Comments on: Worldbuilding…sorta

By: Lady Leigh

Lady Leigh — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:42:32 +0000

I love doing research. It is a great way to procrastinate, but it can also give me a lot of great ideas for my story. I’m not organized enough to use a binder (yet

By: terrio

terrio — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:39:39 +0000

When I first started my Contemp I was going to set it in a real place and did some research on landmarks and such. Lucky for me, there was a website for the town that gave a virtual historical tour. But then I drove around the real area and realized it didn’t serve my purposes at all. LOL!

I decided to make up a town out of my imagination and it’s so much more fun. At least for me the “I hate research!” gal. I know, I’m weird.

Can’t wait to get a better look at your studs. LOL! The books, of course. *w*

By: Maggie Robinson

Maggie Robinson — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:22:20 +0000

Oh, sounds intriguing! I’m working on two things sort of simultaneously, where the settings are virtually a character in themselves—a fictional island in the Outer Hebrides, and a Yorkshire castle. I’ve LOVED doing the research for both (kicking books underneath the desk right now—my feet will never be the same).

I am in awe of your organization. I write things on post-its and then can’t read my handwriting. Must sit at the feet of the Goddess.

By: Tessa

Tessa — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 02:53:37 +0000

Great point, Tiff – you don’t have to worry so much about accuracy when you’re making up your own places! I’m with you on that.

Janga, I confess, there’s probably a bit of Dain in Rhys. A very little bit. I think the two of them would…hm. Probably not really like each other, but maybe beat one another up in the courtyard and then go in and have drinks.

By: Janga

Janga — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:00:08 +0000

Hurray for more of the Stud Club! And Dartmoor–lovely. Just the word summons memories of Hound of the Baskervilles, Judith Ivory’s The Indiscretion, and that wondrous description of Loretta Chase’s Dain: “His was a Dartmoor soul.”

I have a town map, floor plans for four houses, and a garden graph. I never expected to do so much world building to write a contemporary.

By: Tiffany

Tiffany — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:34:56 +0000

But research is the best procrastination!

I always liked making up places (I created the harem in my head for Hidden Beauty, the Estate in Brindisi and Florence too. All I did was get the climate, typical flora and fauna and rough land formations for the area, and away my fingers typed to create something that doesn’t actually exist. I want to do that again. It was so much fun.

Writing settings in London actually scares me, ’cause I’m afraid I’ll get something wrong and have a million people yell at me for it once it’s in print. So I prefer country houses.

I’m using a real setting in my newest book—Bakewell’s (Haddon Hall) But I’ve changed the name of the estate of course.

I can’t decide what I like more. I had great fun world building for Jinan’s book. But even more fun finding information and researching a real place.

You’re fictional village is going to be great! I can’t wait to read it.