Nothing compares to visiting historical sites and locations used in your novels to literally ‘inhale’ the past around you. If you write about locations near to where you live, this is a boon and most convenient, and should not stop you from exploring what your characters would have explored.
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| Thundery skies over the Avebury Circle |
However, we
may write about far away places and if, for any number of reasons [national
lockdown the latest barrier], you are unable to reach those destinations, there
are alternatives. Consider the topography of the location: flora and fauna, how
the land lies, types of trees and animals, weather. Then challenge yourself to
find the same or similar in environments around you.
Stag in a misty forest
You may have
to visit multiple local areas to come into contact with the sounds, sights and
smells of the place you are writing about, but the important aspect here is to
experience the same sensory stimulations.
Lady reclining on a hill in the sunshine
If it is a
hot country, go out on a warm day and notice the difference in temperature on
the skin, how sound travels in a dry atmosphere and how the heat can accentuate
scents. If it is a Scandinavian country find a pine forest and visit on a cold,
damp day to absorb the smell of the foliage and soil and the sound of how the
wind sounds through the pine tops.
Waterfall
These will
not be complete substitutes of actually going to a particular place, but it is
all part of research as a novelist and making the most of what is available to
you. The rest will be added using your imagination and creativity as a writer!
Once upon a time...
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