Research

My first three books were drawn from personal experience and needed little to no research to make sure they were plausible. The best way to avoid research? Make sh*t up in your own world :) That was fun!

But my latest WIP is in this world in a time and place that already happened so I have to do some research... It makes me nervous to get things right but the good news is I love research if it's interesting, and this stuff is. I've written about basketball, I've written about words and writing, my next story has a theme of art and I'm excited to dive into the paint.

N

Writing Challenges of the Day

My drivers' licence expired on Friday which meant I had no choice but to head to the DMV today to get it renewed. Last thing I need is a ticket for driving with an expired licence. Or be in an accident with an expired licence or anything to do with an expired licence, really. SO I packed up my computer so I could work while I waited and headed to Access NS. That's when things got weird... there was no wait. Literally. I walked up to one desk, answered some questions and paid my money then walked to the next desk took a terrible picture (seriously, diet starts as soon as the ice-cream in the freezer is gone) and took my new card. Weird.

Now I'm back home, challenge #2. My diet Coke stash is depleted. I found a bottle that is 3/4 full in Steve's office so that'll have to do for the morning. I have no M&Ms but that's not a bad thing b/c of that whole terrible drivers' licence picture thing.

But my real challenge is this... my WIP has three voices. They all contribute something worthwhile. They're complex characters with interesting stories, differing perspectives and unpredictable responses. It works. But there's a forth voice who is hovering... so far he's one dimensional, straightforward and uncomplicated... he just doesn't fit as a voiced character, but I feel like maybe he needs to be there too... I'm not sure how to tackle this one... I feel like maybe changing his name is the first thing to do. It's a bit more challenging than my limited diet Coke.

N

Bullying... the whys.

I've been giving workshops at the local libraries about writing and one of my 'tips' is 'Avoid Crowds and Caricatures'. The first part is easy - don't have too many characters in the story. Keep to the necessary ones. The second one is tougher - don't have characters that are in there just as a device for something to happen. No one is solely defined by his best moments or her worst actions. The reasons behind the actions need to be consistent and realistic with the character. No one outside of Disney is bad just to be bad, or good just to be good, there are always motives for actions, and the motives define the character. Taking away the motives and explaining only actions leaves the character flat and unnatural.

This is relevant because my current story has a bully in it. A big mean intimidating dimwitted bully. Everyone either knows or remembers someone like that - right? It would be easy - and believable - for him to be just that. But he'd be a caricature, an easy cop out.

So now I have to do some digging. What makes a bully a bully? Why do they do it? I know there's the easy 'bullied at home, bully at school' but maybe that's too easy too - and not always the case. Should make for some interesting research.

N