Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Examples of Fictional Cities
• Method 2 of 3: The Basics of Creating a Fictional City
• Method 3 of 3: Features of a fictional city

Writing about a city that doesn't exist can be challenging and fun at the same time. We all know that a real city is a piece of land where people live, however, to create a fictional city, you will need to be creative and think through everything to the smallest detail, and then your city will become convincing.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Examples of Fictional Cities

1. 1 Read books about fictional cities. To better understand how to describe a non-existent city, you should read books where there are such cities. Non-existent cities are often an important part of the fictional world in a novel or story, and very often they complement or emphasize characters and events in a literary work. Below are some examples:
   • The fictional city of Basin City (Sin City) in Frank Miller's Sin City
   • The fictional city of King's Landing in George Martin's Game of Thrones
   • The fictional city of Oz (Emerald City) in Frank Baum's "The Wizard of the Emerald City"
   • The defunct city of Shire in The Hobbit by John Ronald Ruel Tolkien
2. 2 Analyze examples. After reading books that contain fictional cities, think about how the author managed to create a realistic city. This will help you figure out how to describe cities.
   • Quite often the cities described in the book are mapped either by the author or by the illustrator. Study the maps and pay attention to the smallest details. For example, on the map in The Hobbit, key places, buildings, and landmarks are labeled in the language used in the novel.
   • Study the names of the districts or streets on the map. These titles can go a long way as they can symbolize certain aspects of the world in a novel. For example, Sin City in Frank Miller's comics is a place where not the most respectable people live.This name says a lot about the city and what to expect from its inhabitants.
   • Pay attention to how the author describes the city. Does he use specific words that characterize the city? In Game of Thrones by Jord Martin, for example, King's Landing is described as a foul smelling city, but also as the seat of a throne. This creates an interesting contrast.
3. 3 Know the pros and cons of creating a fictional city instead of describing an existing one. It may seem like using a real city is easier, but a fictional city will allow you to turn to your imagination and take advantage of all the possibilities of fiction. Your characters will need a place to work and socialize, and if you create your own city, you can mix parts of different real-life places in it.
   • A fictional city will allow you to take elements of a real place that you know very well (for example, your hometown), and modify them so that the city becomes fictional. If you really like a place in the city and you are well oriented there, use what you know, slightly changing the details.
   • Creating a fictional city will develop your writing skills, as the more believable the city is, the more realistic the universe will be in your book. A believable city will make the heroes more alive, as you have the opportunity to adjust the city to the actions and values ​​of the heroes.
4. 4 Try to take a real place as a basis for a fictional city. You can write about a real city (for example, your hometown) and add fictitious details to the description to make the city different. You probably know your hometown well, and it can become a template that you can add to the elements you need for the novel. You can even use landmarks or city districts. Let your imagination run wild and change them. This will make the city seem more real to you.

Method 2 of 3: The Basics of Creating a Fictional City

1. 1 Choose a name for the city. The name is one of the most important components of a fictional city. Your main character and other characters may often repeat the name of the city, or it may be mentioned in descriptions. Come up with a name that makes sense and sounds good.
   • You can choose a simple name that a small town can wear if you want it to be universal. Names like Ivanovo do not tell the reader anything, except that this town is probably located somewhere in a Russian-speaking country and is small in size. Do not use well-known names, as readers will immediately have associations with existing cities.
   • You can use a name that matches the region or area in which the action takes place. If your city is in Germany, it is better to use a German name or a word that could be used as a name. If the city is located in Canada, try to take a real name as a basis and change it slightly.
   • Avoid obvious titles like Hell or Retribution, as the reader will immediately be wary. The use of such names is justified only if the name creates a sharp contrast with what is happening in the city (for example, the nicest people live in a city called Hell).
2. 2 Think over the history of the city. Now that you have a name, you should consider the history of the city. This will make your novel more believable both from the point of view of the characters and from the point of view of the readers. You will need to answer a few key questions:
   • Who founded the city? Perhaps this city was founded by a man who traveled alone. Or was it built over the centuries, starting from ancient times? Think about who could found your city (one person or a group of people).
   • When was the city founded? The answer to this question will help them understand how the city developed. A city founded 100 years ago will have a richer history than a city that appeared only 15 years ago.
   • Why was the city founded? Knowing the answer to this question will make it easier for you to describe the city's past. Perhaps the city was founded by colonialists who sailed to another continent and took the land from the indigenous people. Maybe the city was founded by people who found a free piece of land and built everything themselves. The reasons for the city's existence will allow you to better understand the heroes, as they may have to do with how and why the city was founded.
   • How old is the city? The age of the city is another important factor. The old town may have retained its original layout; the new city may have very few old buildings, and the layout may be experimental.
3. 3 Describe the landscape and climate of the city. Is the city located in the mountains or in the forest? Or maybe this city stands in the middle of the desert, surrounded by sand dunes? A city can be large and modern, with many tall buildings and office skyscrapers, or small with a small population and a couple of large streets. Think about what a person who is in this city for the first time will pay attention to, and what he thinks about the vegetation, soil and landscape.
   • Think about the climate. Is the city hot and humid or dry and cold? The climate also depends on the season. If the story is set in the middle of winter in a fictional city in the north of the country, it can be warm during the day and cold at night.
4. 4 Think about the demographics of the city. Demography refers to the predominant nationality, gender and class division in a city. Even in a fictional city, the composition of the population can be different. Mention demographics to make the city livelier.
   • Think about the racial and ethnic groups in the city. Which groups are prevalent? Do certain ethnic groups live in certain areas of the city? Are there areas in the city where people of certain ethnic groups are not allowed or welcomed?
   • Discuss the class divisions in your city. For example, a middle-class hero lives in one area of ​​a city, while an upper-class hero lives in a more expensive part of the city. Your fictional city may have a class division, and access to some part of the city may be prohibited for everyone except the ruling class.
5. 5 Draw a map of the city. Having a map in front of your eyes can be helpful, and it doesn't matter if you can draw. Make a simple sketch of a map of the city, including all the important landmarks and houses where your heroes live, as well as the places where they work.
   • You can also map elements of the landscape (for example, the mountains that border the city, or the dunes that protect the city from the outside). Try to add as much detail as possible to make the whole universe in your book seem more real.
   • If you have a friend who creates quality illustrations, ask them to help you draw a detailed map. You can draw a map using special online resources. You can work in Photoshop - just paste pictures from the Internet, and you get a map or image of the city.

