Copy and print off this form and use it to help create a realistic background for your stories - when writing you don't need to describe your background in detail, but if you see a place clearly in your own mind, hear the sounds, smell the smells, that reality will come through in your writing.

Date/Time/Season of Visit

 

City/Town Name

 

County:

 

Area (North, South etc.)

 

Community’s Population

 

County Population

 

Form of Government

 

 

 

Location of City hall or Seat of Government

 

 

Impressions: Three words to describe first impressions (friendly, fast paced, sleepy community etc.)

 

General Attitude of Citizens (friendly, snobbish etc.)

 

 

 

How would you describe town’s populace (Old timers who sit on benches, Yuppies, Blue Collar, Well Educated, Minorities. Mention all groups noticed

 

Sensory Impressions . Odours you detected in the air (note time of day detected)

 

 

Sky and Air Quality (Overcast – is this typical during this season? Smoggy, foggy, clouds – What kind? Clear?)

 

If weather affected your skin, note how

 

 

Weather on day you visited (Temperature, direction of wind, velocity)

 

 

The Area’s unique climate conditions (Electrical Storms, Hurricanes, ice

storms etc.)

 

 

Foods unique to the area and your reactions to these

 

 

 

Sounds you noticed (testing of jet engines, freight trains rumbling, sonic booms,

plant whistles etc.)

 

Other sensory information unique to the area

 

 

 

Physical Features. Predominant geographical features (Mountains, buttes, mesas, lakes, rivers, canyons, etc. noting specific names if these have been utilized as recreational areas.)

 

Layout of Community (Town square, streets intersecting at right angles mainly, streets radiating like spokes from a central point, as in Washington D.C.)

 

Street Surfaces (Note differences and where)

 

 

 

Predominant Architectural Forms (Victorian, A-Frames, adobe huts, high rise apartments. Note types for different socio-economic groups)

 

Predominant landmarks/ statues, noting materials of

man made structures.

 

 

 

Shopping Centres

 

 

 

Local Amusements (Parks, tourist attractions, noting

locations)

 

 

Nearby Communities

 

 

 

Public Transportation & name/location of terminals/airports etc.

 

 

Flora Fauna etc

 

 

 

 

 

Soil type/ texture/ colour

 

 

 

Types of trees (note if in bloom)

 

 

 

Flowers (same info, note colours)

 

 

 

Observation about animals

 

 

 

Common local birds/fish/insects

 

 

 

Speech Patterns & Misc

 

 

 

Note unusual speech patterns, including age & socio-economic group of speakers

 

 

Gathering places for local citizens, including old timers and young people

 

 

Local residents are proud of what aspects of this community?

 

 

Names of local newspapers/magazines, including contact persons for each

 

Local Booksellers

 

Local book distributor

 

Community Festivals/fairs/celebrations

 

 

 

Names of friends you made during your visit (with phone numbers/addresses) you may wish to consult later

 

Kind of energy utility (natural gas, electricity etc.)

 

 

 

 

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