On Compelling Realities:
I have often been called a 'knowledgeable' person, because if I don't know something, I dig into it. However, there is a fine line between being 'knowledgeable' and being educated. Many times I have hit walls creating a believable reality due to the fact I have lived a very sheltered (not easy, mind you) existence. I have spent most of my life in a rural Wyoming area.
So my question is; if a writer is ignorant of certain facts, where does one go to make their realities as believable as possible? What resources do writers who don't know use to know? One of the things I like about Dresden is that Mr. Butcher sets a very convincing background in Chicagoland. He conveys a myriad of nuanced details that gives you the distinct impression he's spent a lot of time there. How can I write, say, a murder mystery in New York, if I've never been there before? And have it ring of the nuanced information Mr. butcher presents in Chicago to provide the best read for the audience; particularly those living in Chicago who are in the know. So say, if I try to say the Adirondacks has Redwoods, and they don't, then anyone reading my work in New York knows I've never been there before. (I'm not working on this, but it's a scenario.)
Obviously, one can use field guides for much of the fauna and foliage, but what about actually seeing and knowing the place? What about street locations and buildings associated with them? (I assure you Google Maps isn't the best option; I googled our town and the images are over a decade old. :O)
In other words; what resources have helped many of you when faced with this sometimes seemingly insurmountable dilemmas?
