Writing offers people a platform to speak their minds and express their feelings regarding different issues. Additionally, it also offers people the opportunity to be whoever they wish to be, and in whichever town or country they wish to be in. It is not a requirement that one includes a place they have visited but the only important thing is that the ideas expressed must be coherent. But you may ask yourself, how can I write about a place I have never visited or even be able to picture myself in a place I have never been?
Well, you can and when asked to, you should never shy away from the challenge. In his novel, The Other Side of the World, Jay Neugeboren includes a story which is set in Borneo and Singapore. However, he had never been to either of those places but his novel still came out, and no one came out to disregard his ideas or his use of places he had never visited. It is indeed possible to write about anywhere in the world, and the same idea is applied when people are in open discussions regarding places like planet Mars, etc. However, there are a few things you need to take note of to increase the credibility of your paper, and this article will help you with some of those tips.
Every writer wants or wishes for an easy time when they want to write. However, this is never the case and often you will find yourself delving into issues or writing on topics which a few hours ago you knew nothing about. The above is quite similar to writing about places you have never visited. However, you do not need to worry because by using the following tips which experts from Essay Zoo recommend, you can write about any place regardless of whether you have visited it or not:
Avoid giving vivid details about the place
One thing you need to remember is that you are writing about a place you have never visited. Therefore, avoid the temptation of giving too much detail. This will not only be misleading to your readership but can also reduce the credibility of your article. Give your readers the opportunity to interact with the characters in the novel. You should describe the setting sparingly. It is always essential to give room for the reader’s imagination to lead them and not your writing or description.
Familiarize yourself with facts about the place you are writing about
It might seem appropriate for your article to include the Eiffel Tower. However, you should have read and familiarize yourself with some of the facts of the tower. Remember that your readership could be from France or could have visited the place you are writing about. Your readership can be put off with a few lines you wrote and included the wrong facts. As stated earlier, you should include enough facts to arouse your readership imagination. However, this does not mean that you should lead their imagination to what or how you visualize a place to be. Gather enough facts and use them to build your story to something your readers will enjoy.
Make use of Google Street View
Google made it easier for people to visit places and to even know the streets of a different city thousands of miles away. For example, a person in Australia can visit Manchester in England and make their way to Old Trafford. After you have conducted your research, take a few minutes and use Google Street View to get the directions to the popular spots that fit your writing or piece. Remember that if you have to include anything specific or delve deeper into your description, you need to get your facts right. Using Google Street View, you can as specific as possible and increase the credibility of your story or article. Even readers who love fictional books desire credible information. Therefore, in case you have or need to, use Google Street View
Ensure you are aware of the language differences that exist
For example, the English spoken in Britain is quite different to the one spoken in the US. Canada and Australia also have major differences in the English each country’s citizens speak. As a writer, you need to know that such differences exist and then use it to increase the credibility of your article or novel. Your readers need to know that you have done your research and have catered for the differences. Some words which are considered normal banter in some countries could be downright offensive in another. These small bits of info need to be factored and included in your article.
Immerse yourself in books as well as movies which provide details of the place you are writing about
If you are writing a novel and your setting is Italy, there is no better way to learn about Italy than to read books, watch movies as well as documentaries about the place. From these, you will find several pieces of information which will indeed be of great help to you. You will have a better experience than traveling there in your brain. Therefore, find books, documentaries, blogs, and movies about your desired or preferred setting and then gather or compare the facts you have with the ones presented. This should be a blog or a movie that would describe that place as detailed as possible.
Make use of interviews especially with people who live in your preferred setting
If you cannot make the trip to prove the existence of some structures, you can engage some people who live in your setting or have visited your article’s or novel’s setting. You can conduct interviews via mail and gather as much information as you need to help you develop or write a paper with credible facts. It may take you a while to get people or a person who could be willing to help you but ensure that the information you collect is also credible. Compare every piece of information you get with the research you have done.
Wrap it up
In writing, there are different rules, and you have to be familiar with each one of them. However, there are no rules when it comes to the ideas or topics one can write on or about. Writers are often encouraged to write about things they are familiar with, but this does not mean that your setting should also be a place you are familiar with. As a writer, you should be able to expand and grow your imagination. Therefore, you can choose to write about any place, and you should never be limited by the simple fact of whether you have ever been there or not.
Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.