Internationality galore

bmadsen · Aug 22, 2011

Hey, all!

Gotta question. I'm writing a novel taking place in my country (Costa Rica) but I don't know to what extent should I work on the set, on the ambience that engulfs the character, given that the reader most likely (if I get to be published) won't know about Costa Rica.

So, what level of details would you work with? I'm on the brainstorming stage, and would like to hear your opiniones.

Cheers.

PretzelGirl · Aug 22, 2011

I love reading about places I've never been to! Just because your reader doesn't know anything about Costa Rica, doesn't mean you should avoid giving us the flavour of the place. It won't help you to have a generic, vague setting, so make the most of it.

n3onkn1ght · Aug 22, 2011

You're assuming your audience doesn't know anything about Costa Rica, and you'd probably be right.

But your book can change that.

Enlighten and elucidate readers about your country. Let them know the cultural mileau of what it's like. If you file the serial numbers off, then why bother setting it in Costa Rica? Don't overload readers with details, but work them in in small, easily digestible chunks when appropriate.

Like, for instance, let's say an American tourist says a problem can only be solved by bringing in the air force, but your main character explains Costa Rica has no military.

jimbro · Aug 22, 2011

This is a great opportunity to educate your readers about Costa Rica.

Learning about other places and other people is one of the reasons why people read. Wrapping this in a novel is a great way to do it.

And... Costa Rica does have an Air Force, sort of:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Surveillance_Service

I've been to Cosa Rica and I loved it.

n3onkn1ght · Aug 22, 2011

jimbro said:
And... Costa Rica does have an Air Force, sort of:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Surveillance_Service

Well, I was specifically thinking of Jurassic Park, where the island is firebombed by the Costa Rican Air Force. For all the research that book has, the military capabilities of Costa Rica was not one of Crichton's topics.

dangerousbill · Aug 22, 2011

bmadsen said:
I work on the set, on the ambience that engulfs the character, given that the reader most likely (if I get to be published) won't know about Costa Rica.

People have made careers writing stories that take place in foreign lands. Readers are curious.

On the other hand, you have to be cautious about too much description and turning your story into a travelogue.

Auroch · Aug 23, 2011

I think most people will have a basic idea of what Costa Rica is like. Tropical, hot, Latin, poor (sorry...). So there is no need to write about those parts of your country. The best thing to do is to play on those standard mental images and throw in more cultural information. Pay extra attention to describe things that are done differently in Costa Rica than in other parts of the world. Describe local food. Describe mannerisms. Describe how people live. Just about everything else will be created in the readers mind.

donroc · Aug 23, 2011

I set A Gathering of Vultures mostly on the island of Santa Catarina, Brazil, which a rare few know about in the USA, but well known in Argentina. I think I walked the fine line between travelogue and ambience. The rest is set in Jupiter, Florida, also relatively unknown in thewestern part of the USA, our land of the geographically challenged.

We face the same problems with historical novels too.

backslashbaby · Aug 23, 2011

Try to include what kinds of birds fly overhead if you can fit it in at all

That one got me! So awesome.

And the huge creatures like butterflies and snakes and rats, but that's more of a rainforest thing, so it depends on the story I guess.

Oh, we had a zorro on our roof. That made everyone back home and in San Jose laugh

Y'all have some great wildlife!

jimbro · Aug 23, 2011

n3onkn1ght said:
Well, I was specifically thinking of Jurassic Park, where the island is firebombed by the Costa Rican Air Force. For all the research that book has, the military capabilities of Costa Rica was not one of Crichton's topics.

Yep! I'm actually disappointed Costa Rica got rid of its old prop-driven warbirds...

CACTUSWENDY · Aug 23, 2011

This is perfect to use in the 'showing' parts. Remember that all the senses are important in a story. Smell, taste, touch, seeing, and hearing are great areas to use. You have things that should prove to be exciting to the senses. Just be sure not to make them info dumps or tells. Best wishes.

Jamesaritchie · Aug 23, 2011

Most readers have never been to the setting in any novel. For the writer, it's all the same, be it New York City, Millville, Indiana, or anywhere in Costa Rica.

Forget about the readers. Just describe the area you know well, the way you see it.

bmadsen · Aug 24, 2011

Phew, I leave for a medical congress and look what I find. Thanks a lot, guys! In fact, Costa Rica still doesn't have an Air Force, we consider that to be an Associated Entity, given that the U.S. helps us in dealing with narcs.

