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Musings for May 5/20/2007 8:48:29 AM
This month I've been musing about all the things I discover while doing research on my WIPs. Sometimes, what I stumble across proves to be so interesting that I stray far a field of my original intent or purpose, and well, hours later, I'm no closer to answering my concerns on my WIP and my head is spinning with ideas and notions and wonder at all the things I have learned.
Research is a necessary part of writing, and many authors have the strength to not allow interesting tidbits to lure them away . . . I'm not one of them. Although, I will admit I'm not, in defense of my wayward ways, I have to say I have also discovered far better "notions" for my stories by giving in to my curiosity and roaming far and wide with undisciplined abandonment.
As an example: On my current WIP, I needed to check whether certain foods existed in the timeframe I was writing within. I discovered they did, and was just about to return to my WIP when a very small, almost missed reference note caught my eye. I investigated further only to discover that this particular food had originally been promoted as "Fairy Floss!" Now, that fit so perfectly with what I was writing, I was overjoyed for hours. {It doesn't take much to please me, apparently.}
The above example is a more disciplined one and I stayed on course, but there are days I really go hiking. Once, I started out looking up certain types of cemeteries in the Puritan era and before I knew it I was off reading about a new monument marker feature called a Vidstone, basically a solar-powered, video playing contraption placed on a loved ones headstone so anyone can celebrate the life of the person now buried beneath that headstone. Okay, so it had nothing to do with what I really needed to know, but it was interesting.
Many, many times, my forays into undisciplined research have given birth to new story ideas, which I write down on a 3x5 card and file in my idea box. And speaking of where ideas come from, in my newsletter this month I am happy to have Jeanne Allen as my guest. I hope you enjoy her article on where her ideas come from and her excerpt she has generously offered to share with us.
Until next time, may the magic always brighten your world! Sheri
