Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Setting: How do you handle using a real location for a novel?

In my last blog, I encouraged you to send questions that you've often wondered about or issues that you're dealing with in your work in progress. I'm still eager to hear from you so please leave a comment with your question or email me at authorgailmartin@aol.com and I'll add your question to the topics I'll cover.

Today the question has to do with setting and mainly the concern about using the names of real places and real streets.

Here's my advice:
One of the exciting things in writing about a real place is connecting with not only your faithful fans but readers who live in the area of your setting or even those who live in the state. Many of my books are set in Michigan, because it's a state I know well. I've traveled all over Michigan as a lifetime resident, and I've enjoyed many of its wonders. I hear from many readers who either live in Michigan or lived in Michigan once and who love to read street names they know, restaurants where they've eaten, businesses they've visited and sights they've seen. I have used many real places, and I have also create fictitious towns based on real ones.

How I've done this is to set my book in a fictitious town neighboring a real location. For example, my Loving Series contains seven novels set in Loving, Michigan, a fictitious location which I patterned after Grand Haven, a tourist area on the shore of Lake Michigan. I did this to avoid errors about Grand Haven. No one could challenge anything about Loving, but my characters often went to Grand Haven where I used real restaurants, real street names,real festivals and annual events in the community. I was able to do this, because I had visited Grand Haven numerous times and had actually visited these locations and eaten at the restaurants. I am still receiving letters from people who loved that series.

Using real places works well, as long as you don't say anything negative about these places. My editors had no problem with my doing this, but if I would have said something negative, then they would have asked me to create a fictitious restaurant or business for that scene rather than using the name of an actual place.

In my book With Christmas In His Heart set on Mackinac Island, I used real names of everything. Although I had stayed on the island every season---spring, summer and fall, I'd never visited in winter when the island is fairly bare of tourist. Because of my lack of information about that time of year, I asked a year-round resident of the wonderful and unique island to provide me with all the things I needed to know about Mackinac Island during the winter months. I knew what corner residents purchased their Christmas trees and how they got them home -- in an isalnd without motorized vehicles -- as well as how they disposed of the trees after Christmas. Again this book was loved not only by Michiganders and visitors of this island but by many readers. It sold very well and won a National Readers Choice Award this year for best inspirational.

I prefer to know a location fairly well before using it as a setting. I have written a few books set in places I'd never been, but I did tremendous research and, in most cases, knew someone who lived near the setting and could ask that person for details. In fact, one friend took videos of the town, sent photos and so much more to help me.

So don't be afraid to use a real location, especially one you know well. If you're already published, make sure your editors allow actual locations, and then, do good job researching so that you can provide real facts -- but caution: don't contrive a scene just to use a well-known location in that town. Make sure every place your characters go is relevant to the story and helps to move the plot forward. That's the secret to good writing.

25 comments:

DKMS Computers said...

I am in the process of writing and publishing my first children’s novel. I have been dabbling with a second book as a sequel, but my focus is finishing the first. I have been worried about using actual restaurant and business names. I didn’t want to break any trademark or copyright laws. Would you happen to know what laws this situation would fall under and where I might find documentation dealing with my legal rights to use these names and locations for setting purposes only? I am an educator in Michigan as well, and a true Michigander. It was wonderful to stumble onto your Blog. I look forward to visiting and seeing comments from other beginners
rb

Gail Gaymer Martin said...

Hi - And thanks for your comment and question. Sorry this has taken me so long to answer, I was out of the state and just returned.

Most authors use actual places in their writing and most publishers will allow this with one major rule. What you say is positive and not negative about the place.

The only problem is putting the real restaurant or business in a bad light could open the door for a law suit so publishers are very careful - but anything in a positive vein or just a mention is not a problem at all and provides them with free publicity which they love. I often send a book to the places that I mention. I don't have a specific law # - but some of my writer friends are lawyers and they and my publisher lawyers assure me that this isn't a problem. After 40 novels, I've never heard anything negative from real place and some have contacted me to say thanks. Just make sure that if you use a brandname, you capitilze it. If you say Kleenex instead of tissue or drank a Coke instead of coke, make sure you're capitlizing the name.

I was also an educator for many years -- high school Englisha and then counseling. I also taught as an adjunct instructor for Davenport University for 5 years. I've lived in Michigan my whole life time too. Wishing you the best with your writing.

Gail

Jim said...

Gail, I found you via Google and your posts and comments have been very helpful.

I would like to use a restaurant in a major league ballpark as a location in my novel -- actually a private suite in the ballpark. The description is very positive but exaggerated -- I made the suite more lush and the food and service Four Star. Do you think this is ok? Jim L

Gail Gaymer Martin said...

