This post originally appeared March 31, 2010.
So I've talked about research and its importance to crafting a vibrant story -- you don't want to make a faux paus like having a fictional doctor prescribe the wrong medication (unless that's part of your plot), for example. Similarly, you don't want to give knowledge to a 17th century natural philosopher that wasn't discovered until well into the 20th century. More important than this, though, is knowing which information to include and which to leave out.
In this manner, one rule and one rule only needs to be considered: What is important to your plot?
You can have books upon books of research on 17th century science or 19th century medicine (I'm almost certain such things exist), but if it's not germane to your story then there's little to no point in including it anywhere within your text. An example from my own writing -- one main character started his life on a farm. I show little to no aspects of farm life in the story, except in the very beginning of the story where he's discovering certain things about himself while doing the farm work. I'm not going to do a lot of research on the proper operation of a Renaissance-era family farm when the farming section of the book is perhaps fifteen to twenty pages out of more than 200. There's no point to communicating that much detail when it doesn't influence the plot.
Similarly, the steam-engine science and biogenetics of my current WiP are at or slightly above basic understanding. That's all the research I need to include in order to craft a vibrant world in the story. I could go into much more detail, and perhaps might now that I think about it, but one of the things I know I'll have to remember is not including details for their own sake. If it's relevant to the plot, then it's included. Otherwise it's left on the proverbial cutting room floor.
What about your own WiPs? What is the most interesting piece of research you've done that wasn't important enough to include in your story?
Showing posts with label Research. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Research. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Deciding What and When to Research
You may remember a post I did awhile back on the importance of research (or not, in which case click the link to read it). To sum up, I said the main reason research was important for a novelist is because it helps fill in the gaps in your personal knowledge when you're writing your story. And believe me, there will be gaps. I'm not saying authors aren't brilliantly smart people, but no one knows everything about everything.
How though do you decide what you need to research? And when do you take care of this?
The second question is actually the easiest one to answer. When you research depends on the type of novelist you are: a panster or a plotter. Many plotters I know do all their research before they write a single word. Harry Harrison, author of Tunnel Through the Deeps, once said he spent 5 years doing part-time research before he wrote a single word of that story. Now, that might seem extreme to you but Harrison crafted a vibrant alternate universe extrapolating out all sorts of different aspects of the world of his story. By contrast, many pantsers will either make something up to fill the void until they research it, or type notes to themselves in the text that amount to ((Research 17th C. women's clothing)) or something similar.
What you research is a bit more detailed of an answer. Only a bit more though, because I can similarly sum up my point in one sentence -- research only those items necessary to your story. If your tale is set in France during the 1600s, then you might need to research the clothing, the language, and some of the society (in among a bunch of other things as well). This is also assuming you're not a PhD who's spent 20 years teaching the history of 17th Century France. If you do happen to be a PhD who's spent 20 years studying the topic that will make up the lion's share of background research on your novel, then congratulations! I can't help you.
If, however, you're like me and don't have a degree in Mechanical Engineering when you're writing a character who happens to have detailed knowledge of steam engines and the inner workings of mechanical apparatuses, well then you've put yourself in a bit of a pickle. But only a little bit, because I can almost guarantee your reader isn't going to want a detailed treatise on the inner workings of every mechanical marvel that exists in your novel. So while your character might know a 3/4-inch pickney flange from a 35mm socket head screwdriver, you don't need to write that little piece of information into your story unless it's integral to the plot.
That little emphasized phrase right there is what's important. If the piece of information is integral to the plot, then research the heck out of it. If, however, is a detail that you can cut and no one notices? Well then don't bother. Assume your story is set in the American Southwest during the latter decades of the 1800s. Now, you've gone into detail about setting, clothing, style of weapon being worn, etc ... all details that you need.
However, you happen to neglect mentioning any of the music that the people of your fictional world played in taverns, at parties, and so on -- and the reason you neglect this is because it's not germane to your story. This means that there's no reason for you to research an entire aspect of society in the American Southwest because it's not something you're going to need to know for your story.
That's my main point with your decision about what to research. If you knowing it gives your story a deeper subtext, or it's integral to the motion of your plot, or including the detail deepens some aspect of your story then by all means research to your heart's content. If, however, it's something that doesn't really do anything for your story then feel free to ignore it.
