Small-Town America...in Nebraska? (York, Bassett: high school, place to live, moving)

[Sandhills Guru]

Originally Posted by stotan88

alright, so i was in the rpocess of writing my "proposal"...and i wanted to include a small plot-summary as well...and then i realized something :S

my novel isn't going to portray the town in the best light. i mean it's going to make sure the reader knows its a pretty town, friendly folk and all, but they are reluctant for change and for newcomers...which is part of my plot. i wasn't sure that they would like that, if I was to portray their town as "cliquy" (correct spelling?) or as a place for lots of gossip and unkindness in the end...

...what do you think?

My novel isn't going to portray the town in the best of light. Then what is that?

You say this is fiction, then keep the whole thing fiction, the town the area. Like my last and final response to you. If your book is truly as you are now protraying it to be, it could be located anywhere in agricultural community or ranch community across the US or Canada. Let your readers decide on their own the location.

Besides you got the wrong town, you stop by the gas pumps along the highway with non resident plates. I am willing to bet if anyone else is gasing up you are going to hear, "Howdy, how you doin?" "Gonna be in the area long?" "You have a good day" along with many other greetings. The same up town at the local watering hole or the motel next door. You might find yourself driving one of the back roads in the area and there aren't many or the main highway. I bet 9times out of 10 the vehicles you meet will over you a friendly wave. Or perhaps you are pulled over along side the road with car troubles or whatever. You will find the first pick up truck that comes along stopping to see if they can lend you a hand. Stop in the grocery store uptown, your not a familiar face, they will welcome you, help you find what you need and carry the smallest sack out to the car for you. Wishing you the best all the time. You will find we stick together in time of need, when a tornado struck not too long ago north up along the Niobrara River, folks you never knew before were out there to help, why, because it was the right thing to do.

Thats Rock Co, thats Brown Co, thats KeyaPaha Co, thats Basset, thats Ainsworth, thats Springview, thats Long Pine, thats small town NEBRASKA pretty much where ever you go.

This area of Nebraska, in my opinion, does not need any negative publicity be it fiction or whatever.

You think we want to see our youth leave? Do you think that they want to leave? To leave a life style they love and want to continue with, to raise their own families the way they were raised. But the area can't support it, non residents are buying up prime areas for recreation or other purposes which in turn drives up land prices. Sure that should be good for those wanting to sell but not for those who want to expand or get started. These ranches these youth grew up in some cases can't support another family, so expansion is the only option but if you can't afford to expand, what choice is left.

I don't believe that the citizens of any area, not just here, want to see their regions portrayed in what could be considered negatively.

[StealthRabbit]

If you already have your storyline, you would want to keep the whole thing fictional (including the town and people).

You may find the best benefit to go experience a small farm town WITHOUT any 'agenda' / pre-conceived notions. You would have a fresh 'canvas', and your experiences will paint the picture (which may be quite different that you may have expected, and that is GOOD!)

It will be more rich in content for the reader, and an enlightening process for you.
Life throws curve balls; to keep your readers interest and to serve their imagination you will want to keep them engaged, interested, and very surprised.

[Go Ne]

I think its fine he uses a real town, he could include a disclaimer or something if that would satisfy you.

[Sandhills Guru]

Originally Posted by Go Ne

I think its fine he uses a real town, he could include a disclaimer or something if that would satisfy you.

Why, its fiction, keep it fiction, not part of it but all of it. Why make reference at all to a real town if what you are writing doesn't reflect the values of the area or may cause hard feelings to some of the residents by bringing back memories that would be best left alone.

Folks of this area can't help what the economy has dealt them. They can't help it has had a part in making youth who so much want to remain here have to leave to survive.

[stotan88]

Originally Posted by Sandhills Guru

Why, its fiction, keep it fiction, not part of it but all of it. Why make reference at all to a real town if what you are writing doesn't reflect the values of the area or may cause hard feelings to some of the residents by bringing back memories that would be best left alone.

Folks of this area can't help what the economy has dealt them. They can't help it has had a part in making youth who so much want to remain here have to leave to survive.

Listen, I am just a kid writing a book! I don't even know if it will be published at all. I hope to publish it, but even so, I am no Dan Brown or Jane Austen. I'm a university kid who loves to write and I have a very touching story, with a good message and a happy ending, and I intend to complete it. But who knows if it will be published, and, if it does, it will bring no publicity to the area anyways!!

