How important are the Details?

[alpha-orionis-v.livejournal.com]

So, you're blasting through your novel this November, and then it happens. You hit a snag. Something that you wanted to have happen, but you don't really know anything about. Since it's NaNo, do you just trundle along anyway, making things up, fudging others, and employing the almighty handwavery? Or do you pause and sacrifice valuable minutes to go do the research to get your facts right?

Comments

[wendyscalia.livejournal.com]

Write through as best I can, fudging where necessary; then go back during editing in December, and get the research to correct what I most likely screwed up. Heh.

But that's the way I write, so I don't lose my momentum, NaNo or not. I always fudge through, then when the story's written or I hit a dead stop for some reason, I'll go do the research :)

[worldmage.livejournal.com]

Usually I go do the research. It's a sacrifice, yes, but it's better than having to go back and do a shit-ton of retcon when you find out you got it completely wrong.

[alpha-orionis-v.livejournal.com]

I rather agree, actually. Getting something wrong can sometimes mean changing your entire plot, which is a pain and a half. Especially if you've already written it.

[ayumidah.livejournal.com]

this

[nanogirl08.livejournal.com]

me too! I tend to find that it also provides additional inspiration for the next parts of the story, too.

[deadendsongs.livejournal.com]

I research because after I research, I find I can build up the word count. But my inner-editor says too much accurate historical (in my case) info-dropping is just obnoxious.

[forever-alone.livejournal.com]

I almost always do the research. Not only does it put my mind at ease, it has a chance of giving me a few ideas in the process. You never know when you may run across a small bit of info that will inspire a bit of dialogue or even a major plot point.

[princess2000204.livejournal.com]

If it's on a subject I kinda know a little about, I'll fudge and plow through it. But if it's on something I have no idea on, couldn't even begin to think on it then I'll research it.

[trenchcoatedson.livejournal.com]

I always pause to go do research. I can't help it. I'm an accuracy nut.

[twilight-angel.livejournal.com]

It really depends. If it's something I think I can fudge and fix later, I'll just keep writing. However, if it's something really specific, like -- I don't know -- the character is focusing on cleaning his gun and I have no idea how to clean a gun (or take it apart or even all the pieces of a gun...), I pause for a moment and research briefly. In December, I can do much more in-depth research and add more detail then.

[dexypunk.livejournal.com]

Personally...I trundle along in my alternate universe where such things are viable.

[mbeancntr.livejournal.com]

I gotta go with the others. I research. I usually learn more than I needed, but I can then expand on what I was writing thus increasing my word count.

[dutchess-axel.livejournal.com]

Research. Always research.

For instance, I wanted to learn about Japanese Grocery stores. It took me a total of thirty minutes, but I was able to write twice as fast after that, so it was way better off in the end.

I think fudging things just slows my word count down to a halt.

[celestinenox]

I write fantasy for specifically this reason. I make it up, and later if I really feel like it's a matter that needs some grounding in reality, I do the research then.

[harmonious.livejournal.com]

This! If I ever do come across something ridiculous that I really do need to research I'll probably just write something in caps like [[INSERT RESEARCH ON ____ HERE]] and go on with my life.

[kittydesade.livejournal.com]

This is what bracket notes are made for. I put it in a bracket note, keep writing, and then when I hit a break point I go back and see if I can fudge or if I need to look it up.

Usually I try to outline so I don't have to do this, writing the scene-by-scene, asking what things I'd need to know to do that scene, and answering them. This works... somewhat well.

[sickofyourbs.livejournal.com]

I bold the fudged stuff. For example, somewhere out there in space, there is a planet that is very, very similar to Earth in a very, very similar star system. This is a fact.
I don't know this planet's name, and therefore, in my NaNo, it is planet PLANET.
December is for research.

[kittydesade.livejournal.com]

Not Planet Bob?

I get very distracted by research, so I just save it for a break point. If it's a minor detail that probably won't affect much, I save it for the end.

Thankfully, I haven't had to do that yet. I probably will at some point soon, though; science fiction is not my best area of specfic.

[sings-off-key.livejournal.com]

This is what I do too. Bracket notes, and I also change the font color to red. "Research" is a major source of procrastination for me.

[kittydesade.livejournal.com]

Exactly. I get distracted, I go off on a tangent, I get lost in the idea of 'oh! This disease/planet/fact of biology I just found out would make a great plot point for...' and then don't actually come back to what I was working on.

If I finish my words for today, then I can do that. If not, it gets bracketed and saved for later.

