Researching the setting for a story

[David_tigereye]

So there's something I'm curious about. When you've decided on the setting on a story, you have to do SOME research on it, right? Especially if you set it in a place you've never been before. So my question is, when you are doing research on a location, is it better to actually spend some time there? Or, do as much as you can on the internet or library? Does it depend on you long you set it there? Or, could you just wing it?

[aFistFull]

I'd avoid winging it if possible. The locations I've used are usually made up but still at a certain place in the world. Example: a made up Island off of the coast of Madagascar. So I researched as much as I could about the surrounding area via the internet, be it wiki, youtube or whatever. If it's possible for you to go to your location then do it. But if not then the internet is your friend.

[revisionstudios]

Sure, if you have the resources, I'd say spending time in the location yourself is a really good bet--nothing like experiencing something for yourself! But with or without that, you definitely need research. It's really easy to tell when an author wings it, and it's even more cringey if the setting is a real place and it's nothing like what it's supposed to be (or crammed full of stereotypes, bleh).

Even if you're writing a purely fictional setting, it's good to at least base it partly off of a civilization/country/culture/etc. to suspend disbelief and make it relatable.

In either case, I wouldn't choose just one source for your information--getting it from multiple places is going to make your research fuller and more well rounded.

[David_tigereye]

That all actually makes sense. The comic i'm working on now is set in, for the moment, the middle of a desert. And honestly, i didn't do much looking into it, just sand, mountains, and a cactus here and there.(Though i'm probably done with cacti). The reason I asked is I had an idea for a comic(one of many) and I thought about setting it in modern day Dublin. Not sure how long it would be set there, but it got me thinking about how far writers go to research for their works, not just in setting. So, thanks for the answers. I'll keep that all in mind.

[UncleVlad]

I'm writing a story set in Texas and i've been doing a LOT of research.

Its been fun for me b/c I've learned a lot from it. But i also would like my setting to be realistic, too.

[yondoloki]

I'd say do as much reasearch as you can, and try to get there if you are able. You can't really research the feel of a place, and I would say, setting a story a place you will also need some of the culture or mannerisms to make it believeable. (This is mostly paraphrased from watching way too much bonus material from Disney and Pixar movies, but I think they have a point )

Currently I'm making a comic inspired by Victorian England, and even though I may not go for historical accuracy, I pull a lot on my experiences from visitng various castles and manors in my school years, and how it felt walking through those. But I rely a lot on the internet for photo references. Pinterest is my best bud in this regard ^^

[ahhvecadoes]

If you have the chance to visit the setting of your comic, do so, absolutely. But if not, hit the web and the books. Having knowledge and references for specific places will set you apart from those who haven't done the research.

Case in point: I researched for several months about Austrian peasants' housing and lifestyle in 1900s for a fan comic. I also took a good chunk of time learning about castles and architecture, as well as fashion of the time.

For Heart Hex: I have been to Chicago several times and had friends who live in the area take reference photos for me for Heart Hex. I've put time into researching neighborhoods and gone house hunting on Zillow to learn more about where my characters live.

Some research is tougher than others, especially if you're focusing on less affluent people of a specific time. But keep at it! It pays off in the long run.