Probably not if you're writing fantasy of sorts, but what about all you other people? Are you writing in Hebrew in the first place? Are you planning on Israel as your setting? I kind of feel as though setting my story, any story, in Israel makes it completely different.
Anyone with me?
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53,629 / 50,000
Okt 14, 2007 - 11 45
Mais oui! Naturellement!
Having the opportunity to portray my surroundings in writing is one of the pleasures of writing, beyond the characters and plot twists.
I once wrote in Hebrew, many years ago, but in my "old age" my brain cells seem to prefer the language of my youth, so it is in English that I now scribble.
50,365 / 50,000
Okt 14, 2007 - 12 30
I'm actually going to write about future, dystopic Israel, so it'd make sense to write it in Hebrew as well. Or rather, since it's meant to be a statement on present-day Israel, it needs to be in Hebrew and set in Israel.
It, of course, makes all the difference to set it here. It's harder, because you don't have the distances or the diversity of locations and people. And you know the turf, so it's harder to fake it with yourself. So it needs to be better planned out. My first NaNo failure was an attempt to set the story in Israel, without thinking it through at all. This time around, I'm planning the heck out of it so that won't happen again.
50,004 / 50,000
Okt 15, 2007 - 02 33
IF - big if - I'm going with the idea I now have roaming around in my head, the action starts in Israel, but only marginally, and the rest is set in a near-future dystopian Europe.
50,447 / 50,000
Okt 19, 2007 - 02 39
Mine is happening in old USA. I don't really know why. Just worked out that way....
It's too hard to write about Israel in English, and sadly [and oddly....] I prefer writing in English.
50,078 / 50,000
Okt 26, 2007 - 04 25
For me too, writing in English, though I'm writing fiction, and English is much easier to write for me, though Hebrew is my 1st tongue.
205,590 / 50,000
Okt 28, 2007 - 12 51
Actually, I'm writing fantasy and I'm debating setting it in Israel.
It's an urban fantasy thing (somewhat like a cross between Dr. Strange and Buffy).
Pro: I know Israel really well, and the alleys in Nahalat Shiva are just amazing for urban fantasy, with demons coming out of the old walls, and in the dark you really can't see anything. Imagine, being hunted by a demon sent by a mage. You quickly duck into the patio in front of Mike's Place, and the demon is hot in pursuit. As you run up the stairs to Tmol Shilshom, call your buddy on your cell. He arrives from Yafo street, through Shanti. Luckily, your cell conversation phased the demon just long enough for your buddy to throw an mp3 player at the demon, and he dissolves to pieces.
Con: I prefer writing in English, and it somehow does not mesh well with Israel. If not in Israel, I may set it in the Bay Area, as that is one of my favourite places. I'll probably bug all my American friends for help in this case :)
50,009 / 50,000
Nov 7, 2007 - 15 20
I'd originally intended to set my story in Israel, in jerusalem and in fact drawing on much of the community of peple that I live around now for character information and what not. Within the first page of writing it became very clear to me that the story needed to be happening in Chicago, where I lived for the past 6 years and could not wait to get away from. Perhaps I secretly miss it, or all the years of loathing gave me a real keen sense of teh details of the space?
Writing in English, my hebrew is good spoken and I can write in it but I don't feel a sense of craftsmanship with it that I do with English. In English I can play with the language, have puns, use devices that are delighting in the language itself Hebrew I''m too busy making sure that I'm getting the meaning across that I can't play. Someday and with practice though...