Write what you know, they say.
But what if the story you’re telling takes place in an era, place or even a different gender than your own. What do you do?
You research it!
Researching the background for a story is one of my favorite parts of writing. In order to tell a complete story, you will need to know enough detail to make the scene come alive for the reader.
For example, my current manuscript is based in Los Angeles. I’ve been to LA several times (my sister lives there) but my character to lives in a certain area of LA. That’s where good ol’ Google comes in. I was able to find a home on Zillow that fit my character. From there, I download the home lay out to be consistent with the family’s movement and room descriptions.
Google Earth is another useful tool to explore an area. I’ve used it to virtually walk down the street in an area. I’ve done this with restaurants too.
But it’s important to not get bogged down in the research. You only need a few intimate details to make a scene come alive on the page.
Happy Researching!