tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post3040190995663036878..comments2024-03-15T09:26:02.796-05:00Comments on PROJECT MAYHEM: Researching Historicals - Down the Rabbit HoleProject Mayhemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05154342399869089664noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-92166585222850597202014-04-18T22:36:26.797-05:002014-04-18T22:36:26.797-05:00What an interesting post. I'm glad I ran into ...What an interesting post. I'm glad I ran into your blog--I'm now your newest follower. Great blog!<br />Deb@ http://debioneille.blogspot.comdebi o'neillehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00326849099713939434noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-82871529730244643752014-04-17T13:41:09.806-05:002014-04-17T13:41:09.806-05:00Research can definitely be a rabbit hole, in more ...Research can definitely be a rabbit hole, in more ways than one. Just before my novel The Listeners came out, I participated in a panel at the Washington Academy of Sciences called Science Is Murder, the idea of which was to bring together authors who incorporated science into their stories in some way. And amongst those authors, one point on which we all ended up agreeing is that there's a limit to how much research actually helps your story.<br /><br />You definitely want to be accurate. The most fun I've ever had editing historical fiction came with Project Mayhem author Eden Unger Bowditch's Young Inventors Guild series, and Eden's research is terrific. But sometimes you spend so much time researching that you never get around to *actually writing your story*. There needs to be a balance. Ultimately, it's more important to *seem* right than to *be* right. Get the contextual facts you need, write with all the authority it gives you, and craft your tale.<br /><br /><a href="http://ambitiousenterprises.com/" rel="nofollow">Ambitious Enterprises</a>Harrison Demchickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18341713037648122172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-81113866947532508792014-04-16T15:34:14.091-05:002014-04-16T15:34:14.091-05:00I'm out of town doing school visits, and I'...I'm out of town doing school visits, and I've been telling kids the reason I like historical fiction so much is because I'm nosey. In regular life, being nosey is rude. If you're a novelist doing research, it's just part of the job!Caroline Starr Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04597510685273079757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-67016051462635969812014-04-16T12:32:24.934-05:002014-04-16T12:32:24.934-05:00Delightful. Somehow, I don't think my wife wou...Delightful. Somehow, I don't think my wife would be interested in either a breakfast cape or an opera cape.Michael G-Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07947421844294471304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-67123651953513275022014-04-16T12:10:22.434-05:002014-04-16T12:10:22.434-05:00I love reading primary sources, but you're rig...I love reading primary sources, but you're right - it is a rabbit hole. :)Marissa Burthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13079821721448782710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-9103746156772080592014-04-16T08:58:53.838-05:002014-04-16T08:58:53.838-05:00Great post! I love research but it's so easy t...Great post! I love research but it's so easy to get research paralysis. Kell Andrewshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18089691866850131698noreply@blogger.com