Hi Victoria, I’ve been following your website for a while and now have a question that I hope you can assist with. I am a writer who lives in Australia. I’ve been told countless times that setting a novel in Australia (or most places outside the US) can mean the death of your novel. Do you think this is true?
That said, the novel I’m working on at the moment has no reason to be set here—the setting can be anywhere. I spent a year in Eugene, Oregon, and have quite an affinity for the place, plus my husband spent most of his life there, so I feel I could definitely set the story there. I would appreciate any thoughts you have about this.
—Cheers, Jo Vraca
I’ve got three words for you, Jo: My Brilliant Career.
What you’re talking about is the regular old horseshit that circulates the industry on a regular basis: “Don’t rock the boat.” Those so-called ‘experts’ aren’t talking about literature. They’re just talking about what they expect will make them a few bucks without taking any giddy, thrilling, heartstopping risks of writing something great.
You know what makes a novel a great novel? A writer with a fresh vision, the commitment to polishing their fiction skills, and a whole lot of stamina. Writing a novel is a mountain of work. If you want to be a writer, you’d better love the work.
You know what makes a novel that drops out of sight before it’s even published? An industry that instructs writers to write formulaic garbage they hope will bandwagon on the success of some successful novel that was written with a fresh vision.
So you’ve got a great story, and you’ve got a fresh and exciting place to set it, someplace that hasn’t necessarily been beaten to an unoriginal cliche but also—fortuitously—isn’t so obscure it would only appeal to readers interested in obscure cultures. You’ve got a zillion wonderful, vivid, telling details to place your reader in your scenes and give them unique and interesting characters to follow around. You’re surrounded by great material. Wow, are you in the catbird seat!
When I lived in Brisbane years ago, my Aussie boyfriend had a real chip on his shoulder about his idea of Americans’ idea of Australia.
“You think we’re all Crocodile Dundee!” he used to complain in high dudgeon.
“You ought to be grateful that guy put you on the map,” I used to say back. (Yeah, we did eventually break up.)
Did Paul Hogan listen to industry pundits: “Do you think my movie will fail if I set it in Australia? Can it only succeed if I put my hero in Florida?”
No, he did not. He said, “I’ve got a great story and a fresh and exciting place to set it, mate. Now all I need’s the commitment and stamina. How bloody lucky am I?”
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The Art & Craft of Story