Roadtrip to NaNo: The Endless Possibility of Your Characters

November is coming. To get ready, we’re taking a Road Trip to NaNoWriMo. On the way, we’ll hear from writers about how their cities can inspire your novel. Today, Crystal in Edmonton, Alberta challenges you to throw contradictions at your characters:

Welcome to Edmonton, the City of Champions!

Well, that’s what the sign says when you drive in from Highway 2. I think it hearkens back to the storied days when Edmonton sports teams actually won sporting competitions… but I’m not here to talk about that. I’m here to tell you why Edmonton is inspiring. Because it truly is.

Nowhere in the world (at least in my experience) is there a place as ripe with colorful contradiction as Edmonton, Alberta. It was founded as a fur-trading fort in the 1800’s—nothing speaks to my romantic imagination quite as strongly as images of cold Canadian winters, mercenary immigrants with long rifles, and thick sweltering piles of fur. Flash forward to 2013, and things are a little different. Farmers markets cluster in empty parking lots, Art museums await exploration, and the North Saskatchewan River snakes its way alongside the city, claiming its title as the longest urban river in North America.  

Edmonton is full of contradictions that work perfectly together, so consider contradictions while you work on your NaNo-novel. Think about your character’s past and the past of the place he or she comes from. Think about Edmonton: a city that was settled by Ukrainian hunters, and now boasts some of the most exciting and international summer festivals in Canada!

But there is more that Edmonton has to offer your characters: Want to explore the different climates your character could live in? Head on over to the Muttart Conservatory. Does your character need that perfect one-of-a-kind gift? Take a stroll down Whyte Avenue for loads of unique shops. Want to find the perfect time period for your character to live in? Visit Fort Edmonton Park, which celebrates Edmonton’s history up to the 1930s, take a tour of the Legislature building or visit the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Museum. Need some help thinking of quirky physical characteristics for your character? Then head to the West Edmonton Mall for some great people-watching.

Be inspired when drawing your characters. The possibilities within them are endless, just like they are in Edmonton.

Crystal is a romance novelist and historical costumer who has lived in Edmonton for more than 20 years. She has two extremely affectionate cats and drinks far too much tea.

Photo by Flickr user 66197572@N00.