Research I Didn't Even Know I Did
I have a new beta reader. She is kick-ass.
A series of complications meant I had 72 hours to review the galleys of Freudian Slip. This weekend. When I am driving 15 hours with shingles and one Demon Baby to visit my parents for 10 days. So I asked Oldest Daughter to beta read it for me for typos and continuity. And she has caught dozens of errors the copy editor missed. Amen for Oldest Daughter.
But the interesting thing is she has expertly asked me about little details. "Is this store really on 5th Avenue?" "Did Einstein really listen to that concerto?"
And in each case, I double-checked because it has been a while since I'd worked on the manuscript, but I did have the details correct. Then I realized with the advent of Google, I do check so many little items that I don't even think about as I'm writing. What concerto pieces were Einstein's favorites? What flagship stores stand next to each other on 5th?
I realized, too, that even if you don't do research-based writing, like this writer who recently spoke to my book group, you have a thousand little details to confirm. (By the way, if you ever get a chance to hear her speak, she was marvelous.)
So how do you do research--all at once before you begin? As you're working in almost-forgotten little items you quickly check? (Obviously, I'm the latter during the process.) Do you take notes? Bookmark items on your computer?
Share your process. WHat are you researching right now? (I'm researching Magickeepers II . . . lots of Edgar Allan Poe background notes in a spiral notebook.)
36 comments:
Shingles? Gosh, that has to truly suck. Cope the best you can - I know the pain can be excruciating at times. :(
My research at the moment consists of the history of Iran, beginning with Persia. Why? My current read for class, "Persepolis" by Marjane Satrapi. Nothing in depth. More of a brush-up so I'll appear somewhat knowledgeable and objective during discussions.
Fun? Yes and no. I'd rather research my own ideas for any one of my Epics. And when that happens, I proceed at a cursory view first, and then when in progress, dig a little deeper until I hit China.
For my current work in submission I traveled to England, Spain, Turkey, the U.S., and of course Germany. Unfortunately the scenes in England, Spain, and Turkey were all cut. I'm going to have trouble turning a profit on this one. Anyway, my point is that I have to GO THERE.
Newbie that I am, I hesitate even to speak - but I will. I am researching immigrant communities in late 19th, early 20th century New York City. I've been there. It was a long time ago - but I think that's okay, considering the period I'm interested in. ;>) Get well soon.
I use goodsearch.com (gives to your chosen charity for your searches) and search as I'm writing. Little bits here and there.
Shingles?!?! You poor dear! Hoping it's a mild case and you are not in much pain.
This is good, LOL! I recently read a book where a vampire was playing Claire de Lune by Debussy in the 1600s (????) on the violin (???????). I hardly ever write authors, and I never write when they get facts wrong, but it took me effort this time, LOL.
I google as I go. :-) I hate it. Although, I spent a solid 6 months doing nothing but research on spies, hours and hours a day. Fascinating. It was a blast. One would really think I'd be able to write a book about them, LOL.
I Tend to do a lot of research at first and then a ton more as I'm writing, even more so when the story changes.
right now I'm researching several things at once. Some for stuff I'm adding to Nameless, and a lot for the two novels I'm beginning in the next month or so.
For the sci-fi I'm busy looking through essays and studies of PK users, as well as collecting photos of feathers, animal skulls, and the lastest fashions from Japan.
For the other, a fantasy, I'm researching the history of the circus, human flight, codes, and ancient gods with wings.
I have an odd synchronicity with researching fiction - odd places and facts I've become intimately familiar with weave themselves into the story sometimes. I don't know if it's just an odd fluke that I happened to have it, or if it's because I've experienced these things that my story takes the turns it does.
Of course there are always odds and ends to check out. In my middle grade, I had the Cubs whole season mapped on calendar pages and even looked up replays of the games for certain dates - who was pitching, what the weather was, etc. It also helped that I was at the game that my character is at in the climax of the novel.
I have a middle grade historical that I've been toying with for the better part of three years. I love the time period and the story line, but it still feels out of my depth to fully realize. I've been reading both fiction and non from the time period and looking up things here and there to try and immerse myself in the place before beginning. The physical location is near enough that I can go there - but it's changed in the last hundred years or so.
So sorry about the Shingles! Luckily Demon Baby is so calm, and will never poke you or brush against you where you have it.
I wrote a mystery years ago, and went to the town hall in Philadelphia to take notes on the architecture and watch a court case. I felt soooo cool and authorish. The guards asked me what I was doing, and I said "research for a book", and they looked at me in awe. Then they all asked if they could be in it!
I'm researching environmental conditions in Colorado in 2065 and trying to decide if I want to set the story another hundred years on.
Shingles sucks. I'm sorry! Have fun with your folks though!
I am researching as I go along - or highlighting areas to double-check on my rewrite. There's quite a bit of cultural anthropology in my book - even thought it's Jewish culture - and I'm Jewish - I'm making sure I have it right and use it in the right way - especially where I intersperse Yiddish words. It's also made me think about heritage and culture in a new way, because the book isn't about me, and how someone else processes those elements in her own life.