[mabdese.livejournal.com]

When I know what I'm talking about it makes me feel inspired so I usually do a quick look up but at other times I feel like I'll get distracted especially if I'm doing poorly on my word count for that day and then I use brackets to remind myself to look it up later.

[arwensouth.livejournal.com]

If I can find enough information to fake my way through it without taking too much time away from writing, then I do it. Otherwise, I just put up a "fill this in later" sign for myself.

Or, in a few instances so far this year, I've cheated and asked my husband, who looked it up for me. :)

[takatohedgehog.livejournal.com]

I hit two snags so far, both at the beginning and in the middle of chapter two. Icarus was the plot device that I needed, but Poseidon is beginning to be a bitch. If I hit a snag, I go to people for advice or I listen to music that inspires me (like the BtVS theme).

But hey, December's for editing, right?

[sydneydaile.livejournal.com]

I had to look up how to file a missing person report for my story. It took all of three minutes to find the info for the state my story is set in, and I'll be able to write a lot about it. Those three minutes will probably get me 1000 words, so I'd say it's definitely worth the effort at times.

[jem0000000.livejournal.com]

Leave yourself a note: [do research on (insert topic here) to decide (this item or event - or - background details). Options: option one, option two, etc.] Then finish your wordcount goal for the day and research afterwards.

Of course, that depends on having something where you can finish your wordcount without ruining your plot. But, even if what you write is totally wrong, you can strikethrough it or color the text to match the background so you can still count it towards the 50,000.

None of mine have ruined my plot, so far, but I'm writing in an alternate universe (but one which uses our laws of physics and certain cultural details similar to one of our cultures).

I have all sorts of [you forgot to give her this item before she left on her quest. Go back to scene where she packs and mention it] notes, too. Also [what did I name this minor character?] notes.

[tarastone.livejournal.com]

I do the research. Otherwise the fudged spot will bug me until I fix it.

[in_excelsis_dea.livejournal.com]

I researh. I wish I didn't have to, but I do. I can't write unless I know that it's true to the best of my ability and even then, I still get nervous that I'm getting something wrong. And if I think something is wrong, I research it to death. Of course, then I get caught up in my research and my focus all goes to that. *sigh* I don't waste minutes -- minutes I could handle. Yesterday I spent nearly the entire day researching pediatric heart transplants.

[mistyzeo.livejournal.com]

I stop sometimes if it's something important, like chronological details (this morning I looked up folk dances invented before 1890), but normally I just plow through and make shit up.

[dragonbloodink.livejournal.com]

I have made SO much shit up. But I'm writing fantasy and the world works the way I say it does. :3

I'll go back, do the research and fix it in rewrites.

[morlockiness.livejournal.com]

A little bit of both. I'll do a tiny bit of research, but mostly make shit up until later where I'll go and actually research.

[crystel-dream.livejournal.com]

I suppose it depends what kind of writer/person you are.

I know I'm a procrastinator. I go looking something up and not only will my word count for the day not get done but I probably wouldn't go back to the story until about the 28th because I'll be so busy "researching" stuff. Hence I make myself sit down within half an hour of me getting home from work and I get those daily words down. Then I can go and research things I'm not sure about if I need to.

If you're the kind of person who has what you need close at hand and can limit yourself to finding the item in a few minutes and get back to it (I envy you) then I don't think there would be any problem doing so.

[jesstherobot.livejournal.com]

Oh my god, I just spent like two solid minutes watching the entire progression of your icon. That's NOT A NICE THING TO HAVE WHEN EVERYONE'S PRESSED FOR TIME. :P

well i've got to be honest

[anotherfate.livejournal.com]

I just hit my first snag... and I have been writing for three days on about nothing. I'm really hoping that it works it way out in the editing process, maybe even starts some new ideas. Right now, I have a character named Bob Marley swearing at credit cards. And, I'm totally amused. Writing well it over rated. You really need to slide in words like totally, super and wicked a lot.

[solookup.livejournal.com]

I always research, it's a bad habit but with internet you just have to google or wiki it, not go to the library and pick up a book! If I am writing on a roll, I go _____________ and keep going.

[zxora.livejournal.com]

I've just been trundling along myself...:-P.

~*Kelsey*~

research

[blueraven6.livejournal.com]

If you develop a pro reputation for not doing your research, you will regret it.

Re: research

[alpha-orionis-v.livejournal.com]

I think there's a bit of confusion with some of the comments here. I didn't post looking for advice; just general curiousity about how people handle the situation.

I've re-structured my novel completely, twice now, because my cop buddy that's nit-picking my story for me has pointed out areas where I got my information wrong.