Ah, Research. And more research. And then, some research.
So today was my first day working at the library. My first real day "at work" as a writer. At first I couldn't figure out what to do with myself. I fixed a broken link on my new website and wrote on someone's facebook wall (because, yes, I have gone over to the facebook darkside). But then I got rolling and the next two hours went so FAST. I didn't even get up to get the coffee I promised myself I could have at 10:30. I think I could really get to like these morning hours.
I was not doing writing but research for GILBERT PEREZ. The research for which is endless.
I want to get to the writing part, and I had just about come to the conclusion that I will have to do a throw-away draft -- something that I write in parallel with the research, and am willing to ditch large portions of if they later prove to be problematically wrong. This just about kills me -- I'm an agonize over every word writer, and it's hard for me to reconcile myself to "wasting" work like that. But, I thought, at least it will get the pen moving across the page. Otherwise I will be lost in research forever.
But on reflection, I'm not sure it will work. The way a sentence turns drives character for me, and character drives story. I realized one of my very beloved characters in PLAIN KATE was going to have to die -- which wasn't in my plans -- because of one line he gets four chapters before his life gets put on the line. All of a sudden his character arc snapped into place. How do I translate that sort of thing into research-and-write in parallel, or into a throw-away draft?
Then, too, research has the potential to make fundamental changes to my characters. I've spent a lot of time researching the Spanish conquest of Mexico, which is the backdrop for the story. But today I spent some time trying to flesh out the background on the title character, who is not Spanish but Filipino. And I suddenly find myself with some really basic questions. Would a 14-year-old native lad join the Spanish Army in 1593? Would he have been Christian? Could, indeed, any indio be called "Gilbert Perez," or is too early for that? If not, is he going to have to be a Spaniard -- which just feels wrong? Will I have to move his "home" date forward 50 years or so to get the effect I want? If I fake it, will anyone care?
Anyway, it's crazy. Anyone else doing a research-intensive novel? Tips to share?
I was not doing writing but research for GILBERT PEREZ. The research for which is endless.
I want to get to the writing part, and I had just about come to the conclusion that I will have to do a throw-away draft -- something that I write in parallel with the research, and am willing to ditch large portions of if they later prove to be problematically wrong. This just about kills me -- I'm an agonize over every word writer, and it's hard for me to reconcile myself to "wasting" work like that. But, I thought, at least it will get the pen moving across the page. Otherwise I will be lost in research forever.
But on reflection, I'm not sure it will work. The way a sentence turns drives character for me, and character drives story. I realized one of my very beloved characters in PLAIN KATE was going to have to die -- which wasn't in my plans -- because of one line he gets four chapters before his life gets put on the line. All of a sudden his character arc snapped into place. How do I translate that sort of thing into research-and-write in parallel, or into a throw-away draft?
Then, too, research has the potential to make fundamental changes to my characters. I've spent a lot of time researching the Spanish conquest of Mexico, which is the backdrop for the story. But today I spent some time trying to flesh out the background on the title character, who is not Spanish but Filipino. And I suddenly find myself with some really basic questions. Would a 14-year-old native lad join the Spanish Army in 1593? Would he have been Christian? Could, indeed, any indio be called "Gilbert Perez," or is too early for that? If not, is he going to have to be a Spaniard -- which just feels wrong? Will I have to move his "home" date forward 50 years or so to get the effect I want? If I fake it, will anyone care?
Anyway, it's crazy. Anyone else doing a research-intensive novel? Tips to share?