120624: Research!

[msmcknittington]

I love research, to the point where I wonder if the hobbies I have aren't just excuses to do some. Sometimes this research takes the form of doing nothing but looking at pictures -- hence the ridiculous number of pictures of Idaho and Montana I have looked at for one of my projects, as illustrated by exhibit A to the left. It really makes me want to pick up and visit those states, just so I can experience what living in an area like that is and can describe it all the more vividly.

Which leads me to the question for today: What lengths have you gone to for research? Have you ever traveled to do research? Done hands-on activities to get a feel for them, like taking martial arts classes to help develop your characters' kickassery? Eaten something unusual for the experience? Interviewed someone for their expertise on a subject? Do you think this is a valuable and useful method of doing research, or is it the equivalent of a overly dedicated method actor who never breaks character, even in the shower?

Do you ever look in non-intuitive sources for useful information? For example, I am reading Julia Child's My Life in France for information about the experience of being part of a foreign embassy. I don't think Julia Child is a source that most people turn to when writing sci-fi!

Or do your characters' skills and knowledge grow from what you already know and are familiar with? Do you never go out of your way for research?

Poll #10942

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 5

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Today's original fiction work included:

View Answers

adding to my word count
4 (80.0%)

research, world building, character development
2 (40.0%)

plotting, outlining, rough notes
1 (20.0%)

discussing or writing about my WIP
0 (0.0%)

daydreaming or working in my head
0 (0.0%)

editing my original fiction
1 (20.0%)

meta: reading about, writing about, or discussing writing
0 (0.0%)

meta: queries, submissions, contracts, taxes, etc.
0 (0.0%)

things external to but necessary for writing (sorting, filing, cleaning)
1 (20.0%)

something I will share in comments
1 (20.0%)

none of the above and that's okay
1 (20.0%)

none of the above and I need help/advice/hugs in comments
0 (0.0%)

How did you do in terms of meeting your goals today?

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Mean: 6.75 Median: 6.5 Std. Dev 2.38

Don't ask! 1		0 (0.0%)
2		0 (0.0%)
3		0 (0.0%)
4		1 (25.0%)
5		1 (25.0%)
6		0 (0.0%)
7		0 (0.0%)
8		1 (25.0%)
9		0 (0.0%)
I would like a trophy! 10		1 (25.0%)

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Comments

[0jack]

I read everything I can get my hands on. A friend sent me a huge box of books when she left the Army—all recommended reading for officers—I have tons of science and medical magazine bookmarks, and so on. I don't get out much, but I do interview anyone I can get to stand still long enough. *g* I also love maps.

When I'm wealthy, I'll have a subscription to Jane's: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane%27s_Information_Group I also recommend the CIA World Factbook for interesting reading: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html and Global Policy: http://www.globalpolicy.org/ On another front, many of the amazing Foxfire books are now on Kindle: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foxfire_books#Books

[msmcknittington]

A friend sent me a huge box of books when she left the Army—all recommended reading for officers

Ooh, do you think you could post some titles? That would be most excellent.

On the Foxfire line, I have some pamphlets published by the US Dep't of Ag in the 1930s about subsistence farmsteads and planning farmhouses. They are fascinating. The one on subsistence farming is targeted toward people who live in cities and have no real experience with farming, and there are a couple mentions of people pursuing it because of unemployment. The interesting thing about the one on planning farmhouses is that very few of the plans include indoor bathrooms. Heh. Other than that, they're all really lovely, compact homes that I wouldn't mind living in today.

I also tend to read everything I can get my hands on, hence collecting obsolete Dept' of Ag publications. I keep meaning to corner one of my brother's Marine friends, but I'm not sure how to start a conversation that would inevitably lead to, "So, if you were on a spaceship . . ." :P

[clare_dragonfly]

Wow, that sounds awesome. That's the kind of information I need for my post-apocalyptic series! (The military information, too... I need to corner my future brother-in-law the Marine sometime about gear and training.)

[msmcknittington]

If you don't mind waiting, I can probably scan the one on subsistence farming for you. It's not very long. The one on farmhouses is pretty thick, though, so I don't really want to scan it because it would take forever.

[clare_dragonfly]

That would be really awesome! I don't mind waiting at all--I have lots of patience and other things to write. :D

[0jack]

ON KILLING and ON COMBAT by Dave Grossman are top of the list. Really good. The website, onviolence.com, is not affiliated but is brilliant and includes exceptionally good reviews of military fiction/movies.

I am a big fan of old school agricultural magazines and pamphlets. :) I love collecting DIY stuff of all kinds. What you learn applies anywhere you've got humans trying to get by.

[msmcknittington]

Thank you! My library actually has On Killing in the ebook collection, so yay. I'd bet On Combat is in their regular collection, too.

Old textbooks are really great for gathering info, too. I have a secretarial textbook from the '30s which is full of all sorts of weird and slightly fantastic office equipment that has been made obsolete by photocopiers and printers. It's almost otherworldly.

[recessional]

I'll note that you jumped us forward a year in the subject-line date, I think. :)

I did a university degree for research. I also smoked a cigar (despite being an asthmatic dedicated non-smoker who hates the smell of tobacco.)

[msmcknittington]

Argh! Well, at least we got to live in the future for a couple hours there. :P

Smoking is absolute dedication to research! Did it help you or was it just thoroughly unpleasant?

[clare_dragonfly]

I went to Wales for research once! (I live in the US.) Okay, it was more vacation than research, but it was really awesome. And I did learn a lot--mostly about the hostel network, but also about castles and folklore and the Welsh language and all the sort of thing I love. I have something of an obsession with Wales and Welsh (you can blame Lloyd Alexander), so it was fantastic to get to go.

[msmcknittington]

Oh, I am jealous! One of my NaNoWriMo projects several years ago was a story set in Wales in 1282, ending with the death of Llewellyn ap Gruffydd, though my characters weren't real people. I could never quite get all the history and culture straightened out enough in my head, so it wasn't a successful attempt.