Classics, thrillers, murder mysteries, tales of loss and woe, love and life – fictional stories can range from being realistic to being completely magical. Where do writers get their ideas from and how much do their surroundings impact their imagination?

Dawn.com speaks to Karachi based authors and those who have lived in the city to know how it plays a role in their work. Bina Shah elaborates on Karachi’s shifting landscape, H.M Naqvi speaks on how Karachi sustains him, Maniza Naqvi talks about discovering the city as an adult and Mohmmed Hanif talks about how the city manages to slip into his work.