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Q&A Deciding the setting: real or invented?

You can do both. You can start from an existing city (maybe give it a new name) and change the areas which do not fit (GTA comes into mind). If you have already an idea for the setting like "Oh, t...

posted 12y ago by John Smithers‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

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#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T02:32:44Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/6460
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by user avatar John Smithers‭ · 2019-12-08T02:32:44Z (almost 5 years ago)
You can do both. You can start from an existing city (maybe give it a new name) and change the areas which do not fit ([GTA](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Theft_Auto_%28series%29) comes into mind).

If you have already an idea for the setting like "Oh, that should play in New Orleans" because of the (cliched) reputation of that city, then go with that. Your New Orleans does not need to be square inch by square inch like the real one. You want to set atmosphere in your book, not a geographical map.

Generally if you can't decide, make plans for both options, what you have to do to accomplish the goal. Then pick the more frightening. The bigger the road block in your mind, the more your subconscious wants to get over it.

#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2012-10-09T22:58:25Z (about 12 years ago)
Original score: 4