Hi Jim - If you are saying only positive things about a real location, you can't run into trouble unless the place has a trademark symbol beside the name and then you will want to use the symbol as well. A ballpark wouldn't have one -- but Kleenex does.

If you want to be totally realistic, then you need to stick to realism. Anyone who's been in a box like that will know you're not accurate -- but you could indicate that this is a special box in the park -- a VIP box for example -- and then that will cover it for the average reader.

You shouldn't run into a trouble with that. I often create fictitious town near real ones, and people know it's not real so they accept it -- but the people who live in the real town are thrilled when the characters go there for various reasons.

I'd say go for it, and thanks for letting me know that you find this site helpful. I might use your topic to blog more on setting.

Gail

Anonymous said...

Gail -- thanks, thanks, thanks -- you are a real help! Jim
----
for some reason, the comment section will not accept my Blogger password -- my silly blog is at
http://its-jim.blogspot.com/

Gail Gaymer Martin said...

Thanks, Jim. I'm glad I could help. I did check out your blog. You might like to know that I just sold two novels from a series called Man's Best Friend -- two novels that will be about dogs. The first is a woman who wants to start a dog shelter and the second is about a woman who hs a doggie daycare. These two are friends. The third book was past on -- about a dog walker/sitter - but I hope to make some revisions and see if I can't convince them to buy the third too. They won't be out until late 2009 or 2010. At this point the first one is called Teacher's Pet and the second The Road That Leads Home.

Gail

Anonymous said...

Gail -- thanks, I will check them out -- I'm going to try this again using my Blogger ID --Jim

------------------
Nope, same thing, I'll try again.
-----------------
Still same, I'll go Anonymous.

Anonymous said...

Gail -- there is no description on Amazon for And Baby Makes Five?? Jim (itsjim)

Gail Gaymer Martin said...

Hi Jim - Your anonymous unless you're signed on to blogger. When you're signed on, it knows who you are and you don't hve to do the verification.

They had And Baby Makes Five on there a while ago, I thought. Barbour Publishing has a book club and the books go there first and then hit some stores and the on-line bookstores. They're always way behind getting their info up on the Internet.

And Baby Makes Five is the story of a pregnant, widowed migrant worker, living in her car, who goves into labor in a lettuce field and is aided by the owner who's doing a routine check. Since he'd lost his wife at the birth of his son who also died, he's very sensitive to her problem. The story deals with prejudice and fear. Another theme regards Christian's concepts of God.

This is the first book in the California Centeral Coast Series.

Gail

Jim said...

Gail -- I have been signed into Blogger -- I switched to Firefox maybe that will help.

I do have a writing questions for you. I have one novel completed (having no non-academic publications it seemed like a good choice -- "seemed" being the key word). The novel is the one with the long scene in a baseball park.

In the manuscript, I use lyrics to two songs, I have paid for permissions for each. I'm trying to decide where to acknowledge that the lyrics were used with permission. If I do this at the beginning, it will give away some plot. On the other hand, acknowledgments at the end have always seemed kind of lame. Any opinion? Jim
----------------------
Firefox did the trick, it knows I'm logged into Blogger, but I still have word verification:

Jim said...

I left the name of the self-publishing service that I am using out of the previous comment, on purpose!

Plus, I want to see if this worked again.

Gail Gaymer Martin said...

Hi Jim - Normally acknowledgements and rights to use are at the beginning of the novel on the rights page. Most people don't read those pages anyway so putting them there shouldn't be a problem. I've never used lyrics or if so, I've disjointed them a bit so I didn't have to request permission. I did pay once to use a song tune as a parody -- but learned later that I didn't have to do that.

I'm assuming your self-publishing was Publish America or Tate. Both of those appear as DON'T on the Editors and Preditors site --which is an important site to know.

Self-publishing is a sad business anyway. Unless you have a speaking venue so that you have buyers, the books don't sell and have no respect from booksellers or organizations involving writers. The reason obviously is anyone can publish a book -- good, bad, or ugly. So it means nothing. The hard part is to get published with a royalty paying house and be rewarded for your toil as a writer.

Wouldn't it be nice to receive $4000 or $7000 or $10,000 as an advance on royalties from a publisher to have the right to publish your book? So attend conferences, get involved in critique groups and writers organizations and when your work deems worthy, find an agent and then begin to submit. You'll be rewarded.

Blessings,
Gail

Jim said...

Gail -- I thought getting the Permissions would be the hardest part, it was actually the easiest and most professional. Both BMI and ASCAP have searchable databases with contact emails addresses. The artist was the right holder for one song. He responded in 24 hours and I have the Permission in had within a few days ($100). Sony Music held the other Permission that I needed -- really pleasant to work with, lots of formal applications and licensing -- but easy to do.

The self-pub is neither that you mentioned. Sometimes things just don't go right and I've asked for my money back. I'd win in court, the work they did was 5th Grade level, at best.

