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Do you like location and character information about books?
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I went through the same thing, myself. I thought I should include some, as it's a region unfamiliar to most Western/English readers: eastern Europe in the Dark Ages.I gathered a lot of photos, maps and drawing during my research, but decided against including them in the final edition. They don't really add to the plot or characterizations much.
Anyway, I found them fairly easily, so could the readers, couldn't they?
Clare, I think background information depends on the nature of the novel, and if it's relevant to the characters resonating soundly with the plot --- the most important consideration.
Gerald wrote: "Clare, I think background information depends on the nature o the novel, and if it's relevant to the characters resonating soundly with the plot --- the most important consideration."I agree. I like background info and location maps if a novel is historical or fantasy but I'm not really that bothered if its set somewhere more obvious. I like to use my imagination so I'm not fussed about real life pictures of where the story is set, this detracts from the magic a bit for me. What might be interesting on your website is some more information about your characters. I've seen some novelists write posts as though they were the character and I've found these really interesting as it lets me get to know the characters better.
The best thing you can do is to get people talking with other people about your book. The more stuff you have to tease and intrigue the better chance you have of driving that word of mouth that is so critical to success.
This reminds me of the question "should fantasy novels have maps"? People seem to be of two minds on this: some want the map, others don't care. Though I'm more in the latter camp now, I do rememeber in my younger days poring over a book's map and following along as the characters went from place-to-place. It is for this reason that I'm in the process now of adding a lot of background material to my novel's landing page--info on characters, places, definitions of the some of the "things" I've created. I figure it can't hurt, and maybe it will demonstrate the depth and thought I've put into my world.
Scott wrote: "This reminds me of the question "should fantasy novels have maps"? People seem to be of two minds on this: some want the map, others don't care. Though I'm more in the latter camp now, I do rememeb..."I love maps! In fact, it really bugs me when there's no map. I like to see where the characters are in how it relates to the rest of the world. I'm reading an ebook at the moment that has no map and it's driving me crazy not being able to figure out where everyone is!
Scott wrote: "This reminds me of the question "should fantasy novels have maps"? People seem to be of two minds on this: some want the map, others don't care. Though I'm more in the latter camp now, I do rememeb..."I compromised with mine. I put the maps and some 'wiki' type information about the settings on my website but not in either the e-books or in the printed versions. I did this mainly because the details and color don't display well on either a Kindle or in print. The URL for them is provided in the front matter, so anyone who wants to see the maps can easily find them.
D.L., nice job with the maps & history! From the perspective of a reader who follows several dense series and tries to understand the settings, this information is of great interest and enriches the reading experience. If the author has made the effort to bring the world to life, I try to link or point to it in reviews or blog posts.
My belief is that when someone plunks down the fee to get the book (be it dead tree or ebook) they should have everything they need to fully enjoy the story. If you're writing in a fictional world where there are many places and the characters move a lot and the relative location of everything is important for the average reader to enjoy it, then you really should include that information in the book.How you do it can very a lot. You can include a map. You can provide more expository dialogue about locations. You can have an Author's note. You can do a Prologue where a different narrator does a "Fly By" over the world and brings the reader up to speed. Sort of like a "our world is the world of the stars. The Royal Commonwealth of worlds dominates the stars around Earth Prime. Along their border lies the Union of Stars, a republic forever stymied by internal conflict and debate. Beyond them the Empire of the Nova has made its claims, controlling a collection of planets and worlds furthest from Earth Prime."
It's not a map but it conveys what we need to be conveyed at the onset, that there are three nations and if you look, generally, left to right they are in a line with the Union the middle ground between the other two.
I also think that there is a lot of value to offering more information if it helps create interest and build following. Part of my plan is to make character sketches free on the website, and then include them as "Reference" section in the eBook. They aren't going to be nessecary to enjoy the novel, but if you have them, it gives just a little more depth.
Personally, I'm not a fan of the "If you need it, go to this website for more information", unless that info is indeed ~extra~. I'm not confident enough in the long term staying power of websites and wikis to know that they'll still be there in 3 or 4 or 10 years and I plan my stuff to be around at least that long.
