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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/38081
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

I am getting some feedback on my writing but one of the questions that come back is that the readers are not sure about the setting. White the story was marked as fantasy, nothing fantastic had happen yet. The chapter describes a messy apartment, drug dealers, the mob, and mentioned Brooklyn.  
I meant for the reader to quickly understood that this was normal modern life. I thought I would not have to mention anything and it would just be understood.

How can I tell the reader that everything is normal? I feel like if I focus on any details it will just make it seem that other details are not normal. I can't explain every detail of modern life, that's just everything.

I have some thoughts of mentioning the current president, but in today's climate I feel like my story would become instantly political if I do anything except the coldest info dump.

How can I point out that things are mundane to the characters and mundane to the reader? Does this complain about unclear setting mean that I may be having other problems that readers and not expressing?

Original score: 4