I recently returned from a trip to The Philippines where I did two important things: First, I caught up with some old friends for a long-overdue reunion over a few cold beers, and, secondly, spent a few days in field research in and around Manila for the manuscript of book 2 in the Dragon Series. It's second nature for me to get into the field - in a previous life I would have called it 'reconnaissance' - but I thought it worthy of a blog post. Perhaps my experience and thoughts on the subject can help current, or aspiring authors.
So, why field research? Whats's the big deal?
I'll blog more in future about my writing method, but research is everything to me. I do everything I can to ensure my writing is 'real'; that it depicts a scene, location or incident as accurately as possible, with as much descriptive ability as I need (don't go over the top... but that's for another post) to draw my reader into the action, to place them at the heart of the scene.
While I lean heavily on Primary Sources (diaries, photographs, letters) and reliable Secondary Sources (books, journal articles, research papers), it's the sights, sounds, smells I experience by walking the ground that really take my writing to another level - if recent reviews are anything to go by, I seem to have nailed that. For example, it's fine to read travel notes about a city (they often hold a lot of valuable detail) but unless you walk the alleys stepping around boxes while dodging running kids, waving off street hawkers and feeling the eyes of strangers on you as you pass, smell the refuse in the gutters, hear the sound of stray dogsfighting or the crowing of roosters, you're not really there in your mind. To me, no matter how accomplished one's descriptive writing ability or how strong the imagination, it's near impossible to powerfully depict what's in mind unless you've been there.
Note, I say 'near impossible.' I've immediately thought of masterpieces of science fiction such as Herbert's 'Dune' or Harry Harrison's 'Deathworld' and, no, neither Herbert nor Harrison visited those places and walked the ground.... But I bet it would have helped had they been able to!
My 'Top 5' tips for effective field research:
Be prepared to really get off the track. It can be a little confronting and possibly even dangerous so make sure you are doing that with an experienced, and trusted, local fixer. Do your risk assessment ahead of time and put your risk controls in place.
Carry your pocket-sized Moleskin and pencil with you at all times. Take copious notes. Don't try and 'craft' anything; just record impressions (shapes, objects, that sort of thing), sensory effects, and your emotional responses.
Photograph everything! My memory is pretty good but nothing works like a photo to immediately put you back in the time and place your are trying to recollect.
Speak to people, if safe and appropriate to do so. Use your fixer to translate if necessary, take the pulse of the residents of the area you are in.
Eat in a local restaurant or street stall and spend that time people watching. Note everything but, more importantly, what do people look like, how do they walk, what are they doing?Record your 'feelings' and 'impressions' because this is what you want to use to capture your readers.
Get out there and swim in the stream. Be a part of the world about which you are writing. Feel free to comment below. Good luck, and have fun!
A.C.
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