Research Smesearch

Good grief, where has the time gone? I have a thousand posts half-written in my head, but I can never seem to find the time (and gumption) to write them out. Mainly because I've taken off on one of my, what I call, "writing binges". Unfortunately for my summer reading resolution, this means that I have little to no interest in reading, but can sit for hours typing away at one or two of my many novels at a time.
And, of course, this means it's time for that necessary evil. Research.

Blech.

I have a rather unaccountable fear of research. I'm always afraid I'm going to find something that will completely destroy my fragile, idealistic plots or force me to do a ton of reworking to make something fit. Usually, this is overly-cynical, since I've found that most things can be squashed in without too much trouble, but there's a first time for everything and I'm always convinced THIS will be that time.

Not only am I afraid of that, but I also detest the hours of wrangling for information, ogling maps, typing in destinations and starting points, hoping beyond hope that someone will have some information on the most obscure topics you can think of...For instance, I spent almost the entire day in the depths of southwestern Montana (I just found out that the abbreviation for that state is MT -- after months of wondering. Amazing!) trying to find a decent place to set up a cow-calf ranch. You would not believe the difficulties I came across. And I couldn't find a decent map anywhere that said "here is a piece of ground that fits your exact specifications". Outrage! In fact, it took me forever just to find out where the East Fork of the Bitterroot River began. Multiply that by about seven or eight towns to choose from, 100 miles of valley land, two mountain ranges (wonderful things that they are), innumerable creeks, annoying little roads that cut right through where you want to land your ranch, distances that are either too great or too small for your purposes, government preserves, little bed and breakfasts, and ect.Then divide it by a 7000 acre ranch that needs to be situated just right with water and mountain ranges and a town that is just a bit too far away for convenience and viola! you have a pile of crumpled paper and a bad case of frustrated brain-cramps (not to mention that you're dead tired too).

Sometimes I ask myself why I keep on doing it. I mean, for pete's sake, is anyone really going to care if I accidentally set my ranch right smack on top of a campground, or a tourists hotel or a fly-fishing lodge? The only people who are going to know would be the people that live in the area and considering the small population of the Bitterroot Valley, I don't think it's very possible that I will get in trouble for it.
The only problem with that line of reason is that I care. If even one person read that novel (should it ever get published) and told me that my location was a virtual impossibility, I would be humiliated to the grave. (Ok, that's a bit dramatic, but I would be very embarrassed.) Besides that, I want my novels to sound like I really know what I'm talking about. That's why I am currently working my way through a book I never thought I would be reading.

The Modern Cowboy by John R. Erickson (which, I should make haste to inform you, is a virtual fount of information. It's a researcher's dream. It's straightforward, concise, tells you EVERYTHING and, as a side bonus, is really fun to read.)

The only problem I have with reading the book for research is that I stink at summarizing and thus practically write down the entire book while I do my research. To be sure, as it's from the library and can only be renewed two (or is it three?) times, such a fund of hand-written information is extremely convenient, but I have a rather difficult time selling that theory to my impatient self when I'm in the midst of writing it up. (This is getting way too long, as all my post seem to tend to do, but I'm going to finish my thought and if you don't want to read on, well, you'll probably find that quitting it now is a display of good sense.)

As for the material I find, I think I tend to be overzealous with it. My mindset is that if I've done all this research, well then, the reader might as well get the benefit of it! Of course, only my wonderful friend who reads all my stuff hot off the press (a terrific job, I tell you. It's astonishing that she and I are still friends after what I've treated her to) and my wonderful editor (who also happens to be a dear friend - especially when she edits things) could tell you whether I pile on the information or not. I am, admittedly, rather partial to my work. But really, there are so many interesting details that can be found while researching. I confess that I usually don't bother to find them until I'm on the second draft of the novel (and then I cram them in like a madman). I actually wrote almost an entire novel without researching much of anything. Not a good idea... Everyone mended fences because that was basically the only chore I could conjure up and going in the first time, I wouldn't have known the difference between a filly, colt, foal, gelding, stallion, heifer or steer if they had hit me in the face. (I do know now, by the way.)

In conclusion, I read a depressing chapter in Thomas Monteleone's The Complete Idiot's Guide to Writing a Novel where he instructed a budding writer to "immerse" themselves in the era, customs, settings, ect. of their time period. Immerse? I was barely standing on the edge and dipping my toe in. But, as with most advice from people who know their stuff, "immersion" was a good idea. The writing flows so much better, reads so much more realistically, and sounds 100 times more authentic (go figure).

Despite all that, I still can't stand it. Even though I sometimes happen upon a freak coincidence (I tend to think they're more than coincidence) where I find something that fits so perfectly that it completely opens a new door for my plot, I would still ditch it all to a research assistant if I could afford one. (Actually being published would probably also be an aid in that area as well. Someday, perhaps.) Anyway, methinks this is a book I should be reading soon.

