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This week’s writing challenge is for fiction writers, and aimed to help you create more authentic settings for your stories, using a free and easily-accessible tool.

My “guy” and I have been thinking about buying a house this coming Spring. Because of that, we’ve been keeping our eye on the market pretty closely. We’re also both interested in older houses with character as opposed to the cookie-cutter variety, and as such, I was doing some research today on old houses along the east coast to get a feel for that area of the market in a few specific locations.

While looking through some of the listings, I realized that these real estate listing sites could be an extremely valuable resource for fiction writers looking to improve their settings.

So this week, if you’re thinking about starting a new fictional work or just want to brush up your setting descriptions with a bit of authentic detail, take a look at real estate listings (for newer buildings and properties just use a general site like Remax.com; for something older go with a site like OldHouses.com; for something regional, look for a regional real estate agent’s site).

Why are these sites so great for writers:

• You can get a general feel for different building styles
• You can often view further graphic details from interior photos or tours
• They let you see things you may otherwise not be able to research first hand (ex a $10 million estate)
• The descriptions often tell you a little bit about original details, for older buildings
• Real estate sites often help you research nearby locations (great if you’re researching a town)
• These sites will usually have not only homes, but also other types of property available for you to browse, from office buildings to barns to old churches

Related posts:

1. Weekly Writing Challenge: Mix it Up
2. Weekly Writing Challenge: Build a Query List
3. Weekly Writing Challenge: Create a New Revenue Stream
4. Weekly Writing Challenge: Discover New Outlets
5. Weekly Writing Challenge: Make Yourself More Marketable

About the Author: Jennifer Mattern

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Jenn is a professional blogger and freelance business writer. She has worked as a freelance writer since 1999, and has been an active business and niche blogger since 2004. She owns All Freelance Writing as well as several other sites and blogs covering PR, small business, and related topic areas. She is also currently writing a nonfiction book for freelance writers called The Query-Free Freelancer, and is the author of the Web Writer's Guide e-book series.

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