(Ideally my great grandson will be reading my stuff as "typical popular fare of the early 2000's" in his American Lit class)
I included quite a bit of the Vermont setting in my novel because it was integral to the plot - Girl leaves NYC to hide in Rural Vermont (from the Mob).I thought New England in the Fall was one of the most beautiful things I've ever experienced, so it naturally fit into the story.
I enjoy setting and characterization when it's woven into the gist of the story. I love to "visit" other places through the eyes of the character, via the author.
Paula
i spent today in philadelphia riding trains because my characters get chased through a few areas of philly. the main character is a teacher who knows the transit system well, and he has to know the best way to get anywhere in the city, so that means I have to know the best way too. the online maps were misleading but helped me write the first draft. after going today, i realized that there's more i have to learn and i'll have to go back again either thursday or friday.
i also needed to see the station to help with blocking the movement, knowing how many flights of steps there are from the rails to the streets.
last week i went to one of the nearby towns where the story shifts to. while walking around i saw a historic building in which british spies were executed during the revolutionary war. since my story involves ghosts, it gave me the idea to have some ghosts of revolutionary war soldiers still hanging around and also getting involved in the story.
that might sound silly, but i think it'll work.
bad news! there's a short scene in a bar. guess i'm going to have to visit a bar in the area to decide which one i should use. awww.
i also needed to see the station to help with blocking the movement, knowing how many flights of steps there are from the rails to the streets.
last week i went to one of the nearby towns where the story shifts to. while walking around i saw a historic building in which british spies were executed during the revolutionary war. since my story involves ghosts, it gave me the idea to have some ghosts of revolutionary war soldiers still hanging around and also getting involved in the story.
that might sound silly, but i think it'll work.
bad news! there's a short scene in a bar. guess i'm going to have to visit a bar in the area to decide which one i should use. awww.
D.L. wrote: "Scott wrote: "This reminds me of the question "should fantasy novels have maps"? People seem to be of two minds on this: some want the map, others don't care. Though I'm more in the latter camp now..."
i don't think a map MUST be there, but it can't hurt. so why not include it?
i don't think a map MUST be there, but it can't hurt. so why not include it?
Richard wrote: "i spent today in philadelphia riding trains because my characters get chased through a few areas of philly. the main character is a teacher who knows the transit system well, and he has to know th..."Richard, I grew up taking trains in and around Philadelphia. This is a bad week to visit bars in the city. The 'Irish Bus' shuttles revelers who are unfit to drive among the numerous pubs. My brother was splashed last year when a rider vomited out the window.
Edited to add: What nearby town?
How do you feel this question applies to fantasy or MG and YA? In the middle grade Monster Blood Tattoo series, for example, the author's drawings are charming and give a fun visual. I also love maps in fantasy books, to get a lay of the land. Perhaps this is apples and oranges, but I love these type of visuals, and to 'see' the author's inspirations. :)
Julie wrote: "How do you feel this question applies to fantasy or MG and YA? In the middle grade Monster Blood Tattoo series, for example, the author's drawings are charming and give a fun visual. I also love m..."My personal belief is that the flow should go like this:
Read -> Form mental image -> Look at picture -> Go: "Yeah, that's what I pictured. Cool".
I think the danger is when you read the description in the prose and then look at the picture and think "Wow.. so not what I imagined." That said, I like the idea of including images to help flesh things out, show off, but for any genre I believe that good descriptions trump pics.
So far my sketches are strictly for my own use and reference. I draw floor plans, racial sketches, body types, maps, so I can describe what's where when. Does she look left or right to see the Shield's Officer? How far down does she need to walk to get to the crew deck? What's the cargo deck look like? I got lucky with FantasiCon in that I had all that mental imagery from the times we attended DCon but I tried (I thought)to convey the imagery for those who had never seen the space.
Rosemarie wrote: Richard, I grew up taking trains in and around Philadelphia. This is a bad week to visit bars in the city. The 'Irish Bus' shuttles revelers who are unfit to drive among the numerous pubs. My brother was splashed last year when a rider vomited out the window.
What nearby town?
nearby town is haddonfield, where i lived about 6 years ago. the main character lives in philly and befriends someone who lives in haddonfield. they have to go first from the zoo area to the northeast, then from northeast to haddonfield going down to market and taking the speedline over the bridge.
so i drove to haddonfield, took the speedline to 8th and market, then the market-frankford line over to 30th st. station because they're going to take the regional line from 30th. up to holmesburg in the northeast. it's a good thing i went because i didn't realize there are two 30th st. stations. the amtrak one and the septa one. i've got some figuring to do on that.
saturday will be the difficult day in philly, so i'll stay clear then. but i do have to go back again because i have to get up to see the holmesburg station so i know what that looks like.
thanks for asking!
What nearby town?
nearby town is haddonfield, where i lived about 6 years ago. the main character lives in philly and befriends someone who lives in haddonfield. they have to go first from the zoo area to the northeast, then from northeast to haddonfield going down to market and taking the speedline over the bridge.
so i drove to haddonfield, took the speedline to 8th and market, then the market-frankford line over to 30th st. station because they're going to take the regional line from 30th. up to holmesburg in the northeast. it's a good thing i went because i didn't realize there are two 30th st. stations. the amtrak one and the septa one. i've got some figuring to do on that.
saturday will be the difficult day in philly, so i'll stay clear then. but i do have to go back again because i have to get up to see the holmesburg station so i know what that looks like.
thanks for asking!
Rosemarie wrote: "D.L., nice job with the maps & history! From the perspective of a reader who follows several dense series and tries to understand the settings, this information is of great interest and enriches th..."Thanks, Rosemarie. :-)
With web-enabled eReaders and the prevalence of DVD and Blu-Ray bonus content, everything I write plans for it, whether it will actually be used or not. Our future readers e.g. as in next week -- will be expecting it. At one point in 2010, Apple wanted every new book in the iBook store to have bonus content not available in print versions. Don't know exactly how successful they are with that, and if it includes things from Smashwords, etc.My current world lives on nearly a hundred specifically designed websites. Now I just have to catch up with story deployment.
Elizabeth wrote: "Gerald wrote: "Clare, I think background information depends on the nature o the novel, and if it's relevant to the characters resonating soundly with the plot --- the most important consideration...."I agree 100% with everything you said! Thanks, now I don't have to type it all myself! =]
I did put together a short page on my website about the location of my novel in the end. Although I'm still in two minds about it, it has proved useful. My novel is called Pennance, a fictional village with a genuine Cornish name, set in the UK. (I also liked the pun on penance which was appropriate for my novel.) It has been useful being able to clarify this on the website for some people. Quite a few of the people who've read my book have been from the US and haven't been to Cornwall, and the coastline (where a lot of the novel is set) is quite different to a lot of the US coastline.
The photos I've added to the web page are locations that inspired me when writing the story, but unfortunately lack the atmosphere of the novel - quite a dark novel set in winter. I do worry that this may detract from reader's mental image, but so far I'm glad I've added this information to my site.
This is the page I added for my book:
http://rclareashton.wordpress.com/set...
Scott wrote: "This reminds me of the question "should fantasy novels have maps"? People seem to be of two minds on this: some want the map, others don't care. Though I'm more in the latter camp now, I do rememeb..."When I read LOTR, I bought a map book that had been written as a companion guide and it was a wonderful resource especially when the Fellowship split up. In a normal UF book, I wouldn't bother referring to maps though.
I've been putting my website/blog together to support my novel, but am in two minds about including background information about the novel - mainly location information. Sometimes I like seeing photos that have inspired an author, or photos of real settings, especially if it's a unfamiliar location, other times I find it spoils my mental picture from reading the novel. I find it worse with
pictures of people.
What do you think? Is there any other background information you like associated with novels?
Clare