tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post4201020454053962287..comments2024-01-24T05:13:06.164-08:00Comments on Not Your Usual Suspects: I-Spy: How to...ResearchSusanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11286314155783213006noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-71660849339679077812012-05-28T09:38:10.834-07:002012-05-28T09:38:10.834-07:00Toni, While I can't say I always enjoy researc...Toni, While I can't say I always enjoy research as much as you do, the truth is unless a writer knows everything about everything, it's imperative that she turn to an expert here and there to shore up the holes in her knowledge. Or to enrich what she already knows. There's amazing stuff under those rocks sometimes. Thanks for all the fresh insights into what is part of our writers' job. Cheers and best.Jean Harringtonhttp://www.jeanharrington.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-7187211938002484182012-03-02T04:14:44.846-08:002012-03-02T04:14:44.846-08:00I'm with Wendy and Clare - I hate research. I ...I'm with Wendy and Clare - I hate research. I know I have to do it, but I hate that it gets in the way of my writing. There's a reason I set my books right on my doorstep, you know. ;)<br /><br />I always think research is like underwear. It all has to be there and it has to fit perfectly - but it shouldn't be on show.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05938431508430656253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-1619448068645986202012-03-01T16:54:07.231-08:002012-03-01T16:54:07.231-08:00Great post Toni!
I L-O-V-E research. The last tip ...Great post Toni!<br />I L-O-V-E research. The last tip is so important. You don’t need to educate me on how to build a gun just shoot the dang thing! Hours of brilliant research can translate to a couple of sentences on the page. And please when you need info go to the source or expert –don’t ask you great Aunt Tillie’s neighbor’s second cousin who read about it once.Ritahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09054306874904898496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-90380032438536148872012-03-01T12:44:50.417-08:002012-03-01T12:44:50.417-08:00Great post, Toni! A primer for any fiction writer....Great post, Toni! A primer for any fiction writer. I don't particularly enjoy research. My method now is to write the story and put big XXXs where I don't have the specific information I need. Then in the second draft, I stop at every XXX and find out what the answer is.<br /><br />Needless to say, this can backfire, when you come across a piece of information in Draft 2 that changes everything...Marcelle Dubéhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18164965676254630066noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-57074701338169352062012-03-01T11:08:06.496-08:002012-03-01T11:08:06.496-08:00Great post! You've covered every place I thou...Great post! You've covered every place I thought of and more. Thanks a million.Phyllis Humphreynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-6106777394970003782012-03-01T09:36:42.786-08:002012-03-01T09:36:42.786-08:00Wendy and Clare--you hate research? LOL, I am stun...Wendy and Clare--you hate research? LOL, I am stunned! <br />JB--thank goodness for the delete button :)<br />Elise--yes, sometimes the ideas just cascade. I love it when that happens.<br />Anne Marie, I do beat myself up and then I move on. It's hard, but no point fretting over anything you can't change. *sigh* :)<br />Cathy--blogs can offer amazing insights into people's lives. And I agree on the old Lt driving patrol, unless it was an episode of Undercover Boss :)Toni Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08348843511453338339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-20364086963226767472012-03-01T08:48:15.622-08:002012-03-01T08:48:15.622-08:00Wonderful post Toni
I hadn't thought about u...Wonderful post Toni <br /><br />I hadn't thought about using people's blog for the day to day frustrations, but that would be so helpful with characters such as your diabetic. (another research lover :) )<br /><br />While I completely agree with the No Info Dump sentiment, and I think most people will give an author a little wiggle room on details, it absolutely drives me nuts when a book has a Lieutenant driving patrol.Cathy Perkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00651278611674981427noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-28499319454733487632012-03-01T08:47:35.679-08:002012-03-01T08:47:35.679-08:00Thanks for putting all the great ideas in one plac...Thanks for putting all the great ideas in one place. :) I especially appreciate the first paragraph...that sometimes things will be wrong, and I'll have to just get over it. (Though I do pride myself on being right all the time. LOL)Anne Marie Beckerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17603878676306179018noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-61819858464198697622012-03-01T08:15:38.112-08:002012-03-01T08:15:38.112-08:00I can't describe how amazed I am that you make...I can't describe how amazed I am that you make research sound *fun*! I'm c**p at it, most of which is laziness. Yet when I do look into something - like the wax sculpting I used in Blinded By Our Eyes - I end up fascinated.<br /><br />And oh my goodness yes, the whole art of doing research well is not *looking* as if you have. <br /><br />Great post!Clare Londonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09392142798976142547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-85160596629945229862012-03-01T07:55:45.731-08:002012-03-01T07:55:45.731-08:00Loved the post, Toni. I enjoy research and it spur...Loved the post, Toni. I enjoy research and it spurs ideas for future writings as well as whatever I may be working on. A group of numismatics helped me out twice.Elise Warnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12111849185666548945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-19115100003419071092012-03-01T07:29:33.266-08:002012-03-01T07:29:33.266-08:00Great post!
Important point about the "dull ...Great post!<br /><br />Important point about the "dull list of facts".JB Lynnhttp://jblynn.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-50905785862149502832012-03-01T07:24:01.259-08:002012-03-01T07:24:01.259-08:00I willingly admit that I HATE doing research and t...I willingly admit that I HATE doing research and try to write, as much as possible, about things I know. There doesn't get rid of the need for research altogether and I do try to get the things that I have to check absolutely right. Even so, errors creep in. Sigh.Wendy Solimanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05769040606499192321noreply@blogger.com