As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, I’m working on a new mystery series for Penguin/NAL…a series set in the South that involves a quilting guild.
I’ve probably never mentioned my quilting expertise before…because it’s non-existent. :)
Quilting is the perfect topic for me to research, though, because I’ve always been interested in quilting as an art form and as a way to tell stories.
Recently, I’ve been immersed in quilting books and magazines, talked to quilters, visited quilt shops, and watched videos on quilting.
I know way more information about quilting than needs to go into the book.
Sometimes I read books and feel like the author was trying to convey all of what he’d learned about a topic to the reader, resulting in an information dump.
This could be a setting dump, a character skill dump, a forensics investigation dump, etc. It takes lots of different forms, but it’s rarely fun to read. It makes me feel like the writer is showing off…although they’re probably just trying to include all the information they dug up during the long hours of research.
So what I’m trying to do with my quilting research is integrate it naturally into the story in bits and pieces.
I’m finding different ways to do this. Some of the integration is as simple as letting individual preference of quilt styles indicate the different personalities of the characters.
Some of the research figures into the detail and history of a quilt that’s an important prop in the mystery.
Some of the research integrates into setting detail as I describe the environments where the ladies quilt together (bees, guild meetings)—and where one plots murder. :)
I’m writing a murder mystery—not a how-to book on quilting. So the quilting research is there to add flavor to the novel instead of overwhelming it.
I’m looking at the research a lot like I look at character worksheets and questionnaires—I don’t need to use all the information I find out about my character. The information is just there for me to develop a well-rounded character. Similarly, the research is there for me to develop a textured book.
How do you integrate your research naturally into your novel?
I’m currently swimming in research material for my next book. I’m not sure yet how what I am learning is going to affect my story, but I do know I will work hard to avoid the problem you describe because nothing annoys me more than a “here’s a bunch of accurate detail that really has no impact on the story I’m telling” research dumps make me tear my hair out. Maybe I’ll be more sympathetic after I sit down to write with 1000 index cards at my elbow…
The main reason I do my historically-based research is so I can see how people lived in a specific place and time, and then convey any key details to the reader in the process of telling the story. What I usually gain from the process is new ideas for the plot or character motivations that come from that life style.
Since I love to learn, I assume I’ll be OK with keeping a bunch of the info I glean to myself. If not, I suppose I could write some nonfiction to use it up.
Elizabeth – Oh, I’m really eager to read your new series!
In my last novel I had to learn some things about music and how musical competitions work at the university level. I knew a little but not some of the important details. Once I “did my homework” I integrated it in small ways (not a lot at once). For instance, using the right terminology for some things, having a major music competition in the novel, and one or two other ways. Research is really essential to a realistic novel, but I think you also don’t want to “bash the reader over the head” with a lot of facts.
Ah, nothing worse than stopping the story for an info dump, especially one that says, “I had to look up all this stuff, so you have to read it.”
If it doesn’t sound like something the character would logically be thinking, it will pull me out of the story. Michael Connelly is an expert at weaving in details and explanations and making them sound like Harry Bosch really would be thinking that at the moment (even though, if you stop to analyze it, he probably already knows that so why would he think it–but that’s why Connelly is good–you don’t stop while reading it.)
Think IV drip.(And whenever possible, toss a ‘naive’ character into the scene so your protagonist can explain it.)
Terry
Terry’s Place
Romance with a Twist–of Mystery
yep – current as always! It is the integration that is the artful part. I can research – I love it actually (I even have a quilt pattern in True that supports the theme, I think). I love researching because I love learning new things and living vicariously all the lives I haven’t lived. But the desire to do so and the desire to have it show up in my books means a lot of work getting it casual so it doesn’t stick up and jar the reader with a ‘oh a passion of the writer’s” moment of realization. Last night, the one and I were watching Dr. Who. In this episode the doctor and Amy had time-travelled to the mid-1500’s in Venice. One of the characters said ‘time’s a ticking’ which stuck in my mind. Why? Well I wanted to know if time was ticking in the 1500’s. I think it was but I’m not sure yet. It’s a constant problem with those who write time travel stuff but even for us who may only go back ten or twenty years it is a BIG problem to get right. We become so used to our own time and place that we can’t imagine things any differently. But I digress. Yes, Elizabeth – hard to do smoothly and well.
By the way, I have an old friend who is a master quilter and song-writer – she travels the world doing her singing quilting thing. I’ll send you her link…
I don’t do the info dump. A lot of science fiction stories go overboard with the technical details and it’s boring. I integrate it into the action – I show you how it works rather than tell you.
I think the trick is to slip in all the research in an incredibly casual way; through dialogue, circumstances, attitudes, etc. I try to get readers to experience the time through my characters’ eyes and of course, to them, it’s happening in the present – not as (to the reader) a long time ago.
Making sure you have just enough information from your research in your work can be challenging sometimes because you want your story to be as authentic as possible. I’ve had to do a 3 ring binder’s worth of research for my fantasy novel because I’m basically building a world from scratch (which isn’t easy by the way! Fun but not easy!) You would think making things up would be a breeze but I still have to provide anchors that my readers can relate to or even compare to what does exist. So my research is my foundation for my world-building and then I just tweak what I learn to make it my own. I may call an apple something completely different, but if I describe it right, my readers can figure out really quick that my exotic fruit is just like an apple. I learned the hard way that if my world was waay too out there, my readers would be completely lost and subsequently turned off!
