-14 09:41

alex_tomlin

If it's Camden in London you mean, that is most likely stranger than any world you have in your head. Writers inventing entirely new worlds can work brilliantly but it requires so much more description than a world that alredy exists. It has to be watertight as any bit that doesn't ring true undermines the whole thing. I'd say try it. If the world is in your head you just need to get it across in detail so the reader can have it in their head too.

Thu, 2013-02-14 10:07

denni1

Just write! Then write some more .. Dx

Thu, 2013-02-14 10:38

Hades502

Write what you know is often best, more convincing and such. Still...fuck it, study history, then visit contemporary Rome, visualize ancient Rome. Do what you can. Mostly it is just practice. I am going to attempt to write about ancienct China, but contemporary China is still very much confusing to me. Many things for my Western mind to absorb and understand. Practice, practice, practice. Great forum here for you to practice writing. Still, it is best for you to request very tough criticism here when you do practice, as everyone here is too damn nice. GGHades502

GGHades502

Thu, 2013-02-14 11:21

tcook

Take a look at the work of Jim Crace. He sets many of his books in places that you vaguely recognise but which are entirely fictional. His cities are like actual places but aren't - it's a very clever way around this problem. My recommendation would be 'Six' if you only buy one of his books.

Sat, 2013-02-16 06:17

Big Stinky Man.

Thanks to everyone who took time out of their days to answer my silly question, though I think I may have found a way around this. I'm going to use environments that I know, but set them in a world different from the one that we live in. Kind of make it my own environment, but at the same time, make it a place that the reader may feel like they can connect to. Ideas? -Craig