Me = punny.
So when I made the decision to revisit Escape, I had a vague recollection of research that I'd done in conjunction with my original concept of the novel. Lo and behold, I'd managed to keep all my books on the American Revolution and the navies thereof on one shelf of a bookcase and right there, stacked neatly on the end, were three college-ruled note books, chock full of yummy research goodness.
Sometimes, I really heart myself.
I'll admit to being a research geek. When I get interested in something, especially a historical period, it's like a challenge: I want to know everything, from the regular suspects such as Wikipedia and Amazon, to rare and obscure sources hidden away in research library annexes and used bookstores.
Unfortunately, I've also been known to use research as a crutch. "I can't possibly start writing this novel yet. I don't know enough about the time period." That's partially what happened when I originally plotted this novel. Every time I got the point where I should have cranked out some words, I convinced myself I just had to read one more book about 18th-Century ship rigging or a detailed account of the raid on Nassau.
In hindsight, it was good idea to procrastinate. I eventually managed to churn out one chapter: 3750 words, 5 pages of which was backstory presented in a narrative version of "As you know Bob..." and there were more POV shifts than I could count. Pretty heinous, though forgivable considering it was the first think I had ever written. And structurally, the opening worked. But still - *shudder*
My very good friend Roy (film composer extraordinaire) hit the nail on the head: "That research," he told me on the phone last night. "It's been percolating in your brain all this time. Now it's read to come out.
I think I'll take a page from my friend Jen Hayley's blog and do a Teaser Tuesday this week with an excerpt from Escape. Since I didn't start blogging until after The Witch's Eye was in the can, this will be the first time I've posted from a WIP. So please check it out. I could really use the feedback!
I've totally used research as a crutch...way more often than I'd like to admit. I'd love to say that I've learned my lesson and will never, ever, ever (with sprinkles and whipped cream on top) do it again, but we both know I'd be lying.
ReplyDeleteWoo! Teaser Tuesday! I'm excited to read a little piece from this WIP.
ReplyDeleteResearch is a lot of fun (When you have plenty of sources, that is. If not, research is beyond frustrating) but it's easy to get too wrapped up in it.
I'm exactly the same with research -- I love it to death, and sometimes research it to death. But I think eventually research pays off. It becomes internalized, to the point where the story just flows. I've made the other mistake too, where I get impatient and try to write the story before I've done enough research, and I end up stuck.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to the excerpt.
Oh, and the other research related faux pas I'm guilty of - trying to get ALL of it in. Not sure if it's insecurity on my part or that I'm so geeked out by what I've learned that I feel the need to share. Yeah, that one's death to the writing, too!
ReplyDelete