Nope. Writing. And researching.
I've got a couple layers of what I call texturing that I'd like to add to my new ms and I want to make sure they have the ring of authenticity. So, after a couple of hours of writing, I hit the books. Yeah, I know I write fiction but research is still critical to make sure the world I am writing about feels as real as it can be--that every reference, metaphor, allusion made by my characters is done in the vocabulary of their environment, informed by their interests.
In the last couple of years, I feel that my understanding of and process for revision has really evolved. And research has been a part of this development. The more I feel that I know what my characters know (not just about feelings or backstory, but about actual things--sports, hobbies, foods, television shows, whatever), the better I feel I can represent them on the page.
It's a time consuming step, but sometimes research can really shake a creative knot loose, too.
How do you fit research into your creative writing and/or revision process?
5 comments:
I do research for the littlest of things, especially if it concerns a place I've never been to. But I rarely do anything like that beforehand; research for me is done as I go along and I try not to get carried away... :p
I am a bit backwards sometimes, where I will write the scene, then research it to see if how I imagined things REALLY could have happened that way.
Shelley
Thanks, Amanda & Shelley. Research is always an interesting topic for fiction writers. Interesting that you both like to research somewhat later on. Thanks for sharing! - Stasia
I love research. Some of my best memories include spending entire days at the library in college. Fast forward--my day job and family duties require me to do research in shorter blocks of time. I do try to balance both writing and research, but I do see a strong relationship between the two. My research has allowed me to find a much richer story.
Totally agree with you, Michele. Good research adds such depth to fiction. Thanks for your thoughts. - Stasia
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