My insecurity this month is about research and how much I detest doing it. Have you ever read a book review where the reader has commented on the improbability of the world building making it difficult for them to suspend belief enough to enjoy the story? This is, without a doubt, my worst nightmare. Not only because an author's credibility can be shot down so much more quickly when their world building doesn't make sense but also because I find research mind numbingly boring. Even when the topic is one that I am interested in.
I know most research is done to help improve the skeleton of a book rather than to be added to the actual story itself but it still takes up a lot of time. I also know it can't be avoided and that even if I do a lot of research there will always be people out there who know more than I do about any topic who will catch me out. I hate it! I hate it! I hate it! But I will keep doing it, if only because I can at least say I tried if it ever comes up.
I do some research before but most of it after the first draft. Then I don't waste time researching what I don't need to. Maybe that will help you if you break it up that way?
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ReplyDeleteThat's always hard... and why I'll never be able to write historical fiction, lol. There will always be that one person who makes an issue out of your story, but that's partly because they're a jerk. When it comes to world building a dystopia and the like, it really is all in the eye of the writer. There may be some basic things you have to stick to, like gravity and stuff, but you can pretty much have the story go however you want. But yeah... research? It's annoying.
ReplyDeleteI just wait until I really need to do research before I do it. I'll be in the middle writing something and realize I need to look something up, and I just go there online in that moment. It doesn't feel like work because I don't usually do so much.
ReplyDeleteAlthough, I'm having trouble researching Catholic Mass. I've spent a lot of time on that because it's so over my head and outside of my element. But, I will prevail. It's very interesting (and I like doing research). :D
I can't even begin to imagine why anyone would hate looking up more about a subject they enjoy enough to be writing about. I agree about doing the first draft before checking facts, because otherwise you never get the story written(even Robert Silverberg, a big name SF writer said so once), but what's the problem with learning something new? :-) The best thing, really, is to read anything and everything about subjects you enjoy, on an ongoing basis, which gives you ideas for fiction and means that when you do have to look up stuff, there is less to do. I read New Scientist. I read "history of" books because they're great fun. Right now, I'm reading a book called Consider The Fork, a history of cooking and eating. I also have on my shelves a book called The Secret Life Of Pee, a history of ... Guess what? All those ladies in those 18th century gowns who didn't want to get up to go to the loo, so had servants bring them chamber pots to be placed under their dresses at the table... Research has never been so easy! And when you've looked up whatever you need to, there's often a link to something else and that makes you even further and before you know it, you have a whole lot of new ideas for later writing. How can you hate this? :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm with the majority here, if you don't enjoy doing research don't do it until after the first draft. You will have a much better idea of what details you need in specific. I can't work like that, though. Thankfully for me, I do enjoy research. A little too much maybe. Sometimes I spend too much time researching and then realize I didn't even need all that info. That's when I feel like I wasted precious time. :/
ReplyDeleteBest of luck with your project!
Never a waste of time, Gergina! I read stacks of stuff I don't end up using. Your book has more depth if you've researched deeply. I love it too. I can't understand anyone hating it! :-)
DeleteI guess that's why most people say "write what you know". It sucks, and I'm sorry you have to go through with it. Hopefully you'll get things done the way you want it to :)
ReplyDeleteI hate research as well! That's the one thing that's been holding me back on finishing one of my writing projects. It's a lot of research, but I've come to realize that I should just write the book first, and THEN do the research.
ReplyDeleteSame here. I like researching random things, bu twith no end in mind, no real goal. One day I hear about tazmanian devils, and I decide I want some random facts. Nothing too deep. Unfortunately though, that wont do for a book. I need to go deeper, and I never want to go deeper.
ReplyDeleteAmen! I hate research too! It is annoyingly necessary, though.
ReplyDeleteI find that I enjoy research if I make the story about a topic I'm interested in -- for instance, I'm writing something at the moment about kids who are placed in "self-contained classrooms" in high school because they are considered potentially violent or disruptive, and I'm finding the material fascinating.
ReplyDeleteWhatever club this is, I wanna join lol! I don't like research either--though I definitely respect the authors who do it. And I can see how it could enrich a book. Still...sucks doing it, though. Hope you're doing well, Lan :). And happy Easter!
ReplyDeleteNinja Girl