: Re: Do novels that are set in not-so-famous countries sell less? By not-so-famous countries I mean those you don't usually find in novels, movies, TV, magazines, etc. One example is Chile (the place

@Hamaas631

Vote Up Vote Down

To John's point, Fantasy and Sci-fi usually take place on made up worlds. Other novels take place anywhere from big cities like Hong Kong, New York, London, Toronto or small cities, sometimes in well known places and sometimes in "exotic" locations (what is exotic depends on your audience).

I think when you base a story in a lesser known environment relative to the audience you are targeting, you have a responsibility of painting a clearer picture for them as to local culture and feel. To base a story somewhere that a reader is likely unfamiliar, but to make it "yet another standard city with nothing different" is kind of a waste in my opinion.

So if you used Taiwan (which, for example, anyone I know is well aware it is a "Rogue Status" province, making it both a country and not a country, and some of us are aware that some of those who fled Mao in the revolution went there, and no I have no Asian heritage), I would recommend you take 'informing the reader' of some of these elements so that you can be certain of what they know, and so that you can leverage it. For example, by painting some of this story, you could then have a family that is split between those who think Taiwan really should rejoin China fully, and those who believe that it should be independent and no longer under China's umbrella.

In the end, it comes down to what are you going to do with the location. I just advise don't set the story somewhere really interesting, and do nothing with that location.

(0)

Login to post a comment!