My podcast was on research and how much and what you need to research and why before you start writing. Here are some of the main points from what I heard:
Basic Idea Behind Their Research:
Howard: Do just enough research to get by. Sci-fi takes a lot of research. Use Doctor Google!
Dan: Most research done at the beginning, front load everything.
Brandon: Fantasy does get things wrong. Yeah you're right, maybe we should do more research. I write fantasy is so that you can write most of the time and not research.
Other Points Made:
- Research keeps you from knocking people out of the story with glaring errors.
- More believability from people who know more than you do on the subject.
- Know what is wrong with your writing if you research.
- Use smoke and mirrors to hide errors, but don't cut corners.
- Everyone is an expert on something, someone will know way more about your topic than you do.
- You cannot learn everything, so learn how to use smoke and mirrors. Hand off problems to another character, have characters that don't know anything about the subject other than what you know.
- Fantasy does not need hyper-detailed and specific. You can get away with things like that unlike Sci-fi where they desire hyperrealism.
- Get a couple of details right and then have the characters move the story forward.
- Too much research pulls you out, it might cause the author to put all research in.
Main Point:
Use smoke and mirrors to hide things that you just cannot research, but never cut corners. Do as much research that you need, but don't go overboard, don't do too little. Remember to do your research!
Monday, March 3, 2014
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Civil Life Involvement
How can a person's education predict his/her level of involvement in civil life?
I've heard before that the more education that you have, the more involved you are in civil life, because generally, the more education a person has, the higher their income. I forget where it came from, but I read somewhere that people with higher incomes are more invested in groups such as PTA or other service opportunities because they want to give back or are invested in making sure that their children have the same success as they did.
Honestly, in my own life I do not see a correlation. As a person almost done with college, I should be starting to become more involved in civil life, but I feel like my life is going to take the opposite turn. Right now I'm barely involved in anything. I have a church calling, but I haven't really done anything yet, and that's really it. I spend the majority of my time trying to save enough money so that my husband and I can live comfortably and eventually buy a second car and a house. Weekends are for catching up, I don't really think about serving in the community because I'm trying to establish my life right now.
You can argue that since I haven't graduated yet that the question does not really apply to me, but I look at my parents and I see a similar pattern. My parents both work, and they spend most of their free time trying to catch up on things that are not work related or spending time with my sister and I, or relaxing.
I don't think that education level determines how involved a person is in civil life. I think it is determined by how their current work and financial situation is and then if that is pretty stable, then they might become more involved. Maybe if that person is more connected to a specific issue, like multiple children in school convinces parents to serve on the PTA, would be a better way to determine if a person will be more involved in civil life.
I've heard before that the more education that you have, the more involved you are in civil life, because generally, the more education a person has, the higher their income. I forget where it came from, but I read somewhere that people with higher incomes are more invested in groups such as PTA or other service opportunities because they want to give back or are invested in making sure that their children have the same success as they did.
Honestly, in my own life I do not see a correlation. As a person almost done with college, I should be starting to become more involved in civil life, but I feel like my life is going to take the opposite turn. Right now I'm barely involved in anything. I have a church calling, but I haven't really done anything yet, and that's really it. I spend the majority of my time trying to save enough money so that my husband and I can live comfortably and eventually buy a second car and a house. Weekends are for catching up, I don't really think about serving in the community because I'm trying to establish my life right now.
You can argue that since I haven't graduated yet that the question does not really apply to me, but I look at my parents and I see a similar pattern. My parents both work, and they spend most of their free time trying to catch up on things that are not work related or spending time with my sister and I, or relaxing.
I don't think that education level determines how involved a person is in civil life. I think it is determined by how their current work and financial situation is and then if that is pretty stable, then they might become more involved. Maybe if that person is more connected to a specific issue, like multiple children in school convinces parents to serve on the PTA, would be a better way to determine if a person will be more involved in civil life.
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