The changing face of research

I don't research much. I've always written what I know, or glossed over stuff that I didn't know.

Mostly, this is because I started writing in the dark ages (ie. Before Internet), so any research meant traipsing off to my local library, or the much larger library in Plymouth. It was a hassle, to be honest - and I was never organised enough to make notes of all the things I needed to know before I went, so after a half-hearted browse among the shelves, I'd give up and go home. Only to remember what I'd wanted to look for.

I did once learn how to count to 10 in Hungarian, because I wanted one of my characters to have a weird fact attached to them. I had to go to the big library and search through their Hungarian dictionary. I've forgotten now, though, so don't ask!

I liked the idea of research though - of having piles of old, fragrant books on my desk, of writing notes, of sipping take-out coffee from plastic cups... I'm a research romantic!

Fast forward to today. My latest character has announced herself as a lover of female blues singers... and I know nothing about them. Luckily for me, the internet - and YouTube - exists. So I have spent the last couple of days immersing myself in all things blues.

Do you enjoy research?

What's the weirdest thing you've learned through your research?

Do you have any female blues artists recommendations?

Research (or... a great reason to treat myself to a hot chocolate)

Last week I went to one of my favourite places in the whole world (I'm so lucky it's right on my doorstep) to do some research, and I took a few photos...

This is where I imagine my poor homeless girl sleeping. I think it's an amazing setting, albeit a little blustery for her to want to hang around too long. The benefits of research mean I might have to have the character changing her mind about where she sleeps.

Smeaton's Tower, looking east

 Just after I took this photo of Smeaton's Tower - while thinking 'Ooh, it's getting dark' - it hailed and I had to run for cover. One of the great things about the Hoe is you can see the weather rolling in - rain (and hail) usually comes in from the west, and it's fascinating to watch the shower coming closer and closer. This is when I ran to a great cafe to  drink hot chocolate while I listened to the hail and watched the sea going wild!

So, that was my research - now all I have to do is make this slightly run-down, rather strange looking coastline sound beautiful and comforting in my prose.

This is a departure for me - I don't usually put my stories in a specific location. It could all go badly wrong, especially as I'm focusing on the less salubrious side of life in Plymouth. I'll try hard to make it beautiful and exotic at the same time!

Do you write about places you know?

Do you spend time soaking up the feeling of the place?

Does location form a large part of your writing?

The fun of research

Or in my case, the fun of choosing a subject you don't have to research. Alas, I have to research, and it's hurting my brain.

To recap a little: my current WIP that I'm writing for the 80,000 in 80 days challenge is heavily influenced by the characters' reaction to the news. Fine. Except, I need to go back to 2004. I'm currently trying to find out what happened in late 2007, early 2008. But, and this makes it worse, just the bad bits. I can find lots of news, but I need devastating news. (I know this doesn't sound like the most optimistic novel you'll ever read, but I'm sure there are more depressing ones out there.) I find myself disappointed when all that happened was an election or a state visit.

I normally don't research. I think I've mentioned this before. My characters all live in a tiny bubble for the duration of the novel/short story without any outside influence. This, I decided, probably makes them very 2-dimensional; and I wanted to fix it and make the characters in my new novel more rounded. The problem with this remit for research is it's so broad. Usually - I suspect, having never done it - writers research how to blow glass because a character is a glass blower. Or when a particular flower blossoms, so they don't confuse their seasons.

Researching everything that has happened in the course of a five year period is overwhelming to say the least. I'm starting to think my normal avoidance of the outside world is much more preferable.