Setting Part 2

So I've explained how setting can create mood and how the setting can add to your story.

CREATING A SETTING

If you're creating a setting to form a nonexistent world, is it based on a certain time period? (The middle ages for example?)(Ancient Roman culture?)

Or, is the world itself unique? Is there quicksand (for lack of a better example) every five yards, making it almost impossible to live on?
Does the terrain vary from these sinkholes to more hospitable ground?

One of the most original worlds I've ever come a cross was in Atherton by Patrick Carman. Basically, it's compromised of three stories, one on top of the other. But each story is round, and smaller than the one under it.


When you're creating a world, you shape it to fit your needs.
Patrick carman's world wouldn't make a good setting for any of the books I'm writing.
You can be original, but don't force it. You've got to actually like the world you've created, feel satisfied about it. If you find yourself hating the world you've created, what's stopping you from revising?

PUTTING YOUR CHARACTERS IN AN ALREADY EXISTING WORLD

If you're writing a story about characters in this world it becomes a little harder. Mainly because *groan* you have to research.
You may like research. I don't.

I've never visited Brazil. I doubt if I wrote a story about a Brazil explorer, it wouldn't be that credible unless I reasearched.

If it's set in this day and age that might make things easier.
Or maybe you'll have to reaserch *shudder* the time period and events.
If you wrote a book about the french revoulution you'd have to look up names, dates, places, and culture.

I am currently writing a story in San Francisco. Never been there. In. My. life.
So I...procrastinate. I write what I think SanFrancisco would look like (and thank heavens for zoomable google maps) and when the second draft comes along, I check my facts and fix my somewhat romantic view of things.

I'll sum it up; research.