My two baby plot bunnies both have historical bases, so I've already worked out the probable timeline for one and intend to do so for the other before Nov 1 - things like birth and death dates of notable figures, big historical happenings, and a few nice side issues to give local colour. For instance, I found the archives of a town newspaper for one of the dates I wanted to write a letter from, and it mentioned an artist exhibiting - now the main character's mother will be complaining that "all the smart people were there but the pictures were horrific."
But then with historical novels, I find myself easily distracted by the research, and I know I'm going to have to be strict with myself in knuckling down and getting on with it.
Do research on your setting and any major events/real people before November 1st - you will find it much easier to write if the background details are already tehre. Also, I find that the research gives me lots of ideas for plot and secondary characters. Don't research as you go until you've got your day's word total already - it's too easy to get bogged down in details. Just put something like "her XYZ hat" or "the journey took XYZ days" and you can fill in later.
I've been told that when you're writing a rough draft/NaNo, screw the accuracies and just write what you want. THEN go back and fix things and take out those modern textiles when it's 1700 or whatever.
My problem with doing research ahead of time is that I am so into it that I lose all enthusiasm for the actual novel, because I planned out too much. This is also why I cannot outline.
My problem with doing research during writing is that I love the research so much that I get stuck researching. For example, I had an idea for a fan fic in June. It required a decent amount of research (yay for giving a character a job that I know nothing about). It is now October and while I am preparing to go into the same field, thanks to the research, I still haven't written more than a couple of rambling pages.
Last year I lost all motivation for my novel within the first week, because I had done so much research on it before NaNo and couldn't start while I was rearing to go, so I just didn't want to write it anymore. And it lacked a plot,
( ... )
If it's something you can bullshit your way through-- extreme science fiction, majikal flutteriez animalz, etc-- then I'd say just research the barebones if you have to, bluff through the rest, then edit for errors and such after November is over. However, if the story is highly dependent on accurate information, then yeah, it's probably best to get that out of the way first. Otherwise you'll get sidelined from the writing just to check details.
As you said, everyone works differently, so you might do better if it's the other way around. But that's how I do things.
(for my own research, I've got two potential stories to write, both of which I can make shit up as I go, and it's loverly.)
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But then with historical novels, I find myself easily distracted by the research, and I know I'm going to have to be strict with myself in knuckling down and getting on with it.
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My problem with doing research ahead of time is that I am so into it that I lose all enthusiasm for the actual novel, because I planned out too much. This is also why I cannot outline.
My problem with doing research during writing is that I love the research so much that I get stuck researching. For example, I had an idea for a fan fic in June. It required a decent amount of research (yay for giving a character a job that I know nothing about). It is now October and while I am preparing to go into the same field, thanks to the research, I still haven't written more than a couple of rambling pages.
Last year I lost all motivation for my novel within the first week, because I had done so much research on it before NaNo and couldn't start while I was rearing to go, so I just didn't want to write it anymore. And it lacked a plot, ( ... )
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As you said, everyone works differently, so you might do better if it's the other way around. But that's how I do things.
(for my own research, I've got two potential stories to write, both of which I can make shit up as I go, and it's loverly.)
Reply
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