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We all know the importance of location in real estate -- it can alter property values by thousands of dollars. But did you know location is important in literary world-building as well?
The more outrageous the setting, the harder a writer must work to paint a picture of it for readers, so that instead of a setting feeling strange, it is natural and familiar. For instance, in The Huldufolk Chronicles, another fantasy trilogy I'm working on (because a writer can never have too many projects), the fantasy world I've created has a major impact on the daily lives of the characters. If readers don't get a clear picture of it, there is no point continuing with the story.
(excerpt from Book I, The Third Portal)
"But as the day's light faded, the warming clouds changed from pale pink to sullen orange and sank earthwards. By the time it was fully dark, the clouds engulfed the entire village, and the people—who otherwise lived outdoors—had taken themselves into their sleeping huts for the night. Behind the shuttered windows and doors, it was dark. The cool blackness could have been relieved by torch light, but the Elders' teachings forbade that. Day was day—a time for doing. Night was night—a time for resting. Thus it had always been and thus it would remain. The suffocating fog outside insured it was so, for to venture into the night meant certain death."
In the books of The Seer Trilogy I've made things easier for myself by setting the story in a real world place -- Ireland, and though I've never been to Ireland, I can find information and photos galore on the Internet to assist me in my writing. All I have to do is strip the landscape back to its natural state, dot it with structures reflective of the period, and Bob's your uncle. Readers can easily visualize the surroundings.
I must possess a masochistic gene though, because I can't leave well enough alone. Instead of establishing the setting and getting on with the story, I make a point of traipsing Maeve and company all over Ireland -- not just in The Druid and the Dragon --but in every single book. What started off as a fantasy is rapidly turning into a Celtic travel guide!
In each of the books, Maeve's adventures take her to different parts of the country, which can be difficult to keep track of, so to help my readers visualize where Maeve goes, each book contains a map of her travels.
It turns out readers like maps. And I like creating them, so we have a nice sympatico happening. Maps for Books I and II are done. I'm not quite sure of all the places Maeve will be visiting in Book III, so that map is has yet to materialize. By the time I get around to drawing it, I shall probably be so confused, the third map may well include locations from The Huldufolk Chronicles too. So try to keep an open mind.
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