WHERE is another key element in the SETUP of a narrative.
Obviously, even short stories like those found in comic books, have several locations. However, one will be the KEY LOCATION. A Superman story might spend most of the narrative in the large, active city of Metropolis.
We could set scenes in the offices of the Daily Planet, Lex Luthor’s penthouse, a restaurant, an alley, a sewer, a business school for the insane, etc. But all those locations, while offering variety and mood to our tale, will be part of Metropolis. Conversely, we might tell our entire story in that alleyway. That limited location might afford a unique storytelling opportunity.
And even if we had a flashback to Superman taking a Margherita induced siesta at the Fortress Of Solitude, we’d still consider the alley as the KEY LOCATION, or WHERE.
The location requirements of each story will vary according to its needs. A James Bond movie wouldn’t feel complete without the international globe hopping to exotic locales. On the other hand, a Wolverine story might take place entirely in a Canadian forest.
When you’re starting to write your first stories, it is advisable to keep the number of locations to a minimum and keep the complexity of plot fairly simple. Complexity will emerge with experience.
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