Place and the Novel’s Plot

Furnishing the “dollhouse”

Research for a story is one of the things I like best about writing a novel. When I come up with an idea, a situation, or bring together a group of characters, I start to wonder about why they’re there, and what the connection is between people and the place they’re in.

Sometimes there are just too many options when it comes to characters. Everything from gender to heritage to health and education comes into play, along with every conceivable influence of nature and...