What have you learnt through research?

[r_j_dando]

The more years that I spend writing, the more research I do for each story. I now find myself cheerfully planning an evening to learn how to play the card game Brag, in order to write a scene where the characters are playing. (I suspect this will involve me sitting down with a selection of - very old - soft toys, and dealing cards out to them as well...and a large pile of pennies for the betting!)

For a previous novel, I learnt how to make fires in wet woods. I also know someone in my writing group who learnt how to ride a horse (and how to fall off one!) so she could write authentically. I would love to do that, and it is definitely going on a wish-list!

What skills or experiences have you learnt in order to make your writing more authentic? What would you like to learn?

 

[AnyaKimlin]

umm looking up gnome porn for one of my stories was interesting lol To be honest I deliberatly write stories that don't require much research. If it requires more than a quick google search I tend not to write it.

With my other stories I use knowledge and research I've already done.

 

[Coragem]

Hmmm, so Guy G Kay always says he spends 1-2 years researching his novels, and that the research is the bit he loves.

Personally, I research a lot because I have to, but I long to get on with the writing -- the part that, for me, really "counts".

Before beginning my novel I did intensive scientific research, focussing on current areas of science development and projecting into the future. I haven't kept up the research since, though as a sci-fi writer I'd like to make scientific research a habit -- i.e., keep up to date with New Scientist, etc.

Aside from that, setting a sci-fi novel on earth has improved my geography a lot, and even my knowledge of languages.

Coragem.

 

[Bowler1]

I prefer to focus on character development and storyline. I do some research, not a lot but enough to add realism. No-one has invented wormhole tech yet so I stay away from flight decks and spaceship engines, that sort of thing.

As the writer, we get to make stuff up, more than half the fun for me.

 

[Abernovo]

I do a fair bit of research, partly because I'm interested anyway, but also because I don't want to be in a Larry Niven position, if I ever did get published (you know, protests from research physicists because he got a couple of calculations wrong in Ringworld).

That said, I try only to do what is necessary. There's no point in boring the reader with which physical rules keep the engines running if it has no bearing on the story. As to the actual question, what have I learnt through research? A reinforcement of the lesson I learnt many years ago and an old aphorism: the more I learn, the more I realise how little I know.

 

[Nik]

I did a LOT of googling to find a suitable cave to base 'P for Pleistocene', and finally had to search out free software that could rip an almost-suitable image from a cave-survey report. Side issues took my browser into leather working forums, plus mining by fire-setting and a bunch of other stuff. For background to the planned sequel, I've had to research the mineralogy of UK's East Coast, down-load old piccies of a coastal 'hurricane hole' and take out a subscription to a popular yachting magazine...

For another story, I've dusted off my rusty BASIC skills and re-worked 'nearby star' data and programs I last played with almost three decades ago...

 

[Toby Frost]

I have two borrowed books somewhere of medieval martial arts, in which two chaps who look like Terry Goodkind and Mick Fleetwood attack each other with quaterstaffs, which was quite unusual.

Other subjects for various stories (all lightly and vaguely researched) have included Alice in Wonderland, (very roughly) spaceship engine design, various military eccentrics from WW2 and the Victorian age, insects, anything by Oliver Postgate, horse care and the work of Leonardo da Vinci. Perhaps the oddest, though, was research into 1950s gay slang. After all, if you are going to include an alien somewhat reminiscent of Kenneth Williams, he has to talk bona.

 

[Warren_Paul]

I think science fiction requires a lot more research than fantasy, but I visited the library and read several books on lifestyle and technology development in 1600s England since that is where my fantasy novel world is based on.

I also studied books on horse riding, sailing and guns, since I wanted to include all of them and have no first hand knowledge. (with the exception of riding a horse once).

Whether those books gave me accurate handling of the topics I'm not 100% sure but I expect my editor/beta readers will point it out soon enough, if they know better.

I studied the books as I wrote though, I would get to a point in the story where I needed more information on how something was done, so I looked it up in the books.

 

[Glitch]

I've learnt how to research by spending time researching!

A carefully crafted search engine query can return a gold mine. A sloppy query will return a junk pile.

And always bookmark, print or copy and past. As finding that piece of gold a second time can be difficult.

 

[r_j_dando]

And always bookmark, print or copy and past. As finding that piece of gold a second time can be difficult.

Oh, entirely! I have sub-folders in my bookmarks list for each story I work on. I'm also keeping track in my Excel Plot Document o' Doom on the 'research & links' tab. I love that the research throws up ideas as well as answers.

