Yeah I get that. But this is "Caroline the geography student" talking, and not "Caroline the writer" (Caroline the writer is not actually a real person to me. :P). Geographical accuracy is pretty damn important to me. As is generally knowing things. I don't like to pretend to know things I don't. So I'll do ambiguous New York/where ever, but I'm never going to mention real places there because I don't know them. If I could manufacture reasons for them to be in London, or Bergen or Paris or Prague or Dublin or Spieghtstown, then I could do them. I know places there and how big they are and where you can go from there and how. But I can't do that with New York. Or Budapest or where ever. My use of Buenos Aires was problematic enough, because I had to use Google Maps and all that to work out if what I wanted would work. I have to be able to visualise it, and I can't do that if I don't know the place.

So yes, I agree that a good story is more important, or good characterisation. But if I'm going to write a lot about a place, I damn well want to do it properly. :P

Heehee, I can understand that geographical twitch! Ways around it that I can think of are AUs or getting in your head that you're talking about a comics/movie world where reality is suspended, but then if you're writing about something set in a specific place where you want that place to feature, to be detailed as if it were a character almost...yeah, tricky. Especially, for me, when I want it to have a sense of place as well and not just the details. Those times when you can write or read a fic or book where you can feel what it's like to be in a particular place, the atmosphere, I love that.

Yes! I know you would understand! Geographical inaccuracy makes my eye twitch. :P And AUs are a very good way of getting round this. But then I'd go off and make my own map and everything would go downhill from there. :P

If I have the focus on character development or interaction I don't really twitch, but when the place is almost a character itself or a character's background is involved, which invariably brings belonging to a place into the fray...yep, twitch!

...map. Oh for the love of all things, I still have your wizarding US email half replied to in my drafts, don't I? *head desk* I am so much better at comment convos that email convos. Probably the instantaneousness. Bah. Will dash that off now.

Which I why I avoid doing it. :P

Hahaha don't worry. That whole idea sort of ground to a halt, though I am SUPER PROUD of that map. :D I want to fix it up and then make everyone use it. :P (and then one day I will finish that story. Which, funnily enough, will probably end up being about Clint and identity. If I can get it right.)

I've tried it. Research was needed! And it flows far, far easier with British characters or places *grins* or at least places that I've spent some time in.

Well pants, because I just dug that reply out, finished it, and sent it to you :P Stories that are maybe-one-days are fine, I have lots of those lol, but it was a great idea, you should keep it :D

Haha thanks. :) And I am rather attatched to the idea so I'd like to finish it at some point. Just right now I stare at it for ages and then close it. :P