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New York City

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Veronica:
In my current work-in-progress, my main character moves from Wyoming to New York City... and I've only been to New York once in my life. My lack of experience with New York actually helps for getting the small-town-kid-feeling-lost-in-the-big-city feeling of the story, but I realized as I was writing the first draft that I need help from someone who knows the city for a few of the key details.

MC's dad is a computer consultant who has been telecommuting for years, but decides to move to New York to work in person with his company after his wife (MC's mom) dies. MC resents the fact that he had to leave everything behind "at home" in Wyoming to move to the big city. On his way to his first day of school, he gets turned around in Grand Central Station and takes the wrong train - only to find himself back in 1903, on the Orphan Train from New York City, headed west with a boy who turns out to be his great, great grandfather.

Grand Central is important to the story, as that's where the actual Orphan Trains often started on their trips west from New York City, so my main character has to start his journey there as well. But where (what neighborhood) would his apartment be?  And where would his private school be? He wouldn't live right next to Grand Central, I imagine (right?) - So I'm guessing that he would take a train to Grand Central, where he would have to transfer to the train that's supposed to take him to school (and that's where he accidentally takes the wrong train). Any native New Yorkers willing to help me out with these small, but highly significant details to my WIP?

Thanks so much!!
Veronica Bartles
http://vbartles.com

jeanne k:
I don't know NYC well enough to answer, but regardless of where he goes to school, he could end up at Grand Central Station because he decides to cut school and wants to go somewhere else for the day or because he's hopelessly lost. That would depend on the kid's personality. Either way, it could add an extra layer of adventure/anxiety and you wouldn't have to worry about where he lived.

HaroldU:
I'd suggest a short visit to NYC in order to absorb some real-life details.

But he could live any number of places. If he's in private school, his family must have money. The Upper East Side or Battery Park City are both likely areas, if you want him to live in Manhattan. If you want a neighborhood in another borough, try Brooklyn Heights.

Subway lines, trains that leave from Grand Central, neighborhoods, and private schools all could be researched online, but you really should visit too...

Veronica:
Jeanne - I suppose I could have my character skip school, but that would call for a major personality shift that might change the entire scope of the story. It's an idea to think about...

Harold - I did visit New York once, and I got most of my details for his initial reactions to the city from that visit. I had a second trip planned, hoping to explore the city for the perfect spots to fit into my story... but then my husband got orders (he's in the military), and we're moving from Maryland (where we've been for the past 3 years) to New Mexico. The move is a short-notice thing, and we had to scrap our trip to New York this summer, and I don't know how soon I'll be able to afford to come back for a visit. I'm hoping I'll be able to save up for it before too long...

But as I've worked on this story, I started thinking about when I was in high school, and I picked up a story that was set in my home town. The author got so many things wrong! Little things that only someone who actually lived in the town would know, but that made his fictional version of the town completely unlike the real thing. I was so irritated! I wouldn't want to leave any New Yorkers with that kind of feeling when they read my story, and I realized that even if I was able to visit, as a tourist, I wouldn't really know which neighborhoods would be most likely to be a good choice for their home. I'd hate to pick a neighborhood that I thought had the right feel, only to have every New Yorker who ever reads my story say "that's not even a residential area" or "a wealthy computer programmer wouldn't pick an apartment there. He'd want to live on X street instead."

Really, my main character is only in New York City for a very small part of the story. Most of the story takes place on the Orphan Train in 1903. But I still want to get those details right, if I can.

ruecole:
I've been to NYC once as well and would've been hopelessly lost if I wasn't travelling with a more experienced friend! And Grand Central Station is HUGE! It wouldn't take much to get him lost there either!

What if he got on the wrong train (or the train going in the wrong direction?) in his own neighbourhood that takes him to Grand Central Station where he gets even more lost?

Hope that helps!

Rue

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