Is that a big deal?
In my novel I made up a small northern city in Delaware called Lancaster.
I know there is an area called Lancaster in Delaware and Lancaster Village in Delaware (I live there) But there is no ACTUAL city right?
I made up the city cause I don't want to write about a preexisting city that I don't really know about cause I feel like if I get some stuff wrong I will be insulting the people who live there.
So is Lancaster City, Delaware a good idea? Should I use a different name?
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Indirect Roundabout Method GO!
15,962 / 50,000
Nov 8, 2009 - 11 36
I also have that question. I have made up towns in previous short stories, but I was never sure if that was the best way to go. In this novel, I am using a pre-existing town but have created a college and several small businesses there. Any published novelists have words of wisdom for this?
----------Nancy, the Beach Writer
8,572 / 50,000
Nov 8, 2009 - 20 00
I don't think it matters right now, because your ultimate goal (at least insofar as NaNoWriMo is concerned) is to reach the 50,000 word count. If you get bogged down in any tiny detail, you're never gonna make it! In terms of the larger picture, plenty of authors make up cities and towns all the time. It's totally fine. If it's believable as a place, then it doesn't matter if it's "real" or not, because so long as the readers believe it exists in your novel's little world-view, you're good.
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