Popular history: which city or region gives your the most inspiration?

Irene Eng

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I know most comrades are far more talented on this site who write fiction so I'm wondering if there is a particular city/local (cities/places) that inspire you more than anywhere else. Where it is and what it does to you?

I didn't land in New York first. The places I visited prior bored me ... :Ssh:

Happy thinking reckoning on this weekend :pinata
 
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Chris P

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I tend to be inspired by places I know well, although I try not to be too local. I've lived in the Midwest, the Deep South, Uganda and now DC, so I have lots to work with.
 

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They're mostly places I know well (NE Queensland, SW Victoria), because I'm inspired by the landscapes. But I am also keen on locations that are less familiar to me, such as Tasmania and SW Western Australia. Not a huge fan of writing about cities, although I read about 'em.
 

FlyBird

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I'd say it's Beijing where I grew up and places in Europe where I lived and traveled when I was young. I live in a beautiful area with breathtaking views of mountains, rolling hills and gorgeous landscaping, but reality tend not to inspire me, rather it is the distant past that seems to occupy my imagination. The noisy streets of Beijing, the rocky beaches of Wales, the glimmering Adriatic sea, the tranquil German countryside, these tend to sneak into my writing.
 

Irene Eng

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They're mostly places I know well (NE Queensland, SW Victoria), because I'm inspired by the landscapes. But I am also keen on locations that are less familiar to me, such as Tasmania and SW Western Australia. Not a huge fan of writing about cities, although I read about 'em.

Tasmania .. love to go there. Actually I've never been to Australia - the Open is coming soon - so every year while watching the hot tennis, I'll say ... ok that's my next trip. :)
 

Irene Eng

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I'd say it's Beijing where I grew up and places in Europe where I lived and traveled when I was young. I live in a beautiful area with breathtaking views of mountains, rolling hills and gorgeous landscaping, but reality tend not to inspire me, rather it is the distant past that seems to occupy my imagination. The noisy streets of Beijing, the rocky beaches of Wales, the glimmering Adriatic sea, the tranquil German countryside, these tend to sneak into my writing.

Beijing ... :Trophy:
Oddly I like Germany a lot and lived in Frankfurt for nearly two years. :Trophy:
 

Nitaa

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The city which inspires me the most is Mumbai. I don't live there now but used to visit regularly when I was a kid and as an adult lived there for some years. The most inspiring thing about that city is that it has a strong spirit and it is very cosmopolitian in nature. People there are busy bees, always striving for something beyond their reach. It is a melting pot of all the cultures of India and the diversity there is amazing. It is like a mini-India and if you are an Indian writer hunting for stories then you need not look anywhere else. My first murder mystery is set in Mumbai, in a building where people from all cultures and backgrounds live. Generally speaking, what inspires me the most are people. I find people more inspiring than the setting. I know a lot of advice is given regarding setting, but delving into people's minds is what I love doing best.
 

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I love Budapest and Prague, personally. Ever since visiting... ugh. That scenery. Very inspirational.
 

mccardey

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I love Budapest and Prague, personally. Ever since visiting... ugh. That scenery. Very inspirational.
+1 for Prague gorgeousness. Malaysia for it's glorious humidity and dark, dark nights.
 
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Auteur

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Southern NY State, since that's where I grew up. I also lived in Texas for a while and now live in Colorado. Those areas will probably influence upcoming novels.
 
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ap123

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All my manuscripts, regardless of genre, characters, or time period, are variations on love-hate letters to New York. :D

yeah, NYer, born and raised.
 
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DanielSTJ

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I'm inspired by Europe. I've never been, which is why it always hold a sort of eloquent mystique for me.

I hope to change that once I get a steady job and can vacation! :D
 

SAWeiner

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My writing so far takes place in my hometown of NYC. I've enjoyed travelling around the world, but have yet to integrate it much in my creations. Still, I've thought that a thriller taking place in Catalonia entitled Bienvenguts could hit the mark. That word is actually how you say "welcome" in Catalan, but sounds kind of sinister in English.
 

Siri Kirpal

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Sat Nam! (Literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

I moved into fiction after tackling non-fic, and I find it easiest to write about very specific places I've been: the Sikh Gurdwara in Espanola NM and its mural that includes Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Sanctuary in Chimayo NM, the Chinese restaurant in Salem OR (now defunct, sadly) that boasted a two story Buddha Bodai in the lobby.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal
 

Albdantesque

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I write about places I've never been, never seen, but NYC made me a writer... although I lived only two years there and wanted to disappear from there :)
 

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Jumping in kind of late here, but for me it's the natural beauty of British Columbia, Canada! Not just the coast/Vancouver Island area--also the interior. I love that the province has so much diversity of landscape, all of which is beautiful.
 

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The city which inspires me the most is Mumbai.an the setting. .
I know Mumbai , and I agree . It is an amazing place . The entire metropolitan area of Mumbai has a population of almost 19 million, it hard to imagine how big it is.
However ,I was born in London , London is the place for me .
 
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Matchu

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Sussex, the soft, rare beauty, delicate, so unlike Dartmoor or Yorkshire with their granite. Sussex, wild flower, meadow, spitfire feminine. Alluring pull of a leap from Beachy Head.

[I'm not jumping, impression only]
 

bachaterobx

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I know most comrades are far more talented on this site who write fiction so I'm wondering if there is a particular city/local (cities/places) that inspire you more than anywhere else. Where it is and what it does to you?

I didn't land in New York first. The places I visited prior bored me ... :Ssh:

Happy thinking reckoning on this weekend :pinata
I feel like I carry a lot of the feelings inspired by places I've visited around in my body, and my senses, and those sensations go with certain themes and so connect to my writing. I've written a lot about the Bronx, where I'm from, which has such a rich history of different cultures that are here or have passed through, sometimes co-existing, sometimes butting heads; also the Dominican Republic, where I spent a lot of time. In the case of D.R. it's definitely the sensations--the cool air in the morning before another hot day, the dust from unpaved streets, the smells. All that associated with the social movements, the politics, the way people talk and how things look and feel in the streets. On the other hand, Europe, and particularly Britain, inspire a strong identification in me even though I haven't spent much time there. I feel like it's from
My writing so far takes place in my hometown of NYC. I've enjoyed travelling around the world, but have yet to integrate it much in my creations. Still, I've thought that a thriller taking place in Catalonia entitled Bienvenguts could hit the mark. That word is actually how you say "welcome" in Catalan, but sounds kind of sinister in English.
I find I write most about New York, because it's inspiring and also because I know it. I don't have to do so much research here!