30 Days of Writing #14: Map Out Locations?

14) How do you map out locations, if needed? Do you have any to show us?

If it’s an interior space, such as an apartment or a house, I visualize a place I’m familiar with, such as my residence or that of a friend’s–altering details as necessary. If it’s a larger or more fantastic space, I’ll sketch out a map if I don’t have something visual in mind. For exterior spaces, it depends on the story. Brutal Light has Detroit and its suburbs in mind. In a previous iteration of the novel, it was set in Chicago. I had a map on the wall with particular locations marked out, with the idea that I would eventually go to the city and make more detailed notes on what was around. (If that sounds unlikely, well, that’s why I changed the setting to Detroit, near where I live.) For the jungle-setting short story sequence I’m coming up with, I’m going to sketch the exterior locations out, very loosely based on real locations. None to show you just yet, so sorry.