Perhaps I will use a fake town name, perhaps I won't. And I promise you, Sandhills Guru, it's not half as bad as the way you're making it sound. Seriously.

Bassett, in my novel, will be as close to Bassett in real life as possible. But there will be conflict between characters, there has to be for a story to even become a story. Between the son and his father, the son and his friends. It happens. But I'm not writing it in a way to say that Bassett itself is a bad place. Not at ALL! I promise you. But you took this way out of hand, I simply wanted research on this town so i could base my story there, totally innocent and with no intention to cause this argument. I am 19 years old, I am writing a book for my own pleasure, and if I like it enough, I will try to get it published. Trust me, there will BE no publicity because it's the first I've written and I am not even sure if it will be published.

[Sandhills Guru]

You pretty much said it in black and white that it is not going to protray the town in the best light. You wanted info on the area, I gave it to you.



Way out of proportion? No. Good luck with your story that was going to be published but now it isn't. That was going to "not shed the best light on the area" but now is. That is fictional but am going to use town and info that can be gathered about it. That was going to look for publicity via TV/Radio outlets (as stated earlier in this topic) but now isn't going to seek any publicity.

[Go Ne]

Guru, seriously stop stressing him out.

[Sandhills Guru]

Originally Posted by Go Ne

Guru, seriously stop stressing him out.

Don't you worry you little head about it. I just want the story straight. Maybe it is, but in my opinion it wasn't. I took what you might call a bit of offense to him wanting to bring an area I care for very much and shed a not so positive light upon it like what was stated. That's all

[stotan88]

Originally Posted by Sandhills Guru

You pretty much said it in black and white that it is not going to protray the town in the best light. You wanted info on the area, I gave it to you.



Way out of proportion? No. Good luck with your story that was going to be published but now it isn't. That was going to "not shed the best light on the area" but now is. That is fictional but am going to use town and info that can be gathered about it. That was going to look for publicity via TV/Radio outlets (as stated earlier in this topic) but now isn't going to seek any publicity.

A fictional story can take palce in a non-fictional world. think about it..

as well, i never said i'd use that publicity, if i could get it fine, but i'm writing a book, not trying to end up on Time Magazine.

And as for the "not the best light" bit, i said that because it wouldn't make some of the characters who are from Bassett be seen in the best light. My apology for miswording it, but I know a lot more about my story than you.

And I havent really gotten any help from you. You say Bassett is a friendly town where they will help anyone...great! Thats perfect, but there are going to be characters who dont follow that stereotype...cause its FICTION RIGHT!

thank you but no thank you.

[Dave1215]

Stotan88: I think from this thread plus the other 3 or 4 threads that you have been on, I do believe that you are trying to represent small town America in a posititive light - if I understood the story line, it was a character or a person in the town that was having a conflict. That's why I liked your idea - a story about a Nebraska town, the town being presented in a positive light, the character is the conflict.

Then being 19 and a Canadian you don't have any real context to understand that small town in middle America. All of your threads have been your preliminary research into small town middle America life.

From a research perspective, one thing to take away from the last round of discussions is the pride people have in the state, in the region, in the county, and in the town. The region of the Sandhills is very unique in the United States and those folks are some of the hardest workers, most sincere folks you will find - and they want to protect the image of that area. The lifestyle of ranching or small town living can be tough and the young folks might see more opportunity elsewhere... to get the young to return after they leave for college or to draw young families into a small town is tough; however, if they don't draw people back in then the towns die a slow death as the older population dies..

With the above in mind, these towns fight to develop a positive image and they generally do it with only the resources and help from the people there. A towns image is absolutly critical to economic development and economic development is critical to develop a tax base to keep the town healthy and growing.

"You mess with the image you mess with the town."

Stotan88: Its great to see a young person have a passion for something they want to do and an idea of where they want to go - keep up the research - do what you think is right for what you are doing. Your book has an aspect of conflict, so don't be totally suprised when your research uncovers an aspect of conflict.

Keep asking your questions and I'm sure the folks on this forum will keep providing answers - alot of perspectives on this forum but a good cross representation of Nebraska.

Sorry for the long long post, but I wanted to try and give Sandhills Guru my perspective on Stotan88 and also give Stotan88 my perspective on Sandhills Guru. It was a good discussion that should help his research and keep the conversation going - not a conflict that ends his story.