Locations and settings. Some novels do them really well. They become almost another character and it can seep into your skin (I'm thinking 'Wuthering Heights'). And honestly, to me it is often the mark of a novelist who knows what they are doing and one who is just starting out. The former creates settings that I can immediately grasp and where I can orient myself, whereas with the latter I never really get settled. I struggle to picture where I am or where the characters are.
So, how do you come up with settings?
Usually Google would be my best friend here. Google Maps and street view are incredible resources for investigating places you might never have been. Some places even allow you to go on virtual tours.
But, none of that really compares with physically visiting a place and getting a 'feel' for it.
Which is lucky, because with this novel I am starting to work on, it looks like we are going to be setting it in the area where I live. So, I know it quite well and can visit the locations quite easy. 'Write what you know' and all that.
In this video, I'm taking you on a tour of some of the places where the novel will likely be set (remember: anything can change). It also demonstrates that once you get to a place it can spark further ideas. I definitely got a bit of a creepy/supernatural vibe from visiting 'Waterfall Gully' (a generous name if I ever heard one). What do you reckon?
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