I shall take into consideration everything that you have told me. Thanks.

VTwriter · Aug 24, 2011

Part of the fun of reading novels set in exotic locales is that, if the author does it well, the setting is as much of a character as anyone else. The key, as mentioned earlier, is to weave the scenery and cultural fabric into the plot so that it's not an infodump. I'd suggest you read some of the following to see how others have done it well:

Martin Cruz Smith's "Arkady Renko" novels set in Moscow and Russia
John Burdett's "Bangkok" novels set in Thailand
Karen Russell's Swamplandia! set in the Everglades
Ann Patchett's State of Wonder set in the Amazon

GFanthome · Aug 24, 2011

PretzelGirl said:
I love reading about places I've never been to! Just because your reader doesn't know anything about Costa Rica, doesn't mean you should avoid giving us the flavour of the place. It won't help you to have a generic, vague setting, so make the most of it.

Agreed. You also have to assume that maybe some readers HAVE been to Costa Rica. If you've never been to a place as an author, never use it as a setting.

You have to try to appeal to a variety of readers. I like a bit of description of the setting, but not too much so it takes over. You decided on Costa Rica for a reason, so tie in any important descriptive elements to your story.

______________________
One Broken Wing

Snitchcat · Aug 25, 2011

GFanthome said:
If you've never been to a place as an author, never use it as a setting.

I disagree.

There is no 'never do anything' in writing. Plenty of authors have never been to the places they describe, yet, they do the research, run it by the locals, etc., and they build and use what they need to paint the picture they need. And that's the real world settings.

Many authors also have never gone skydiving (yours truly included), but have described it convincingly. Others have never seen snow, nor experienced a blizzard, yet can use that type of weather realistically.

There are more examples.

Also, something else to think about: Historical, Fantasy and SF authors have never travelled to their worlds, either. So, if they've never been, how do they realistically build the world and paint those pictures that readers love so much? Examples: Terry Pratchett, (the late) Robert Jordan, GRR Martin.

bonitakale · Aug 25, 2011

Building on Snitchcat's suggestion, a lot of F&SF authors manage to slide you into their world without ever acknowledging that you're not in it already. From Heinlein (I may have it wrong; I don't own the book, but Heinlein was a master at this)--"came to the table with no hats, heads bare-naked like an animal." He never says, "In this future society, women (at least) wear hats to the table," but you know it. Or, to indicate a society that's short of food, he has a boy who won't let his father clean up after dinner, because ol' Dad tends to let calories go down the chute. "When I scavenge, I scavenge," he says.

Rhea · Aug 25, 2011

I second to Auroch. Also, who are your characters? You can use them to carry the vibe of the country. Also, use the senses, like CactusWendy said. Contrasts, contradicting expectations (one of you characters might be the "All-foreign-places-are-total-waste-of-time-why-on-Earth-did-we-come-here" trope) or, vice versa.
Little details go a long way, if used in surprising circumstanses, or when introducing them as a common fact.
It's the exotic that make people's eyes glare, and you can find exotic everywhere, especially in a tropical country.

bmadsen · Aug 25, 2011

Well, the book originated in Costa Rica because there wasn't a way I could match the story with another country of those that I have visited and still feel I actually did a good job.

I do feel that one can talk about another country without visiting it, but it does become a much bigger challenge.

Internationality galore

bmadsen

I hate mayo

PretzelGirl

n3onkn1ght

jimbro

n3onkn1ght

dangerousbill

Retired Illuminatus

Auroch

donroc

Historicals and Horror rule

backslashbaby

*

jimbro

CACTUSWENDY

An old, sappy, and happy one.

Jamesaritchie

bmadsen

I hate mayo

VTwriter

Hair today, gone tomorrow

GFanthome

At the computer, opening a vein

Snitchcat

Dragon-kitty.

bonitakale

Rhea

Las brujas son sabias

bmadsen

I hate mayo

Internationality galore

I hate mayo

Retired Illuminatus

Historicals and Horror rule

~~~~*~~~~

An old, sappy, and happy one.

I hate mayo

Hair today, gone tomorrow

At the computer, opening a vein

Dragon-kitty.

Las brujas son sabias

I hate mayo

*