Coming at you From Sydney, Australia

Sydney, Australia is extremely impressive--definitely a world class city.  I've been shown around the city by my son and daughter-in-law, driven through a park in the heart of the city that is as large or larger than Central Park in New York and taken in the never-ending stores and shops plus the beautiful waterways. Experience is a treasure when it comes to placing people in places or writing about characters who have come from different places. When traveling, make sure to take notes of anything that is unique or particular to an area. You never know when you'll have an opportunity to use it. You can rest assured that something Australian will enter into a future project for me.

It is the use of "insider" things that make some scenes just pop off the page. Right now I'm working on a manuscript that takes place in 1980 in England, with lots of memories from my very first trip to Europe. These are things I wouldn't have picked up from reading tourist brochures or books by others situated in these villages. It is the memory of your own reaction upon encountering things that are not typical for you.

If you're not a traveler, no problem. Use your own experiences centered around local traditions or locations. If you're writing about places you've never been, be sure to talk to people who either lived there or have been there.