Using real life locations in a story ex: local restaurants

[Writer61]

Even if I have a particular business/branch in mind, I don't feel the need to specify it.

Does mentioning 'the Starbucks on Main Street' rather than 'a coffeshop downtown' improve the story? If the chain matters (it might if there is some comparison to an independent outlet in the story), then why not 'Starbucks downtown'? After all, most readers will not be familiar with the coffee emporia of Whereverville.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Even mentioning a famous person isn't verboten. The issue is in how you portray them.
If that wasn't the case all the celebrity stories would have to come down.

That's true. About the only time I did that was in an essay that gave some nudges to Quentin Tarantino. The main topic was a Margot Robbie movie. But Tarantino has been very open about his foot fetish, and it's been discussed in many sources. I suspect he likes looking edgy. The only thing Lit did was to move it from Celebrities to Reviews and Essays.

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[MelissaBaby]

Even if I have a particular business/branch in mind, I don't feel the need to specify it.

Does mentioning 'the Starbucks on Main Street' rather than 'a coffeshop downtown' improve the story? If the chain matters (it might if there is some comparison to an independent outlet in the story), then why not 'Starbucks downtown'? After all, most readers will not be familiar with the coffee emporia of Wherever.

No, but readers will get a different impression of a character who buys their coffee at Starbucks than of one who picks up a cup at the gas station or at Joe Schmoe's Beanery.

 

[Writer61]

Is that an answer? Should I read a whole story to deduce your point? CBA.

If an exact location matters, then use it. If not, why do so?

 

[MelissaBaby]

That's true. About the only time I did that was in an essay that gave some nudges to Quentin Tarantino. The main topic was a Margot Robbie movie. But Tarantino has been very open about his foot fetish, and it's been discussed in many sources. I suspect he likes looking edgy. The only thing Lit did was to move it from Celebrities to Reviews and Essays.

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Mary Elizabeth Winstead has said that she got her part in Tarantino's Death Proof because she wore open toed shoes to the audition.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Is that an answer? Should I read a whole story to deduce your point? CBA.

If an exact location matters, then use it. If not, why do so?

I thought that was self evident. Small details draw a fuller picture of the character.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

No, but readers will get a different impression of a character who buys their coffee at Starbucks than of one who picks up a cup at the gas station or at Joe Schmoe's Beanery.

Right. The latter would be more intelligent and trustworthy.

 

[Writer61]

I thought that was self evident. Small details draw a fuller picture of the character.

It wasn't.

Yes, small details matter, but does mentioning the specific branch of a particular business add to the character? I can see that a preference for a chain over an independent, or vice versa, does. But what if readers are unfamiliar with the venue?

 

[MelissaBaby]

It wasn't.

Yes, small details matter, but does mentioning the specific branch of a particular business add to the character? I can see that a preference for a chain over an independent, or vice versa, does. But what if readers are unfamiliar with the venue?

I don't believe that using the real name of a local establishment makes much difference (although I've had readers comment at how happy they were to see some particular places mentioned) but I think "generic indie coffeehouse" vs Stabucks definitely does.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

No, but readers will get a different impression of a character who buys their coffee at Starbucks than of one who picks up a cup at the gas station or at Joe Schmoe's Beanery.

I think people underestimate the importance of this. It's one of the reasons I don't like using some fictional alternative to a major chain.
Those kinds of choices convey information about the character.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

It wasn't.

Yes, small details matter, but does mentioning the specific branch of a particular business add to the character? I can see that a preference for a chain over an independent, or vice versa, does. But what if readers are unfamiliar with the venue?

You're always going to have some readers who don't get the reference, but even different chain stores convey a difference. Going to Walmart vs. Target creates a different impression of a character.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

^^ Wall/get (TarMart) is the same store. The only difference is the color of the signs.

 

[Gamblnluck]

Yeah, besides, Winslow AZ is where all the crazy stuff happens.

Well, it did 50 something years ago.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

^^ Wall/get (TarMart) is the same store. The only difference is the color of the signs.

There are very different cultural perceptions of the two. Target is generally considered more upscale, even if only slightly.

But there are probably other examples with a greater variation.

