"Getting the Setting of Story"

"Researching the story's environment"

By happy accident, I discovered the  way to travel interstate, overseas, inter-culturally  and explore the  ambience of remote towns, cities, country lanes and outback outposts. Air tickets - well that's the ideal, but no, I used Google Earth.

It started with trying to locate a lovely country home in West Hougham, Kent, England by using aerial satellite and 'street view'. It was featured in Country Life for September 7th, 2000, and was the

Inspiration for "The Dolls' House in the Forest"

inspiration for my story "The Dolls' House in the Forest". 

West Hougham, Kent, country road, travelled via Google Maps street view.

I didn't find the house, but I had the most wonderfully inspiring time wandering down country lanes that were little more than wagon tracks, great boughs canopying overhead and wildflowers dotted in the fields...

Now, if I need to capture something of the 'feel' of an area. I seek out an address. Then in I go.

Exploring the Realtor advertisements in the research area gives insight into the lifestyle and inhabitants of the town. Many homes  give a slideshow or even a video tour online.  

Visualising Story

Other ways to 'get in the setting' for free include YouTube clips. This is even a Youtube video clip on West Hougham, Kent. Sadly, it doesn't feature that house...

Other ways to 'get in the setting' for free include Flickr, photographic collections held in State Libraries and on places like Pinterest. For historical setting, try online Heritage listings and databases for Australia and UK.

An example of other useful research sites  for historic buildings in Australia -

Federation style dwellings   

International settings - the virtual tour

Aside from a drop in to street level via Google Earth, many online sites feature virtual tours of historic settings, buildings, rambles around towns, cities and country areas. A few examples -

Castles -

Eilean Donan, the iconic Scottish Castle on Youtube Clips.

Neuschwanstein - site tour;

International Cities

A walk around Paris by video [not signposted but a good  overview of  everyday life on Paris streets];

Whatever the historic building or the town, you are quite likely to find a youtube clip or at least flicker photos, then there is always Google Earth! Have fun!

FULL ARTICLE

http://jrpoulter.wordpress.com/2012/05/20/researching-the-environment-of-story/