 

[Fedos]

I've sort of developed a habit of taking notes as I read fiction. So say if I come across a term that I'm unfamiliar with and its related to certain categories that I have sectioned off in a scrivener document (like sailing, jobs, animals, plants, trees, minerals, etc, etc) I'll just add the definition of said word to my growing list of categories to serve as a springboard into further research.

I haven't actually put this to the the test yet and seen the fruits as it relates to an actual novel property, though I have started writing a myth for my world which will be novel length (actually I realize that I need to slow down on this project and outline it first before I continue). So I guess I'll see how it goes.

 

[Dermit]

You guys are making me feel bad.

When I'm writing fiction, I don't research. Not beyond a tiny bit of nomenclature or geography, anyway. I guess what it comes down to is a sense that if I don't have enough personal experience with a topic to speak on it with authority, I shouldn't try. I'm deathly afraid of showing my ignorance.

I don't think it's ever been a giant problem, though. I'm just vague when writing certain subjects. Like, say, blacksmithing. I know squat about blacksmithing. I could spend hours upon hours researching and maybe learn just enough to get a few elementary aspects in the proper order, and then go on to give a play by play in my story. It might read fine.

Or I could just say, "He made a sword."

Of course I can see the necessity, for some things. And there are times when I've been reading a sff/f story and been really glad the author knew his stuff and did his homework. Seeing all the cool stuff you guys have learned in the process of working on your own stuff has made me a little jealous, honestly. Maybe I'm doing it wrong

I guess the point of my post is this: I'm lazy!

And I'm glad you guys aren't

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I can't even begin to list all the things I've learned from research over the years. Aside from the whole question of providing authenticity and avoiding the kind of mistakes that will ruin the book for people who know much more about whatever it is than I do, I find that research is a wonderful way to turn up new ideas and opportunities, so I'm not limited to my first ideas.

I know some people think of it as a huge burden that prevents them from getting down to the real business of writing, but I find it liberating.

Like so many other things in life, I think it's a matter of how you look at it and how you approach it.

 

[The Ace]

How it feels to do a route march in chainmail.

 

[Flugel Meister]

I usually rely on experience, knowledge or imagination. Any research that I do is usually for the descriptive process only, utilising photographs or second-hand information.

 

[Glen]

After all, if you are going to include an alien somewhat reminiscent of Kenneth Williams, he has to talk bona.

Infamy! Infamy!...They've all got it in...for...me!

I like to research about how the characters tick...beyond that it's all sci-fi so I can make it up as I go along...[light blue touch paper and retire]

 

[Mouse]

What've I learnt? Hmm...

Embalming? (Thanks, Perp )

I think that's it really. Anything I've learnt for anything older has been forgotten. I've got a terrible memory. I can't even remember what I was going to comment here. It was definitely something other than embalming.

 

[Gumboot]

I can't even begin to list all the things I've learned from research over the years. Aside from the whole question of providing authenticity and avoiding the kind of mistakes that will ruin the book for people who know much more about whatever it is than I do, I find that research is a wonderful way to turn up new ideas and opportunities, so I'm not limited to my first ideas.

I know some people think of it as a huge burden that prevents them from getting down to the real business of writing, but I find it liberating.

Like so many other things in life, I think it's a matter of how you look at it and how you approach it.

This.

Some of the more practical things I've done that may not have been purposefully for my writing, but which have nonetheless enhanced it are:

Medieval sword fighting
Wushu
Passing an army officer selection course
Nearly dying on a hike (long story)
White water rafting
Flying a light aircraft

My writing is all about realism, so research is absolutely essential. It's pretty crazy the diverse range of topics you'll look into when creating a fantasy world; everything from plate tectonics to linguistics to heraldry to military history to biology to chemistry... on and on and on the list goes.

 

[Brian G Turner]

As I'm writing mediaeval fantasy, I do as much research across the ancient world to middle ages. To me, authenticity is everything - simple little details that will appear seemingly in passing in a story, yet make it all the more real through their richness.

To me detail is everything, and if you don;t research something of what you're writing about, then it will ultimately show.

Books and TV documentaries are a great way to learn things, but re-enactment days are very accessible in the UK, not least through English Heritage. Definitely recommend joining for a year and visiting event days, and ancient monuments in general, if writing fantasy. There's nothing like being there to give you a sense of detail, and reading to provide context and extra richness.

IMO.

 

[r_j_dando]

There's nothing like being there to give you a sense of detail, and reading to provide context and extra richness.

I completely agree! Not entirely the same, but I did a lot of LRP (live action roleplay) events in the UK, and doing moonlit hikes in full kit with swords and armour, with various creatures howling in the woods around you...it's definitely a life experience! Likewise, sleeping rough by campfires on a pile of furs, and cooking over an open fire - all brilliant experience for the fantasy novelist...