Getting a room at Motel 6, vs. booking a room at a JW Mariott.
A Carnival Cruise vs. Norwegian one.
Flying Spirit Airlines vs. Delta.
First date at Texas Roadhouse vs. Ruth's Chris or Morton's.

 

[Writer61]

You're always going to have some readers who don't get the reference, but even different chain stores convey a difference. Going to Walmart vs. Target creates a different impression of a character.

I get that a different chain can convey a difference in character (at least to those familiar with them), but does it need to be the Target on the corner of Main and East? Don't you have a better way to define the character?

 

[Kelliezgirl]

I get that a different chain can convey a difference in character (at least to those familiar with them), but does it need to be the Target on the corner of Main and East? Don't you have a better way to define the character?

Oh, I agree you don't need a specific store
Unless your tale involves very specific geography for some reason, then just saying they stop at Target is fine.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

But why use Target at all? Why not Bullseye or Red Ball? Or just the local discount department store?

 

[Kelliezgirl]

But why use Target at all? Why not Bullseye or Red Ball? Or just the local discount department store?

Because as a reader I have no idea what Bullseye or Red Ball is.
Is it a nice place, or a cheap ratty discount store? Super upscale?
As a writer I need to provide at least some detail.

And if the expectation is, "everyone will know you mean Target", that's always felt like a cheap knockoff to me. It takes me out of a story.

 

[ChuckWolf]

Most of my stories take place in Sierra Diabla, a formerly puritanical desert city that is in the death grip and control of the various sex-industries.

Never used actual celebs in stories, but some are based on them, but with kinks (two published stories involve pastiches of two different celebrities from the 1970s).

Just find it easier, more creative and less risky.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Mary Elizabeth Winstead has said that she got her part in Tarantino's Death Proof because she wore open toed shoes to the audition.

Ew ew ew.

(Not for the fetish, for bringing it to work. Especially as the boss.)

 

[gunhilltrain]

I don't believe that using the real name of a local establishment makes much difference (although I've had readers comment at how happy they were to see some particular places mentioned) but I think "generic indie coffeehouse" vs Stabucks definitely does.

We've had threads about this exact topic at least three times before (I've lost count). There is always a lot of fretting going on. "Oh, Starbucks is going to sue me, or they'll find Laurel and she'll ban me or whatever . . . " Relax, people, it's not such a big deal.

I wrote a couple of erotic stories about Dr. Phil, of all people, and they bombed big time. Turns out that people dislike him so much that even a fairly low-key satire about him bugged them. There is a story somewhere on here of him accosting women in Central Park (he came all that way for that?) and that story did much better.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Yeah, besides, Winslow AZ is where all the crazy stuff happens.

I've seen that crater; it's impressive. I didn't see any girls in flatbed Fords slowing down to take a look at me. That was no surprise, however.

 

[MelissaBaby]

We've had threads about this exact topic at least three times before (I've lost count). There is always a lot of fretting going on. "Oh, Starbucks is going to sue me, or they'll find Laurel and she'll ban me or whatever . . . " Relax, people, it's not such a big deal.

I wrote a couple of erotic stories about Dr. Phil, of all people, and they bombed big time. Turns out that people dislike him so much that even a fairly low-key satire about him bugged them. There is a story somewhere on here of him accosting women in Central Park (he came all that way for that?) and that story did much better.

Corporations and celebrities are very aware of the "Streisand Effect." They are better off ignoring something like a mention in a Lit story than they are dealing with the potential fallout of trying to take it down and having the story go viral.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Nothing is real.

I'm real, I think. Maybe I'm really in a tub with electrodes attached to me, but the last seventy years haven't revealed the Matrix to me yet. Thus I don't concern myself with it.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Corporations and celebrities are very aware of the "Streisand Effect." They are better off ignoring something like a mention in a Lit story than they are dealing with the potential fallout of trying to take it down and having the story go viral.

Even if that wasn't the case (and I 100% agree it's a consideration for them) if your MMC stops at 7/11 to buy a pack of condoms, meets the FMC at Applebee's and then they go back to a Holiday Inn to make the beast with two backs EVERYTHING you've done is fair use.
There isn't anything legally actionable in that.
I've never understood why people spend hours doing research to get things right in their story then skip to buying condoms at the corner 5/9, eating dinner at Elderberries, then heading back to the Vacation Inn.
It just makes a story sound silly.