Tuesday's Writer's Tip Where - From Idea to Finished Book #MFRWauthor #Where #Writer

When has been established now i like to look at where. While I'm doing the When and Where, the characters and the plot are brewing in my thoughts. Where like when has many layers.

First comes country. Many of my books take place in mythical towns I've invented for the story but they are usually in the US. That's because I know the country. But sometimes the major where are in places of my imagination but I must develop these countries to give a broad view of them. I've done a series in ancient Egypt but it's an alternate world because I wanted camels and camels weren't present at the time I chose. Once I've chosen the general where I must look at specifics.

Is the where a small town, the wild wilderness, a large city, a place in the country. For my contemporary stories, I have developed a Texas town, one n Western Pa. and one along the Hudson River. This requires some research. One wants to make sure the geographical features are right. Since i know most of the areas where the fictional towns lie, the research isn't as great as it is for foreign countries or fictional ones. Developing an imaginary site does take research and invention. I've also rearranged the town where I now live to make the places I want to be are where they need to be.

Beyond the site, the next thing is the specific places. For me it's often a hospital, a house, an apartment or other physical places. There are keeps, henges, castles, modern and Victorian houses to be described. House plan books come in handy here.  There are grounds, forests, deserts and the other kinds of venues. I need to know them all before I begin the story.

So before you start your story, you need to build your world and have the resources handy to look up what you may have forgotten.