I think it is probably a good idea to write about a craft you don´t know *too* well – I assume the writers who overdo it are often people who feel their hobby is what makes the world turn round. So like you, I like researching new areas, adding bits and pieces of my new knowledge whenever it comes naturally, but without stuffing my readers with information just because I have it.
I love research and have learned so much it’s HARD not to info dump. But I have learned to do it a little at a time. The details are only important to me as a writer, but if a reader catches me being wrong — that’s a no-no.
I’ve seen a lot of these craft-mystery books that give way too much information (for my taste) on the craft. I’m writing a scrapbooking mystery set in the South and I’m taking the same approach as you are. I do scrapbook every once in awhile and know about it, but I also have been researching, paper, pictures, scrapbooks, inks,and so on. I’m with you—the craft part is a vehicle. But the story is what counts.
Kit–It really seems like showing off to me. And I’m sure it’s probably more that the author got really excited about the topic…but hey–not everyone shares your passion and readers are expecting *fiction*.
That’s the perfect way of putting it…using the data for plot and character motivation. Just a natural way of writing it into the book.
Good point. If we ever learn SO much information on the subject that it becomes a shame not to share it, there’s always nonfiction.
Jan–Hmm. *Was* time ticking back then? Seems sort of early, doesn’t it? For some reason 1500s and time brings visions of sundials to mind.
That would be great, Jan! I’m trying to create a database of first sources.
Alex–Another good reason for everyone to read your book!
Margot–And the reader doesn’t want to be bashed, either! :)
Anne–That’s another good point…checking those facts. More than one source is a good thing.
Terry–Getting yanked out of the story because of a research dump really stinks. I like your IV drip analogy.
I think I’m going to let my protagonist be the naive one…curious to see if that will work with the editor.
Quilting. We have the house full of it, books, magazines and all kinds of fabric. It’s my old lady’s main hobby >:)
Cold As Heaven
I’m glad you brought this topic up, because as an editor I see this kind of egotistic (I think it is, anyway) what I call ‘Data Dumping’ way too much. Often it occurs in a sudden POV jump out of the character’s 3rd or 1st person into OPOV while the author imparts his or her vast wisdom to the reader.
Meh. Hate that.
So yes, it is VERY important that once you have done your research and know far more info than the book even needs for realism, that the info be delivered only as needed and only through the natural flow of the story.
Good post, Liz!
It’s funny, isn’t it, how easy it gets to throw in too much when we really know a place/hobby/event, but how the right amount can add the perfect authenticity.
I just finished editing a book that had a little too much because it was from a place I really lived and the detail felt NORMAL to me, but it overwhelmed a few unfamiliar readers. I’m trying to use that now as I write my 2nd Cozy–it’s in a new part of Roanoke, so I need some description… but it is better to give it based on what the characters need to do than just to describe them. I think your plans sound great! Maybe, too… just added things like one person directing another to do this or that [quilting step] in the course of other discussion? Seems like that would be part of it when women are sharing an activity they are so familiar with that the actual activity no longer needs to be the main topic.
Cold As Heaven–Sounds like you might know more about quilting than I do!
The Old Silly–“…OPOV while the author imparts his or her vast wisdom to the reader”–Ha! Love it, Marvin. Yes, that’s *exactly* what it feels like to me. And I’m seeing the puppet’s strings, too, which is never a good thing.
Elspeth–Dialogue is my most *favorite* way to slip stuff in. Probably just because I love dialogue so much, period!
Margaret–I like your ideas for making teh exotic a little familiar. I can only imagine the amount of notes you have to make to ensure you don’t slip up! It would be hard for me to remember all the little details of the world I’d created.
Hart–I feel like we almost have to research enough to write a book on the subject to be able to just accurately add the flavor!
That’s a very good idea…the giving directions from an experienced member to a newer one. Then we get the technique without having it be forced.
Dorte–Exactly. Because if someone is desperate to learn how to quilt…they’re not going to pick up a murder mystery. They’re going to find the same quilting books that I’ve been poring over!
I love doing research – I always have tons more than I’ll ever want or need. But it helps me to really know it when I’m trying to integrate it into the story.
Mollie–Very well put! Yes, it’s definitely a vehicle for the mystery. No point in writing a reference book for quilting or scrapbooking–we’re just trying to give a feel of the enjoyable aspects of the crafts.
I learned a lot about Orthodox Judaism from Faye Kellerman’s early Rina Lazarus/Peter Decker books. Peter found out that he was born to a teenaged Jewish mother and adopted by Christian parents. As Kellerman added more books to the series, Rina spent less time explaining tenets of the faith to Peter, but it’s obvious that religion is an important part of who these characters are.
Jemi–I had this funny thing happen today at the library where I really GOT this particular part of the quilting process…and then thought, “But this isn’t something that even needs to go in the book!” But I was still glad to understand it.
Mary–I like the way Kellerman did that–having one character explain it to another. That sounds like a natural way to me.