With everyone but me doing the A-Z challenge, or so it seems, it's like a ghost town around here. But I figured I'd shout out into the blogosphere and see who's listening :~) I'll probably just do one post a week until May for this reason.
Sooooo, I've been going through some nice, sticky procrastination. After receiving feedback on my novel from two different blog critiques and an agent critique, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed. Excited about all the awesome and very useful feedback, but feeling like I was standing at the bottom of a very large mountain. I've also been sick for over a week so that didn't help any.
So, on Sunday I kicked myself in the butt and started working on some research for my book. You may recall that the agent at the conference had said I needed to enhance my setting and subculture in New York City, where most of my novel takes place. So I settled down on the sofa with my laptop and spent a few hours poring over maps and learning about the different neighborhoods and looking at apartments for rent (for my MC, not me, alas).
Also over the weekend I did a lot of brainstorming on the third book in the series. I had been told that I needed to explain a little bit more about why my villain wants to kill my MC, and so I did a brief outline of the third and final book and wrote out all the details of the big secret that gets revealed at the end. Monday I wrote a page in first person from my villain's point of view, to get deeper into the scene that my books opens with. The next step is to weave in all the NYC juiciness, flesh out my first chapter a bit with villainous motives, and then go through my book and search on weak verbs and strengthen up my sentences. I'm hoping to get this all done by the end of the month, and then it's back to QueryLand.
What have you guys been working on? What is the coolest or most fun thing you've researched for a book?
Book research is one of the funnest parts of writing a book... I've been going to the library looking up books on time travel and Greek Mythology for the book I'm working on... it reminds me of being in college, it's fun.
ReplyDeleteNew York would be fun to research... I love that city. My favorite neighborhood there is the lower east side.
My ms has a character who's a nanotechnology specialist. There isn't a huge part about it, but I had to research it to at least make it SOUND like I knew what I was doing and it was a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteAll my books are set in WI - maybe I'll do a better job of researching and moving them around a little in the future...we gave you a shout-out on our blog tonight. Thanks for all the good advice as we head into our own agent pitches tomorrow!
erica
That's a great idea, rsearching neighborhoods doe your setting.
ReplyDeleteFor the book I'm working on now, I had to ask my friend (a police officer) some questions to get some details right. And I had to ask my other friend (who owns a bakery) some details too. Both were neat to learn about. :-)
I researched for some strange names for my Middle Grade fiction. I also created few unique animals and plants (hope the readers too think they are unique) ;)
ReplyDeleteI too am not a part of the A-Z challenge, due to prior commitments. So you are not alone.
For my WIP I've done extensive research on Ancient Egypt. It's not historical fiction, it's a fantasy set in a land based on Ancient Egypt. I've learned so much fascinating stuff. It's been great. I'm blogging about how I'm worldbuilding it this whole month for A to Z.
ReplyDeleteNYC is a really awesome place. I'm lucky that if I ever needed to set a story there I could just question my husband about it. He grew up there.
Looks like you're not so alone out here after all! I'm watching the A-Z but not taking part.
ReplyDeleteI find research really hard because then I get so much info I don't know what to do with it all.
As for me? I'm still plugging away with my YA fantasy 2nd draft.
I'm not doing the A-Z either, tho I'm reading a LOT of them. Ugh, yes, hard not to feel overwhelmed sometimes when you get critiques and feedback. I think you had a great start, for what it's worth, after having read the first chapter. :) Hey, love your cute short haircut, too!
ReplyDeleteOnce I got to look at all the photos in NASA's online picture gallery, as part of research for a book. (That book is still unpublished, but I may end up using the research in another project sometime.)
ReplyDeleteYou're not the only one not doing the alphabet posts. We can be lonely together!
ReplyDeleteRecently, I had to do some minimal research on blood and how it exits the body. I found it fascinating. I figure if I don't learn something new every day, then I've wasted an opportunity.
Good luck with your critiques!
ReplyDeleteI've been working on edits on my first draft.
Nice to meet you!
Okay, so this is almost to convenient a reply, but I'm indeed looking for apartments in NYC. I already live here, but one a place that will reduce my commute between my Piano Man's place (my boyfriend), school and I want to keep it as quiet as possible for my writing; I also want a park nearby as I'm a runner. This is such a hard combination to find, especially if when one doesn't have unlimited resources.
ReplyDeleteIf you have an specific question (or two, even three ;-) about apts in NYC or the NYC area do send them my way. I'll give it go and run it through my friends too.
Good luck with the agent hunt, dear. I have my fingers crossed for you.
Ha! I've done that too - looked at real estate in a different area to find out more for a book. :D It's fun researching online. A little too fun sometimes...
ReplyDeleteYour WIP sounds a lot like one I wrote a couple years ago. It was adult thriller set in NYC and opens with the villain after the MC. I had 2 requests and rejections that they didn't feel invested enough in my character. After two years later of studying the craft, I see what they meant. I hadn't fleshed out my villain and made him real enough. He was just a bad guy with no reason why.
ReplyDeleteI'm going back to work on that one later this year. I've had plenty of time to improve since then.I've put it off for so long for the same reason you have. It's like staring up at a mountain to climb.
Anyway, I read some of your earlier posts. Thanks for all the great query tips. Sounds like a great conference. I had considered that Tallahassee one, since I live in FLA. But opted for the regional SCBWI in Orlando in June.
I'm not doing the A - Z challenge. You are not alone.
ReplyDeleteGo you for kicking yourself in the butt.
ReplyDeletePS: I'm not doing the A to Z either.
ReplyDeleteI'm here, I'm here! :)
ReplyDeleteIt's hard sometimes getting started again after feedback, but I'm sure you'll make it even better than before.
Well done for getting going with the research! Um... I've researched torture devices, lists of hobbies, lists of surnames, ALL kinds of mythology, baby names... The amount of fun it is depends on how horrible the REAL work is that I'm trying to avoid!
ReplyDeleteI cannot cope with A-Z, so you are not alone, Alexia. I am working hard on a rewrite.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure, by now, you're feeling much better? Hope so! :) Glad you got some valuable research done - knowing what you're writing about is (obviously) invaluable. Part of my current wip takes place in up-state NY, so it's been fun to research that. But, I'd rather visit again and do it in person... :)
ReplyDelete