I read a cultural history of Saint Petersburg, Russia, that reminded me of how much place influences character. Almost all of my favorite composers, from the 1800s well into the 20th century, were born and/or trained in Saint Petersburg. I was amazed at how many of the 20th century musicians either stayed or returned despite the Bolshevik Revolution and the horrors inflicted on their home. Their work referred to the city in ways I never realized.
That got me thinking about character development. What is it about a place that could lead a character to make decisions about his or her future that are – to my California immigrant way of thinking – illogical? How could I incorporate that backstory into the plot without turning my novel into the sci-fi version of Mitchner’s Hawaii? I don’t have any answers, but perhaps some of you might. Care to share?