That's just my opinion though. What do you think?
NOTE: My Ten-Word Novel Contest ends tonight at midnight U.S. Eastern Time. Get those entries in, folks!
How though do you decide what you need to research? And when do you take care of this?
The second question is actually the easiest one to answer. When you research depends on the type of novelist you are: a panster or a plotter. Many plotters I know do all their research before they write a single word. Harry Harrison, author of Tunnel Through the Deeps, once said he spent 5 years doing part-time research before he wrote a single word of that story. Now, that might seem extreme to you but Harrison crafted a vibrant alternate universe extrapolating out all sorts of different aspects of the world of his story. By contrast, many pantsers will either make something up to fill the void until they research it, or type notes to themselves in the text that amount to ((Research 17th C. women's clothing)) or something similar.
What you research is a bit more detailed of an answer. Only a bit more though, because I can similarly sum up my point in one sentence -- research only those items necessary to your story. If your tale is set in France during the 1600s, then you might need to research the clothing, the language, and some of the society (in among a bunch of other things as well). This is also assuming you're not a PhD who's spent 20 years teaching the history of 17th Century France. If you do happen to be a PhD who's spent 20 years studying the topic that will make up the lion's share of background research on your novel, then congratulations! I can't help you.
If, however, you're like me and don't have a degree in Mechanical Engineering when you're writing a character who happens to have detailed knowledge of steam engines and the inner workings of mechanical apparatuses, well then you've put yourself in a bit of a pickle. But only a little bit, because I can almost guarantee your reader isn't going to want a detailed treatise on the inner workings of every mechanical marvel that exists in your novel. So while your character might know a 3/4-inch pickney flange from a 35mm socket head screwdriver, you don't need to write that little piece of information into your story unless it's integral to the plot.
That little emphasized phrase right there is what's important. If the piece of information is integral to the plot, then research the heck out of it. If, however, is a detail that you can cut and no one notices? Well then don't bother. Assume your story is set in the American Southwest during the latter decades of the 1800s. Now, you've gone into detail about setting, clothing, style of weapon being worn, etc ... all details that you need.
However, you happen to neglect mentioning any of the music that the people of your fictional world played in taverns, at parties, and so on -- and the reason you neglect this is because it's not germane to your story. This means that there's no reason for you to research an entire aspect of society in the American Southwest because it's not something you're going to need to know for your story.
That's my main point with your decision about what to research. If you knowing it gives your story a deeper subtext, or it's integral to the motion of your plot, or including the detail deepens some aspect of your story then by all means research to your heart's content. If, however, it's something that doesn't really do anything for your story then feel free to ignore it.
That's just my opinion though. What do you think?
NOTE: My Ten-Word Novel Contest ends tonight at midnight U.S. Eastern Time. Get those entries in, folks!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Details, Details, Details
So I've talked about research and its importance to crafting a vibrant story -- you don't want to make a faux paus like having a fictional doctor prescribe the wrong medication (unless that's part of your plot), for example. Similarly, you don't want to give knowledge to a 17th century natural philosopher that wasn't discovered until well into the 20th century. More important than this, though, is knowing which information to include and which to leave out.
In this manner, one rule and one rule only needs to be considered: What is important to your plot?
You can have books upon books of research on 17th century science or 19th century medicine (I'm almost certain such things exist), but if it's not germane to your story then there's little to no point in including it anywhere within your text. An example from my own writing -- one main character started his life on a farm. I show little to no aspects of farm life in the story, except in the very beginning of the story where he's discovering certain things about himself while doing the farm work. I'm not going to do a lot of research on the proper operation of a Renaissance-era family farm when the farming section of the book is perhaps fifteen to twenty pages out of more than 200. There's no point to communicating that much detail when it doesn't influence the plot.
Similarly, the steam-engine science and biogenetics of my current WiP are at or slightly above basic understanding. That's all the research I need to include in order to craft a vibrant world in the story. I could go into much more detail, and perhaps might now that I think about it, but one of the things I know I'll have to remember is not including details for their own sake. If it's relevant to the plot, then it's included. Otherwise it's left on the proverbial cutting room floor.
What about your own WiPs? What is the most interesting piece of research you've done that wasn't important enough to include in your story?