I also research names of towns, distances etc. One of my characters is from Nebraska - and I didn't know anything about Nebraska before I made that decision.
Feel better and enjoy your trip!
Kath:
One of my best friends is a B'hai (I know I am putting the apostrophe in the wrong place, but I am too tired to look it up), and worked for the U.N. It's a Persian religion and I know she spent a lot of time studyinhg it with ehr teacher.
E
Stephen:
Considering I usually write contemporary books without too much history, I usually set them places I have been or lived.
E
Sandra:
I will say this . . . I lived in NY, worked in Manhattan . . and the city changes from block to block, vibe to vibe. And even with all I know, plus my dad's long history with the city, once per book, my editors (who all live in NY or work in the city) will spot SOMETHING I get wrong (usually, since I am "directionally challenged" it is walking in the srong direction on a street--heading uptown when where they would be going is downtown). It's a tough city to get right, but definitely . . . research helps.
E
Sarah:
Horrible pain. Really awful thing to have. :-(
And you sound like me--little searches as I go.
E
Spy:
Magickeepers drove me crazy. I had to configure situations in which relics changed hands and had one scene with Jules Verne POST his being shot in the leg by his nephew and post several books . . . meeting Houdini. The timeline was tricky, and in book II, I am creating a timeline just sso I don't have to keep looking up years and birthdate and deathdates.
E
J.T.:
I am going to be glad I am able to say I knew you (even if it's cyberspace) when. The last book--whatever it is--sounds awesome.
E
Merry:
Sounds like Magickeepers, havoing to map it all out.
E
Robin:
He and I are sharing a bed on the road. He kicks all night. LOL!
E
Sex Scenes:
Interesting. Do you do weather projection etc? All imagination or educated guesses?
E
Amy:
Though my dad and his relatives are from Russia, I was surprised at all the cultursal things I learned researching Magickeepers.
E
Hope you're feeling better. And hurray on your daughter catching those errors. Some people just have a fine eye for details.
Great post, very timely. I do a lot of goggle searching, and use at least three sources before I accept the information as true.
Susanne
Erica, I hope you're feeling better. That can't be a fun way to travel.
I tend to research as I go, unless I know upfront there's something I'll need to know. However, today I was on a roll and realized I was describing a currency exchange store that I'm familiar with in Chicago, but I have no idea if they're like that in LA. I forced myself to keep writing because I've had a hard time getting into it and didn't want to tempt myself with the internet.
Oh! And SO COOL that your daughter is rocking the copy edits!
Having your daugher for a beta reader is great! Any research is usually done as I go, if it's a quick check, and after the first draft. Since I write contemporary and use fictious towns, it's not an overwhelming task.
Hope you're feeing much better, E.
My latest work is about angels. So I'm researching them. However since no one's really met an angel I think I have a little leeway on the details.
Shingles? Ouchie!
One year the uncle who played Santa Claus at the family party had shingles. Everyone who sat on his lap got Chicken pox.
The joke in the family is now; What's Santa bringing this year? Measles?
Erica, I gave you an award at my blog. :)
I usually do some research before I begin, if I know I'll be tackling a new topic, but the majority happens as I'm writing. Though I usually end up disconnecting from the internet while I'm writing or else I'll be too tempted to surf instead of write, so I just make a note of what I need to look up and go back to it when I've plugged my router back in.
P.S. I live for the day when I can travel to, say, Italy or Greece, and write it off on my taxes because it's 'research'. I definitely have to start setting my books in exotic places...
I research as I go along. The last time I tried doing a lot of research in the beginning, I had lost interest in my WIP. Right now I'm not researching anything because I'm in the middle of edits. I might go back and confirm a fact or two that looks a bit odd, but that's about it.
Hi Erica,
I hope everything's going well with you and yours. I just dropped in to wish you a Happy Easter.
Oh my gosh I love research! I am a research hound!!!!
I think I start researching first then continue to do so whenever I have a chance to do so. Love research. But my problem is that sometimes I get too lost in the research and get stuck there.
Taking research to ridiculous lengths. My character needs to deal with death. My husband proceeds to scare the crap out of me by nearly dying. "Honey, I didn't need to know that bad!"
Susanne and Melanie:
It was totally cool, indeed. Actually, her writing professor suggested she minor in creative writing. I may ask her permission to post one of her essays on language here, though I doubt she will let me. She thinks I am a MAJOR dork when I want to do things like that. :-)
E
Aimless:
LOL!!! Measles . . . ha . . . oh my.
And I met an angel. Email me some time. I'll tell you all about it. :-)
E
Caryn:
We have a family goal of going to Europe in 2011. I would like to chalk it up to research. :-)
E
Richmond!
No . . . most definitely you didn't need to know that bad!
E
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