Having spent so much time in a fictional world, I prefer to read about the real world.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I have realised just how important it is to readers to feel that fictional stories are based on reality.
The fiction I'm most interested in has lines of reference to the real world.
I was totally absorbed in the real world, the politics, the history, the news, and I just couldn't find my way into the fictional world... When I finally could return to writing the novel, it was in fits and starts.
All fiction relies on the real world in the sense that we all take in the world through our five senses and we accumulate details, consciously or subconsciously. This accumulation of detail can be drawn on when you write fiction.
I make things up for a living. It would be pretty boring to just fictionalize real people.
Real life is far more complicated than fiction.
Fiction is based on reality unless you're a fairytale artist.
Especially, I think, living in any fantasy or science fiction world means really understanding what you're seeing and reading really densely on a level that a lot of people don't bother to read.
Reality always outstrips fiction. Whatever you make up, something more incredible always pops up in real life.
The real world is the fantasy writer's scrapbook. Real history, real geography, real customs and religions are all invaluable sources of guidance and inspiration.