Method 3 of 3: Features of a fictional city

1. 1 Decide what will make your city unique. Now that you have the foundation, you can start detailing. Think about what will make your city special and interesting for the reader. Perhaps it will be abandoned places or stories of ghosts that inhabit this city. Maybe there are legends in the city, and your heroes discuss them.
   • Decide what your city will be famous for. Maybe the city is known as a trade center or as the birthplace of a popular sports team.
   • Think about what the locals love about this city, as that is what makes the city stand out from the crowd. Where are the most popular spots in the city? What are the locals proud of in the city and what are they ashamed or afraid of?
2. 2 Highlight those characteristics that will be most important in your story. You may want to delve deeper into your fictional world, but it will be important to focus only on the most important details that play a special role in the story.The city should serve as a backdrop for your heroes, and not vice versa. Pick a few key locations in the city and focus on them.
   • For example, your characters spend a lot of time in a private school located in the city center. Think about the small details of the school, from how the school looks and the surrounding area to the layout of the school and the color of the walls.
3. 3 Address all five senses. For the reader to immerse himself in a fictional world, he must smell and hear sounds in the streets. In your descriptions, talk about what the reader can see, hear, touch, taste, and smell.
   • For example, a dirty river passes through the city. Think about how the person smells when they walk past her. Have your characters say something about the strong smell of the water or what the river looks like or what sounds are heard near it.
   • Chances are, your story will have several repetitive locations. Try to use descriptions that involve all five senses in repetitive places, as this will make your story more compelling.
4. 4 Add real-life elements to your city description. Your reader knows that this is fiction, so he will perceive many fictional things completely normal. However, it can be helpful to use real-life elements in the story. So the city will become closer to the reader as the story develops.
   • For example, your heroes are in a busy part of a big city. Perhaps strange creatures and monsters live there, but also there you can find tall buildings, streets and driveways that are quite familiar to everyone. By combining the imagined and the real, you get a more believable world.
5. 5 Place the heroes in the city and make them move. When you begin to better understand your invented city, try to fit heroes into it and see how they interact and move. The city must follow the general narrative line, and the heroes must be able to use the elements of the city that are necessary for the development of the plot.
   • For example, if your hero uses a magical portal in a city for time travel, you should describe this portal in detail in your work. The portal should feel real, and your character should interact with it in a way that makes it interesting to read about it. Thanks to this, the city will strengthen the image of the hero, his goals and desires.
6. 6 Describe the city through the eyes of heroes. One of the hardest things to do is to avoid being too straightforward in words. It may seem that the writer is trying to put his words into the characters, and it sounds strained and unrealistic. To avoid this, make sure that the words of the heroes only suggest what the city might look like.
   • Place the hero in a situation where he needs to walk to some places in the city or do something there. You can also place the hero in a place so that he talks about his perception of this place. This allows you to describe the city through the eyes of the heroes, making the story feel more real and compelling than a simple description.
   • If there are unusual or fantastic elements in the story, the characters should treat them as normal. For example, if a city is located under water, a person who has lived in the city for a long time should not be surprised that in order to visit a neighbor he needs to use a submarine. Try to describe how the hero enters the submarine and programs the route so that it seems like a common thing. This will let the reader know that in your city, submarines are the most common transport, but you don't have to talk about it directly.