tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post3927103553001927280..comments2024-01-12T00:48:48.031-06:00Comments on Go Teen Writers: How Important is Research?Stephanie Morrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-13986458617943784792010-03-30T10:31:33.756-05:002010-03-30T10:31:33.756-05:00And that sort of thing is even recommended--make u...And that sort of thing is even recommended--make up your schools, churches, often places of business if they play an important role (like don't make you heroine own a REAL bakery), but don't you dare say there's a bowling alley in a town that doesn't have one. ;-) Or, worse, a lake in a town that doesn't have one.<br /><br />Hence why people often just make up whole cities. Totally acceptable! =)Roseanna Whitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02245767775900250399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-57777827695958019172010-03-30T10:27:46.081-05:002010-03-30T10:27:46.081-05:00THAT'S what I left out - cities.
I predominat...THAT'S what I left out - cities.<br /><br />I predominately set my books in Kansas City because it's where I live, where I went to high school, and what I'm comfortable with. For the most part, the setting details in my book are 100% accurate. But a few things got made up because it was just plain easier. Like Connor and Skylar go to Shawnee Mission High School, which doesn't exist. There's Shawnee Mission North, Shawnee Mission South, Shawnee Mission East, Shawnee Mission West, and Shawnee Mission Northwest, but there's no plain Shawnee Mission. The only people who notice this are KC people, and they all get that I'm doing it so I don't misportray or pick on one of the schools.Stephanie Morrillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-36557422990133402542010-03-30T08:17:55.656-05:002010-03-30T08:17:55.656-05:00Totally agree, Stephanie. I think one of the reaso...Totally agree, Stephanie. I think one of the reasons you have to be careful is because people have an interest in reading books about things close to their hearts--which means they know about them. So if someone picks up a book solely because it's set in their hometown (or in an era they love or about a subject like dancing, which is their dream . . .) then they discover the author got it ALL WRONG, they will likely never read a book by that author again.<br /><br />There are definitely some things readers will just grant (Like my character's sudden realization of her baby moving;-), but others that will have them tossing the book against the wall. Gotta be careful to avoid those wall-bangers!Roseanna Whitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02245767775900250399noreply@blogger.com