I spend too much time on Reddit, and recently while I was on there, I noticed a thread complaining that an author had got it wrong about an American state. There was a lot of irritation in the 189 comments, and there were, according to the stats, 1.5k views. It was in a small corner of the site, and I suppose it could be argued that it wasn’t a big deal, but it shows one of the hazards and I thought it might be worth talking about a few points.
This book mentioned mountains in Wisconsin. According to this post and the comments, there are no mountains in Wisconsin, which I hadn’t considered. There are bits that are higher than other bits, and places that might be nicknamed mountains, but people were firm that there weren’t mountains. Out of curiosity, I checked on Google maps and confirmed that it wasn’t a very mountainous area.
I’m a firm believer that, on the whole, you put what you need into a story because things are like that in your world. I remember seeing a story about JRR Tolkien who was told that the geology of Mordor was all wrong. Tolkien replied that Morder wasn’t like that because of geology but because of magic and besides he needed it for the plot to work. I also believe in lots and lots of research because research is there to stop the author from looking like an idiot. I’m not linking the thread because while I may get grumpy at lack of research, the author doesn’t need to be pushed down.
If you are writing fantasy, then as long as you keep it consistent, it doesn’t matter as much. You may get a grumble or two about weather patterns not being plausible, but if the weather patterns are getting more attention than the epic chase through the Badlands as strange forces pull together at the lost temple, then you’re doing something wrong. However, if you’re writing anything set in the real world, or writing alternative history like steampunk, then it’s worth being aware of the pitfalls.
There are times when it pays to be vague. If you research things carefully and get it right, but the majority of your readership don’t know the full set up, you are going to be in just as much trouble as not bothering with research at all. After all, how many people know that the Mississippi changed course in 1876? Apparently it was a big thing and left what had been a flourishing town high and dry away from the river traffic. You can read about it here. If you are chasing nefarious ghosts through Vicksburg, I suggest being vague about either waterways or the date. Or you can always set the story in New York. The Nile in Egypt has changed course many times. Archaeologists have traced the former course of the Nile and found cities that have been lost for centuries, abandoned when the river disappeared. It’s a great idea for a plot, if you think about it. As well as a beautiful picture of the Nile, I've added an aerial map to show the hints of ancient river beds.
However, mountains and rivers generally stay roughly the same. If you want to use a location firmly set in the real world, then it’s worth checking a few details. The first place I would start would be Google Maps. I think that it’s worth taking the time to set aside maybe an hour or two and scroll around. Google Maps has the basic map, the satellite view so you get a feel for the landscape, it has terrain view so that you can see any hills and valleys and there is even a street view. I’ve used street view regularly to get a sense of what to look for when I’m driving an unfamiliar route, but you can get a clear idea of the scenery.
I may be guilty of over-researching everything, and you don’t need to look up the geological profile of the groundwater unless you have a really specific type of plot, but I feel that if you’re dropping a casual reference like I came from a small town then it’s worth having maybe five minutes look to make sure that you are aware, for example, if there’s an active volcano/shrine to pagan gods/museum of murder weapons/renowned fields of sunflowers that may or may not be known to a lot of potential readers. If a main character says that they come from a town where nothing ever happens and it’s known for something like, at random, music festivals/Formula One races/resident royalty/regular spots on Most Haunted, then you should perhaps rethink the location.
If you are using a location as a setting, and it isn’t somewhere that you know well, then after rummaging around on Google Maps (I’ve also checked Map Quest and Doogle.co.uk), I’d put the name of the town into some social media sites. I don’t hit many sites, but Reddit has subreddits for particular areas, YouTube has reactions and tours and Facebook has groups. If you dip into one or more of these, you’ll get a sense of the area, and possibly some plot ideas on the way.
And despite my love of research, I continue to recommend when in doubt, keep it vague and then be clear that if there’s a glacier flowing through the French Quarter of New Orleans, then it’s like that in your world.
There is a page with links to all the Research and the Author posts here and I hope that you feel happy to dip in.
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