a town with no name
Where the hell am I? I've lost my way,
geographically speaking. I know my story takes place in the south of
England, it had to because that is the landscape I know, can visualise
and can describe, but where exactly are my characters?
I've name checked two real world towns but otherwise I haven't been specific. The action visits several small villages and I certainly didn't want to name and pinpoint those. I have invented one town name and I think I might get away with that but I don't want to have to keep doing it. Nothing sounds as bad as an unconvincing place name. Check out Agatha Christie's books for the least convincing place names ever - how about Southshire, Middleshire and Dilmouth for starters?
A good friend read a draft of my story and immediately picked up on this place name issue 'Get rid.' she cautioned. While her partner says people like to see real place names in post-apocalyptic fiction. They like to see places they know crash and burn.
So I'm none the wiser at this point really. However, the action reaches London in Book 3 and any disguising or obviously avoiding to name it will just look lame, so I'd better choose a course now and stick to it.
I've name checked two real world towns but otherwise I haven't been specific. The action visits several small villages and I certainly didn't want to name and pinpoint those. I have invented one town name and I think I might get away with that but I don't want to have to keep doing it. Nothing sounds as bad as an unconvincing place name. Check out Agatha Christie's books for the least convincing place names ever - how about Southshire, Middleshire and Dilmouth for starters?
A good friend read a draft of my story and immediately picked up on this place name issue 'Get rid.' she cautioned. While her partner says people like to see real place names in post-apocalyptic fiction. They like to see places they know crash and burn.
So I'm none the wiser at this point really. However, the action reaches London in Book 3 and any disguising or obviously avoiding to name it will just look lame, so I'd better choose a course now and stick to it.
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