I cannot attend conferences or do book signings -- I care for an elderly parent (92). Money would be nice but responsibility is more important to me. I'm pretty good at marketing so I think I can sell a few copies.

I'll put the permissions in the front as you suggest. I guess because I always read that part I assume everyone does. Never assume! :)

Jim

Gail Gaymer Martin said...

Jim - Sorry to hear about your family problems. I know that takes time.

The difficult part of self-publishing is that they don't edit or perfect your work so any typos or redundant writing, grammatical or punctuation errors you make will remain in the book. This is very distracting to readers. I taught English but occasionally I miss something that I should have caught. They also publish bad writing as well as expectional writing so people have no idea what they'll get when they buy a book.

Published books where you earn money -- the ones in the bookstores -- at least provide readers with the knowledge that the book wouldn't have gotten in print if an agent and a committee of marketing and editing didn't think it had value. They know the book was edited numerous times.

I often asked myself why people don't want to go with writing a book that will be in bookstores and sell 100,000 or more books. Some, I suppose, are just anxious to see their name on a book. If so, self-publishing works, but you won't get quality unless you pay for it -- which means $50,000 or so to get it in print. I know people who've gone both routes.

I understand your frustration and I hope you use the "Editor and Preditor" site to check out other publishers for your books. Just put those three words in Google and it will bring up the site for you.

Wishing you blessings,
Gail

Jim said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jim said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jim said...

Gail -- you were 100% correct about self-publishing -- I fired mine yesterday after they sent back something I paid them to write with yet more grammatical errors! Your blog is a tremendous resource! Jim

Gail Gaymer Martin said...

Jim - Sorry I've taken time to respond. I'm getting ready to leave for San Fran for a conference where I'm on staff and I'm also trying to met some writing deadlines.

I'm so sorry about your problems with this self-publishing group. I hope you use editor and preditor from now on. I know you can find some self-publishing publishers who are legitimate but those are usually very expensive. Most of those places say they edit, but they don't do the kind of job they should do.

I hope I didn't discourage you, but I'm glad you've made some wise decisions. Now I hope you don't lose youro money. It may be difficult to get back. If you were treated unfairly, I would contact editor and preditors and tell them of your experience so they can be put on the list if they're not there already. You'll save someone else from making the same mistake.

If you need to get in touch, please feel free to contact me at authorgailmartin@aol.com although I will be leaving town in a couple of days. If I don't respond, you'll understand why.

Many blessings,
Gail
www.gailmartin.com

Anonymous said...

Although it's true that many businesses love free publicity, some don't. I also live in Michigan, and I used to work for the outdoor renaissance fair in Holly, and I made a personal website that just said I'd worked there in the past, had pictures of costumes I'd made in the past, and subsequently got a nasty email from the managing director who told me to cease and desist! (this should be a clue as to why I no longer work there!)

Gail Gaymer Martin said...

Hard to believe someone wouldn't want good publicity. I can imagine that they wouldn't like it if someone made negative comments, but if someone is showing enthusiasm, it seems ridiculous to ask them to stop.

I don't think he had the right to do that, personally. Oh well, each to their own, but I've never had a negative comment about using a real place in my books.

Gail

Anonymous said...

I've just finished a mystery novel that draws heavily on my experience in performing in clubs and casinos in Lake Tahoe. My question is, should I use actual places and actual events that occurred in those places such as robberies, shootings etc. to establish an atmosphere for the novel in the past? These are all events that are in the public record. These places are so well-known that using fake names would be a distraction I feel. I'm not portraying the present clubs negatively however. My story takes place in the present.

Gail Gaymer Martin said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Gail Gaymer Martin said...

Hi Anonymous -- If you're describing crimes and shootings from the past, then that shouldn't be a problem. Most of those casinos are gone now--Stardust, Dessert Inn, etc. If you're taking about the present, you could make up a casino to be safe with inside details you might not know. But things of public record are not a problem. I would only suggest that you shouldn't go into a lot of backstory about Vegas and the casinos unless it is pertinent to your present story. Backstory that's not relevant to the story you are writing will encourage an agent or editor to toss the book back to you with a rejection. I assume you want to publish this book with a traditional house. If you self-publish, you won't sell many copies usually. A few exceptions happen but very few.

Hope that helps.
Gail

Anonymous said...

It's me again, good ol' anonymous. No long-winded history, just a lot of music, sex, mystery and international intrigue, with some relevance to global problems the U.S. is currently facing now. What do you think of Scribd?

sara said...

Hi am writting a book on true evnts and things that have happened in my life, so my questions are....
can i use places i have lived like street names,city state, apartment complex names, schools i went to, churchs,child services and i got permission to use some real names but others i mention are just aunt,uncle etc... is that safe or can i get sued?