In this manner, one rule and one rule only needs to be considered: What is important to your plot?
You can have books upon books of research on 17th century science or 19th century medicine (I'm almost certain such things exist), but if it's not germane to your story then there's little to no point in including it anywhere within your text. An example from my own writing -- one main character started his life on a farm. I show little to no aspects of farm life in the story, except in the very beginning of the story where he's discovering certain things about himself while doing the farm work. I'm not going to do a lot of research on the proper operation of a Renaissance-era family farm when the farming section of the book is perhaps fifteen to twenty pages out of more than 200. There's no point to communicating that much detail when it doesn't influence the plot.
Similarly, the steam-engine science and biogenetics of my current WiP are at or slightly above basic understanding. That's all the research I need to include in order to craft a vibrant world in the story. I could go into much more detail, and perhaps might now that I think about it, but one of the things I know I'll have to remember is not including details for their own sake. If it's relevant to the plot, then it's included. Otherwise it's left on the proverbial cutting room floor.
What about your own WiPs? What is the most interesting piece of research you've done that wasn't important enough to include in your story?
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
The Importance of Research
I'm known around these parts as the guy who does mounds of research on seemingly unrelated topics. My favorite list includes the following: Ancient Chinese Weapons, Victorian Social Structure, Weapons of the 18th and 19th Centuries, Steam Engines, Victorian Clothing for Men and Women, Victorian Building Materials, and the logical progression of a thunderstorm. I also instigated a discussion on Twitter about the proper usage of a grappling hook ... but that's not important. The reasoning for why I research these things is simple really, and a powerful truth that any writer should acknowledge.
You Don't Know Everything
Invariably, there will be a part of your novel that the story requires, but you know nothing about. Case in point -- in CALLARION AT NIGHT, there's a scene where Moriah (the MC) is being tortured in a fairly gruesome way. Now, I know very little (read:nothing) about the mechanics of torture, the best feasible kinds of torture for the situation, or really where the best places are to make deep cuts so the subject will bleed without dying.
I do, however, have friends with medical knowledge enough to bounce ideas off of. They'll be able to tell me in enough detail where I'm completely off base or whether I'm spot on. With research, you gain this same ability.
Say your steampunk aeronaut flies a giant balloon across the world. Well that's all fine and dandy, but how does the flying machine actually work? Pedal power? Steam power? Some kind of magical source that amounts to authorial handwaving? And what does the balloon look like?
Research answers these questions about power sources and mechanics and such. If you did a good deal of research on this topic, you'd find that the size of the balloon needs to increase every time you had extra weight. Soon you end up with either a balloon roughly the size of Montana or some sort of handwaving that amounts to praying the reader doesn't notice the implausibility of the machine.
Because for every author who does that, there's a reader like me who will dislike the book because he or she can tell the author didn't do a scrap of research on the topic. And sometimes, research will even bring up a new plot point that you hadn't thought of before. Double whammy, that.
You Don't Know Everything
Invariably, there will be a part of your novel that the story requires, but you know nothing about. Case in point -- in CALLARION AT NIGHT, there's a scene where Moriah (the MC) is being tortured in a fairly gruesome way. Now, I know very little (read:nothing) about the mechanics of torture, the best feasible kinds of torture for the situation, or really where the best places are to make deep cuts so the subject will bleed without dying.
I do, however, have friends with medical knowledge enough to bounce ideas off of. They'll be able to tell me in enough detail where I'm completely off base or whether I'm spot on. With research, you gain this same ability.
Say your steampunk aeronaut flies a giant balloon across the world. Well that's all fine and dandy, but how does the flying machine actually work? Pedal power? Steam power? Some kind of magical source that amounts to authorial handwaving? And what does the balloon look like?
Research answers these questions about power sources and mechanics and such. If you did a good deal of research on this topic, you'd find that the size of the balloon needs to increase every time you had extra weight. Soon you end up with either a balloon roughly the size of Montana or some sort of handwaving that amounts to praying the reader doesn't notice the implausibility of the machine.
Because for every author who does that, there's a reader like me who will dislike the book because he or she can tell the author didn't do a scrap of research on the topic. And sometimes, research will even bring up a new plot point that you hadn't thought of before. Double whammy, that.
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