There’s no rule in fiction that says everything – or anything, actually – has to be factually accurate. However, today I’d like to make a case for why you should be careful not to be too loose with details if you set your story in a real place.

I recently read a book that mostly takes place in my hometown. Unfortunately, within two pages the author mentioned a major street in a way that made no sense, causing confusion. I could have let that slip, but then it happened again, and again, and again, each lapse taking a different shape or size – yet each one distracting my focus from the plot. (For example, one scene described a quick cab ride to another town that took about ten minutes, a trip that in real life would take at least an hour, if not more.)

It was clear that the author knew very little about my hometown, which is hardly a crime, but as I read, I couldn’t help but wonder why the author didn’t just do a little bit of fact checking. (By the way, I’m not talking about a tiny little town in the middle of nowhere. Even Google maps would have done the trick.)

My latest book (Wait for the Rain) is set mostly on a tropical island that isn’t real, which meant I didn’t have to worry about any of the above issues. However, a few scenes take place in a Midwestern city I’ve visited but only briefly. To make sure I got everything correct, I consulted with two friends who live in the area. If you find yourself in a similar situation, I suggest you do the same. You want readers to get lost in your story, not fixate on inaccuracies that yank them back to reality.

-Maria

This blog post originally appeared on CreateSpace.com. Reprinted with permission. © 2015 CreateSpace, a DBA of On-Demand Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved.