McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft

Writing in a setting you know...without sounding like Lonely Planet guides...?

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arianne:
I'm planning on setting a story in an unusual place (that is to say, for most readers it would be unusual, but I know it quite well), and for the purposes of “explaining stuff to the reader” I have chosen a main character who is not from the place.

At the same time I don't want the story to be weighed down by long passages of history and culture, but as it so happens, bits of said history and culture provide some vital pieces to the plot (isn't that always the way....)

Has anyone ever done something like this before? Would it be better to pick a native main guy who would do enough internal convo with himself to enable the reader to keep up? Or if not, is there some way to convey the info without sounding like a guidebook?

I did think of sprinkling bits of info when they're needed, but I think the readers would be like, huh? Plus, it might feel too god from the machine-ish...

meg_evonne:
Since you know the location, I don't think you'll have a dispassionate tour book feel.

Info dump though? Different problem entirely.

Some suggestions:
1. Dialog
2. Describe as action background between dialog.
3. Delete what doesn't add to character or further plot..
4. Use description of place to strategically tone the background.
5. Use location as emotional connection for characters.
6. Use the senses to make the locational satisfying for the reader.

arianne:
You're right; it is more the info dumping that worries me rather than the setting itself. Ideally, I should be able to put in just enough info so that the people who do know the setting aren't bored, and the people who don't can get a good idea of what's going on without feeling left out, but I don't know if it's possible to do that.... :(

My problem right now is something like this....my hero character is going after something (let's call it the Holy Grail) of importance. Now, to someone who knows what the Holy Grail is, everything would be fine, they would get the significance etc of it, but to someone else who doesn't, how far should I go into details? Should I just be like, "Oh, this is a cup that a great man drank out of shortly before his death" (no impact at all, that!) Or should I just make it a "priceless artifact" that the hero is chasing and not really go into it too much?

In the past when I've tried something like this, I often end up with very info-dumpy dialogue that goes on for pages and pages and sounds terribly silly....

MClark:
Using dialogue as info dump can come across as "As you know, Bob..." type phrases, so be careful.

Dresdenus Prime:
This is actually a great question when it comes to my "out of country" story, where my characters are most likely american but taken to possibly china as of now. How do I explain the settings in detail, especially for them who have never been there, without making it too descriptive so that it's boring to the reader?

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