'Till next time,
-- Jamie
   

Oliver Twist

My first classic of the summer!
Well, technically, I started this before the resolution, but good grief, it's long. I needed the extra time.
Review: I loved it!
Ok, I'll go into a bit more depth than that... :)

I never really intended to read this book, but picked it up only because I saw the musical which two of my friends were acting in and I wanted to see what they left out. The musical peaked my interest enough to actually spur me into action. Murder, evil stepbrothers, mothers dying in childbirth, cruel, power-hungry people chasing after and grappling over a young, innocent boy. Yup, that's just the kind of story that fits my kinks. In fact, as I read, I was strongly reminded of one of my own stories. A novel I just finished the first draft of. (Just a little excited there!) :)
For a classic, the book read very easily; it didn't drag. And it was so funny! That was the best part. I love reading books by authors who can twist every normal sentence into something of great humor. I have a feeling that Dickens will be more regular fare in my literary diet from now on (now that I've realized there's nothing to dread...)
My favorite characters? The doctor/Mr. Losberne and Mr. Grimwig. I was quite surprised that though this book was named after Oliver, he really played a rather small part in the narrative, in the manner of appearance and voice. Obviously, the plot revolved around him.

To end, here are some (a very terrible few) of my favorite bits: (Sorry, I can't resist.)
"Dear, dear!" ejaculated Mrs. Sowerberry, piously raising her eyes to the kitchen ceiling; "this comes of being liberal!"
The liberality of Mrs. Sowerberry to Oliver had consisted in a profuse bestowal upon him of all the dirty odds and ends which nobody else would eat, so there was a great deal of meekness and self-devotion in her voluntarily remaining under Mr. Bumble's heavy accusation. Of which, to do her justice, she was wholly innocent in thought, word, or deed.

Mr. Fagin looked so very much in earnest, that Charley Bates, who deemed it prudent in all cases to be on the safe side, and who conceived it by no means improbable that it might be his turn to be throttled second, dropped to his knees, and raised a loud, well-sustained, and continuous roar -- something between a mad bull and a speaking trumpet.

"You ought to be dead, positively dead with the fright," said the fat gentleman. "Why didn't you send? Bless me, my man should have come in a minute, and so would I; and my assistant would have been delighted, or anybody, I'm sure, under such circumstances. Dear, dear! So unexpected! In the silence of the night too!"
The doctor seemed especially troubled by the fact of the robbery having been unexpected, and attempted in the night-time; as of it were the established custom of gentlemen in the house-breaking way to transact business at noon, and to make an appointment, by post, a day or two previous. 

"A legal action is a coming on, about a settlement, and the board has appointed me -- me, Mrs. Mann -- to depose to the matter before the quarter-sessions at Clerkinwell. And I very much question," added Mr. Bumble, drawing himself up, "whether the Clerkinwell Sessions will not find themselves in the wrong box before they have done with me."
"Oh! you mustn't be too hard upon them, sir," said Mrs. Mann, coaxingly. 
"The Clerkinwell Sessions have brought it upon themselves, ma'am," replied Mr. Bumble; "and if the Clerkinwell Sessions find that they come off rather worse than they expected, the Clerkinwell Sessions have only themselves to thank."


And I'm adding Hamlet to my list.


'Till next time,
-- Jamie

A Summer of Classics

I, nobly and resolutely, have decided that instead of "wasting" my summer reading time reading the books I normally read, I will instead nurture my mind with classics. Dickens, Austen, Collins, Shakespeare, Doyle, and the like. I shall immerse myself in the overload of description, the hallowed run-on sentences, the drama, the mystery, the suspense, the humor. Oh yes, the humor.

Seriously, though. I'm going to do it -- this time. Of course, I probably won't subsist wholly on them (I mean, one must have a light, quick read once in a while, mustn't one?) but I intend to make it as far through my list as possible and come out of the next three and a half months a better and more educated person (and a person able to proudly say, "Yes, I have read that book, and you?"). Anyway, this is my list thus far: 

- Our Mutual Friend

- Oliver Twist 

- Pride and Prejudice (don't choke on your tea, ladies. I have read this one before.)

- The Moonstone

- Emma or Persuasion (I haven't decided yet between the two, so I am willing to take votes of advocacy)

- The Hound of the Baskervilles

- Hamlet

It doesn't look like much, but keep in mind that this is a girl who usually avoids classics like the seven plagues (whatever they are) and these are all rather long books in and of themselves. Also, I might be keeping last summer's resolution of reading the Lord of the Rings series, and I have made a tentative promise to myself that I will finish writing and revising one of my novels this summer, so we'll see how much of this actually gets done.

'Till next time, 

Jamie