Post by account_disabled on Dec 28, 2023 2:05:05 GMT -5
Every time I read a novel, whether by an author I know or one I read for the first time, I am immediately struck by the setting of the story . Invariably the novel is set in the author's country. Salgari and Verne are exceptions. As I write this article I am finishing The Razor's Edge by William Somerset Maugham (1874-1965), British writer born in Paris. In fact, the action largely takes place in that city. First I read Hearts in Atlantis by Stephen King, set in the USA. Before that, Smoke Bellew by Jack London, set in the Klondike, where London lived and worked as a gold prospector. But Salgari and Verne are exceptions. I can't write stories set in Italy – although I rarely have.
I always want to go far. One of the latest Special Data stories published on the blog, “ The stone that came from heaven ”, is set in Italy in the 80s, far in time, but still far away. And Salgari and Verne are always exceptions. The overused settings in novels Want to know what's boring? When every novel you read is set in New York or London. A user on Writing Forum The question that a guy on that forum asked himself was the same one that I have always asked myself: "Familiar or unknown environment?". The guy is from Melbourne, Australia, and didn't want to set his novel in his country. The reason was the historical-cultural richness of other cities (such as New York and London) compared to his Melbourne.
How much interest could stories set in almost unknown locations arouse on an international level?, he wondered. I think I've only read one novel set in Australia so far, The Last Resort by Nevil Shute (1899-1960), which is also an apocalyptic novel. I've seen a few films set on that continent and generally liked them. For me the story was important, not so much its geographical setting. What about the international interest that could arise from one of our novels? I say that if it tells us well, it's a good thing if we manage to publish it. From here it takes a long time to get an English translation. For those who self-publish, international discourse becomes prohibitive, because having a novel translated costs a lot.
I always want to go far. One of the latest Special Data stories published on the blog, “ The stone that came from heaven ”, is set in Italy in the 80s, far in time, but still far away. And Salgari and Verne are always exceptions. The overused settings in novels Want to know what's boring? When every novel you read is set in New York or London. A user on Writing Forum The question that a guy on that forum asked himself was the same one that I have always asked myself: "Familiar or unknown environment?". The guy is from Melbourne, Australia, and didn't want to set his novel in his country. The reason was the historical-cultural richness of other cities (such as New York and London) compared to his Melbourne.
How much interest could stories set in almost unknown locations arouse on an international level?, he wondered. I think I've only read one novel set in Australia so far, The Last Resort by Nevil Shute (1899-1960), which is also an apocalyptic novel. I've seen a few films set on that continent and generally liked them. For me the story was important, not so much its geographical setting. What about the international interest that could arise from one of our novels? I say that if it tells us well, it's a good thing if we manage to publish it. From here it takes a long time to get an English translation. For those who self-publish, international discourse becomes prohibitive, because having a novel translated costs a lot.