WIP CHALLENGE CHECK IN - DAY 7

[peachpai]

Happy Thursday! How's writing?

-Wrote something, woo!
-Planning, outlining, note taking, research, etc.
-Editing
-Sent something to my beta
-It's done! I posted!
-Thought about writing
-Taking a day off
-Something else (discuss in comments)


Thursday Discussion: Let's talk about research! How in depth are you willing to go to get details for a story? Do you enjoy the research or find it tedious? What are some favorite resources you like to use?

Comments

[linaewen]

I'm on the verge of procrastinating on my writing time, so maybe this post will save me from giving in and I'll make use of my scheduled writing time and do some writing! (So far this week, my schedule has been interrupted and messed with, so I've ended up not really writing all week, though I managed some planning and research.)

I do a lot of research, and much of it is fairly detailed as I want to make sure my ideas not only work within canon, but are also believable outside the story itself. I truly love doing research. I have a background in library science and worked for a time as a reference librarian, so research is totally fun for me -- especially now that the internet makes it possible to find anything I want to know! As a librarian, I learned how to form search parameters, and this helps me a lot when using the internet. My main sources other than just general searching for facts to support my ideas are books and wikis based on my fandom (Tolkien's world has an infinite number of reference works that makes life easy for the researcher!). I also like to use the Online Etymology Dictionary (https://www.etymonline.com/) to make sure the terms I am using fit the time period I am writing for.

[doranwen]

Lol, in-depth research. I'm recalling a fic I wrote recently, rather a short little ficlet - but I actually researched the cost of the two items the character purchased for the year they were purchased, plus looked up the historical sales tax rate for the area they were in, all so I could calculate the correct total cost and have the clerk give them the accurate amount of change for a specific bill. It was actually fun to be able to look it up and do the calculations to get the real amount, but then I'm a math teacher in real life so that *might've* had something to do with it…

Most of what I write is for exchanges, so what I use depends on the fandom. If I'm writing Tolkien, then I'm using the Encyclopedia of Arda or other such resources. For fandoms set in our world, I just do a bunch of searches and hope I find what I'm looking for. For Rookie Blue, I did find a few useful sites for the shift schedule and the 10-codes and stuff, which I made use of in some of the WIPs I started for it.

Haven't gotten to the writing yet - but I did finish the task I should've finished last week, so I'm starting to catch up with my projects. Still some worksheet sets I need done before I can take time to write. :(

NEEDS MOAR CATZ

[enemytosleep]

Today ... was not a good day. It's the kind of day that requires cute cat videos and baked goods. I will try to write later tonight (I have a few WHUMP things that might be easier to write), but I'll also forgive myself for taking the day off if that's how it goes. Please feel free to reply with cute cat videos.

Re: NEEDS MOAR CATZ

[enemytosleep]

No actual writing today, but I did type up quite a few of my D&D notes (it's nearly all caught up) so that was good.

[frogfarm]

Just got back from a day of other-stuffing. Now dinner, and hopefully writing.

I used to be incredibly obsessive in researching, and I enjoyed it, but ultimately learned that too much is a distraction from writing. For the most part, the only research I do now is into a fandom -- either when I'm not already familiar with it, or when I'm double-checking the details of who slept with who who appeared in what episode.

[samuraiter]

I wrote a little bit today, and that's definitely progress compared to the rest of the week. x_x

I used to insist on doing a wealth of research and being as canon-compliant as possible, but ... not any more. Time doesn't grow on trees, after all.

[lady_katana4544]

Spent yesterday doing other stuffing and taking a small break so no writing stuff happened.