Write a basic story idea and then adapt it to a specific setting that you like. Like, think about a basic kidnapping story. Okay, so your hero has to get someone back, but what if it's set in a "sword and sorcery" type setting? Or what if it's set in East Berlin in the 1980s? You know, think simple first. Get a good story down, and the setting should only be used to enhance the plot or to move it along. Don't let the environment be the focus of your novel.
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Cold War era Berlin is a grossly underutilized setting and it really irks me. That was about as close to the frontlines as you could get (without getting involved in proxy wars). I'm travelling to Germany this fall with a buddy for a much needed getaway and aim to spend a fair amount of time in Berlin doing "research" so I can write such a story. If you haven't seen the movie "The Debt" I'd highly highly reccommend it. It takes place in Cold War Berlin and is about the Israeli Mossad task force assigned to hunt down an infamous [url=http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin%27s_law]-godwinslaw!-[/url] war criminal (a doctor, I think). If you like films with layers then it'd be right up your alley, and even if not, you should still check it out. It's a fantastic film. But, man I really miss the great creative writing group we had here a few years back. Any good ones still around? I remember this one story someone on here called "Eeyore Snaps." It's basically Winnie the Pooh meets Kill Bill. I've still got a copy of it on my computer, and would really like to know who wrote it because I hate sharing things like that with people and not being able to give credit to the author.
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Edited by defenderofgo: 6/24/2014 7:52:32 PMI'll check it out! I'll give you a movie recommendation too, set in Cold War Berlin as well. It's called "The Lives of Others," and it concerns the wiretapping and surveillance that happened back then. As for writing groups, I only was participating in the Writers Corner, but I'm not sure if it's that active anymore.