Sing the Song of My Town
How real should a fiction location be, and how do you research it? Every fiction writer must decide where the story happens in time and space. If the location is real/realistic, then the details have to feel authentic. If you stretch reality too far, the readers will not only abandon you, they will attack you with scathing reviews and emails.
In my latest book, I faced the task of creating a realistic town in the Appalachian mountains of Kentucky. Google maps and YouTube do a great job of showing the setting, but they don’t tell the whole story. Even though perfectly respectable writers have managed authentic tales without visiting the setting of their novel, I’m a firm believer in visiting whenever possible. Every spot on the globe has its own unique feel. But more importantly, it has its own song.
People interact with unique words, gestures, and a rhythm that is difficult to find on YouTube. Capture that in your novel, and the readers will be lost in your dream world. I found that the people of Kentucky tend to be shy about talking to writers, and thriller writers are especially low on their list of favorite people. In any location, be respectful and gentle. You aren’t obligated to reveal that you’re a writer. You can be a curious individual learning about a new location. I recommend finding a group of artists who are native to the area. Listen to them talk, watch the way they move and interact, tap your foot to the beat of their song until you learn to hum along beside them.
Then go back to your favorite writing spot, and SING!

Berea Kentucky
