Dabbler

Being a writer has prompted me to become a dilettante in a variety of areas. One of my favorite parts of the writing process is research. In order to create a believable story, a writer must spend at least a portion of their time assembling facts on the pertinent details of their tale. Hemingway couldn't have created such a vivid book about bullfighting without first learning as much as he could about the craft.

A few topics I am researching for my current story include: The Atchafalaya Basin, yurts, RFID, and the physics of superheroes. Out of the things I've listed RFID and the applications of RFID have been been the most interesting. The prospect of using it to track products and create checker-less supermarkets blows my mind.

Back to the topic at hand, in order to create a believable world for their readers, a writer must commit to doing research. This can involve searching the internet, reading books, and talking to experts. The truth is in the detail. (this idiom can be traced back to the saying "God is in the detail," a fact I learned from research) The right details can enhance a good story, the wrong ones can break it.

This week, I have been creating a list of topics I need to research before starting my rewrite in January. My list is formidable, further pointing out the fact I jumped into my story without much forethought. The words "research this" enclosed in brackets can be found throughout my first draft. My favorite instance is following a scene where the main character is suppose to make every blood vessel in a antagonist's brain explode. I have no idea what this looks like in reality. Thus, the importance of research. (and becoming friends with a doctor)