Real City/Fake City http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545 cjmatthies I'm trying to decide whether to have my novel take place in a real city (namely Minneapolis) or a fake city. If real, would it be strange to pepper the real city with fake locales, or would it then make more sense to use real info? What are some of you doing? Thu, 03 Nov 2011 10:35:11 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_431621 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_431621 Daniel Olson I am making up my own town (my story is a small town not a city). I even drew a map. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 10:43:43 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_431833 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_431833 luwandi Not saying you are necessarily a fan, but Jon Hassler does (did) both. I really enjoy his work. You want a big midwestern city... even a Minnesota city... go with Minneapolis, I say. It's a great city. Then yes, go ahead and pepper it with real and fictionalized places. Minnesotans do love reading about real places they've been to themselves and read about them artfully profiled from another perspective. They also love reading about the character of places they hope exist. I say do both! Thu, 03 Nov 2011 13:50:03 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_437329 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_437329 J_S_C You can do either, but if you are writing the setting in a real city, you have to capture that city, not just the buildings and the street names or any fictional place you might put in it, but the smells and feels of it, and sometimes this is hard, hard work. --JSC Thu, 03 Nov 2011 14:12:40 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_438128 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_438128 knittyknerdy I am making my real city into a fake city, and pretty muchh renaming it and everything around it. It's making my life a heck of a lot simpler. (except for coming up with fake place names in spanish, ugh.) Thu, 03 Nov 2011 15:03:02 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_439903 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_439903 daqu Personally, I'm a big fan of fake cities. My novel this year is taking place in an entirely fictional country, in a world full of fictional countries and cities. I like having the freedom to take parts I like from real places but be able to tweak them as much as I need to in order to fit the plot and not have to worry about how accurate it is. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 15:27:55 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_440739 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_440739 LeenPhoenixRae [quote=cjmatthies] I'm trying to decide whether to have my novel take place in a real city (namely Minneapolis) or a fake city. If real, would it be strange to pepper the real city with fake locales, or would it then make more sense to use real info? What are some of you doing? [/quote] I try to steer clear off using real cities in my stories, mainly because if I am to use a real city as opposed to a fake one I have to make sure that I capture the essence of whichever city I am using as a backdrop for my story, so I tend to create a fake/fictional city/town instead where I can do whatever I want with it and infuse it with a variety of essence from all the different places I have been to already. On the other hand you can use a real city and add/insert fictionalized locales to give it a different beat; it will be fun to work with and will give you the freedom to put your own stamp to this fictionalized/fake place/landmark while still letting your readers know that you are in Minneapolis or whichever city it is you're basing your story in. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 17:53:49 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_445403 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_445403 suppii It depends on what I'm about write on the novel. For this year NaNo, I use real cities and try (the keyword is try) to capture the feel of places mentioned inside the novel. It is hard, I'm totally aware of that, especially since I'm positively sure those place/cities/towns are places I'd never visit in my whole life. But it is fun to research and find facts and feels about each place. NaNo is a ground for experimenting after all :) Thu, 03 Nov 2011 20:00:37 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_449264 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_449264 Wes Boyd The nice thing about a fake city is that no one can pester you about, "There's no McDonald's on that corner," or the like. I have a story set in Toledo, Ohio, for example. I put a disclamer in the story that reads, "This story takes place in a Toledo of the mind. For example, the first scene takes place at a convenience store at the corner of Dorr and Reynolds. In the real Toledo, Dorr and Reynolds don't cross." That much done, I can throw in what Toledo color I feel like throwing in (i.e, Mudhens, Jamie Farr, Tony Packo's) and make up stuff as I need to. I wrote it several years ago and it turned out to be one of my better ones. