Stuck on a location for the main plot scene.

Hi, kayg,

To me, location is crucial - because if that's not in place I'm not visualizing the scene, and it's not working on any level.

It's tricky to help much without knowing more about the kind of murder - and indeed about the man who witnesses it. Without those things it's hard to know what would be credible. Is it a stabbing /shooting /poisoning / faked accident or what? Is it a 'hit' or a personal thing? Is the victim/murderer of the same sex as the witness? etc etc Most of all, what impact do you want it to have? Adrenaline-pumping physical danger? Atmospheric menace? Gory and shocking? Horrific for the witness because he's emotionally involved and knows the people? All these things make a difference.

The only general point I can make is that personally I'd like to use somewhere that hasn't been done over and over again in books and films - so I'd avoid anywhere obviously 'scary'. Bright light can be just as menacing as darkness, especially fluorescents. Domestic and normal can be more alarming than strange and weird because the reader can relate to it.

I'm sorry not to be more helpful. Give us a bit more of a clue and I'll try harder!

Location usually says a lot about the murder.

Was the person killed in a familiar place? His home? Work? Club?

Was the person killed in a place not usually associated with him? He might be hiding a secret or leading a double life.

Was the person killed in a neutral place? Did somebody lure him there?

My first thought would be through a window into someone's house at night.

The reason being that people don't always realize how much of a fishbowl their house becomes when the curtains are open and the lights are on.

Even just driving around at night from the street you get really detailed and unique views into people's living rooms. I always like to see what kind of art work they have on their walls, what they have on TV. What kinds of knick knacks etc. they have. You can see more than I think people are aware of. Anyway--seems like an opportunity for someone to act hastily.

Sorry if that makes me sound like a voyeur or something. But it's true. (not true that I am a voyeur...true that people don't realize they are in a fishbowl)

Er... that's still not a lot of info!

But just to chuck in some random things (which may not fit your characters' sex, age, profession, or anything else!)

Avoid forests and alleyways (both cliches). Avoid gas stations, car parks and public lavatories for the same reason.

If you want different, there's:

An indoor fish market (yes, they work all night and are very nasty)
A speed-dating venue
An ice rink
A gym

If you want familiar, there's:

The witness's own house or garden
Street or garden where witness has sneaked out for furtive cigarette
A brightly lit all-night supermarket
The 'coats' bedroom at a party (I've always wanted to do a scene where the last person retrieves their coat and there's a body underneath)

If nothing else, these may help you narrow down what you don't want! The best idea will be the one you've come up with yourself, because it's one that gets the juices flowing.

You don't get to decide on where the murder takes place...the murderer does. Where does he/she want to commit it?

If it's planned and the vistim is taken to the site, then where do they think is safe enough to kill someone. It's probably somewhere they feel comfortable and have a good knowledge of. They'll know their escape route already, or it might be somewhere they think no-one will know them, or even see them so they feel anonymous.

If it's impulsive then the victim might choose the location. It will be somewhere they are, might be a nightclub or a pub, or on the route between the pub and their home.

If it's random horror/supernatural/slasher then the sky's the limit.

You might be finding it hard to settle on a llocation becuase none of them suit the character of your murderer. Don't try to find reasons to put them somewhere they wouldn't be just because you like it, figure out where he/she'd would do it and set it there.....or for added fun figure out where you'd do it if you wanted to get away with it!!

Craig

I have a Toyota Prius. When it is operating on the electric motor we owners call it stealth mode because it's so quiet. I've often thought about how you could sneak up on someone while driving that car.
Why not put you witness in a Prius and have him stumble upon the murder scene, a residential driveway, a parking lot or garage, a country lane, anywhere that afforded privacy for the act, but allowed for vehicular traffic. The murderer would see the driver and could get the license plate number too.