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 20:35:10 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_450254 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_450254 xxCoFxx I always prefer to have a novel set in a fake city. That way people don't already assume things about it, especially if it's somewhere I've never been. But if you're going to set it in a real city, then break out the maps and make sure your facts are accurate, or else you'll be attacked by rabid readers' comments. Fri, 04 Nov 2011 11:59:45 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_466501 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_466501 ZeroDraftingGenius For this year's NaNo, I'm using a real city, Chicago, where I lived for 11 years. I'll be doing some research, post-November to double-check details so I don't misremember which streets cross ;-) ... but the vibe, history, neighborhoods, and culture of the real city deeply inform my plot and characters and I doubt very much that I could create a fake city that would work any better. On the other hand, I did create a fictional small town for a short story that I plan to develop into a novel. Since I'm not deeply familiar with any small towns, it seemed the best approach just to get started, and then I started to fall into love with the locale which is practically a character unto itself. There are pros and cons to both approaches. Fri, 04 Nov 2011 23:40:43 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_484878 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_484878 pokemotion I'm using Philadelphia, my favorite city in the whole world, but I'm adding a few tweaks to it that will suit my needs from the novel. It's easier for me to connect to the location and explain it better because I love it so much. For me, it's significantly easier to use a city that I know, instead of creating a fake one that I don't particularly have any connection to. Sat, 05 Nov 2011 21:15:37 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_511753 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_511753 Fishwings You don't have to give it a name...my story takes place in a city that is described but doesn't have a name. I find it's helpful to do that, by not associating it with any existing city, so that the city can take on a personality of its own. It's an interesting process. Sun, 06 Nov 2011 04:34:09 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_518506 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_518506 TwilightSparkle I generally stick to fake cities, because they're easier. You don't have to do any research on what the actual city's like, because you're making one yourself. Typically, what I do is make one up as a small town right on the outskirts of Big-Real-Town-USA. That way, you're within biking, driving, whaterver-ing distance of your big city, so your characters can still go there on a regular basis. And your fake town can be similar to the big one, or different. If your big city is a metropolis, your fake town can be a suburb. I hope this helps. Sun, 06 Nov 2011 06:13:00 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_519984 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_519984 xxCoFxx This is a good idea... Sun, 06 Nov 2011 06:34:03 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_520334 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_520334 madrugada I'm using a fake town that borders and is similar to a real town. That way I have characteristics and history to work with, but I don't have to worry about perfect accuracy. Sun, 06 Nov 2011 14:47:15 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_532335 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_532335 suppii I agree. Nice idea. Sun, 06 Nov 2011 17:56:08 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_537410 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_537410 canary.yellow I'm using a real city, but its big enough to be able to throw in fictional areas. Sun, 06 Nov 2011 22:09:22 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_543665 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_543665 Joshua D I hate to give a really cliche answer but.. it is definitely up to you. To be quite honest, I think using a real city would be really effective if you were trying to juxtapose it with another place that takes part in your novel. For instance, in my novel I use the city of Chicago as a foil towards the family driven suburbs that I live in. Like the character in my novel, he traverses through the two discovering the hidden elements of both. Remember, just because a story has a real setting in it, does not mean that the events can not be fictional. I try to be really vague when it comes to real cities. I.E. in the art museum at the north side of town... If you're not near the heart of a city, like how I'm basically a 30 minute train ride into the city, you might not want to use a real city since you'll be unfamiliar with the surroundings and street names and what not. For instance, I can mention the giant mirrored bean in Millennium park and most of Chicagoans will know exactly what I'm talking about. Hope this helps thy fellow writer! Mon, 07 Nov 2011 18:33:32 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_564239 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_564239 borderman I'd got with St. Paul. Easier to type. Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:58:59 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_621976 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_621976 Burl Bird The best thing about big cities is that there is no way one citizen can know every corner of it. There is always that narrow alley you always miss when driving to work. There is an old barbershop nobody heard about. Etc. It doesn't really matter, methinks... You write a fictional universe whether you name it Minneapolis or Gotham City. If you wander too much about the need to be so precise in localization of your story, think for a moment about your characters! How are you going to write about a guy living in this particular block, going to that particular school or working this particular job? There might be someone to tell you "Hey, there was never a Jake Xandikis in my class!!" or "I live in the flat 6B and I'm not gay!" Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:19:18 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1121904 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/22545?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1121904