Research Advice for Writers
Bags packed – check.
Writing tools at the ready – check.
Nerves calmed – check.
Ready to go? I think so 🙂
As you probably know by now, I’m off on an overseas research trip to Lebanon tomorrow. It is the land of my heritage, and is one of the settings in the historical fiction novel I’m writing. I’m excited and nervous all at once, but I’m ready for the adventure!
Especially after overcoming a particular concern I’ve had up until today. I’ve been trying to figure out where to actually start with my research, or how to best go about it. But after checking in with my awesome 12×12 peeps, asking them to share any clues, advice, tips, strategies or suggestions, all my fears are allayed. Here’s how the conversation went:
Rebecca Sheraton “Good luck Jennifer”
Teresa Robeson “Jennifer, I think we’d need to know what the novel is about or encompasses before we can tell you how to go about looking for resources. But since your novel is set in the past, perhaps there are historical societies or historical museums that you can visit while there? Good luck and have fun!”
My response: “My novel is based on the story of my parents and grandparents migrating from Lebanon to Australia just after WWII. My father and grandparents have passed away and my mum is 84, so it is going to be very emotional to experience actually walking the land they grew up in 🙂 “
Juliana Lee “I always want to know the best places to eat while I travel. What do the locals eat and what dishes are not found elsewhere. I guess what I’m trying to say, is eat your way into the heart of the people!”
Meg Miller “I don’t have any practical experience, but my gut says to spend plenty of time enjoying, watching, chatting people up. Soak it all in! Have fun!!!”
Julie Rowan-Zoch “I’m with Meg, only I’d eat a lot too!”
Katie Davis “When I was in Italy many years ago with Franny Billingsley, I watched her research the novel that would eventually become Chime. She touched everything. She felt the rough walls in the ancient towers. She watched how the light hit the uneven stones and heard how her footsteps sounded in the piazza. She wrote down everything. She saw and heard and felt and smelled and experienced it all. For me it was How To Research a Novel College.”
My response: “Thank you all so much! Katie, that’s exactly what I’m bursting to do!! Now I know it’s okay to do just that 🙂 “
Julie Foster Hedlund “When I was in Italy (which I will be using in writing soon!) I also took recordings of church bells, street musicians, and just the sound of the street – of life going by. The great thing is being able to have a recorder and a camera with you (phone) at all times. Also, don’t go ANYWHERE without a notebook.”
My response: “That’s beautiful, Julie … I’ll be attending a traditional wedding too, so I’m sure there’ll be church bells to record 🙂 “
Julie Foster Hedlund “A few years ago, when I spent a summer in Italy, there was one church in the little village on the Riviera where we stayed that played the most beautiful bells on the 6:00 hour. I recorded it – all 3 minutes of it. Then there’s the sound of the sea and people talking and enjoying themselves in the background. I cry every time I play it back. The more visceral you can make your memories of the experience, the better. Even if you just write “glimmers” of things that catch your eye that capture taste, smell, touch, emotion. Not even full sentences. That way when you come back, you’ll be able to draw from the emotional truth of the experience, which is the most important part.”
Jacque Duffy “You’ve got some wonderful tips here Jennifer, enjoy every moment.”
Carrie Finison “What a great opportunity! I would do whatever you can to get a glimpse of traditional daily home life. Can you stay in a bed an breakfast of some kind (do they have those?) where you’d actually be sharing someone’s home? Or maybe have a friend of a friend or a long-lost cousin show you around and with luck invite you to dinner at their home. The more rural/traditional the better, too.
My response: “Thanks Carrie … I’m actually staying with my mum’s sister in the mountain village my family comes from 🙂 So I’m very blessed to be meeting cousins I’ve never met before, etc. I’ll also be visiting the home my mum actually grew up in…her brother and his family still live in that home 🙂 “
Carrie Finison “That sounds perfect, Jennifer! You’ll get so much local flavour from those experiences. Another thing that works well, esp. with older family members, is looking at old photographs with them. That can trigger a lot of memories/stories.
It sounds like you just need to figure out the best ways to record and capture your experiences. Maybe bring a couple of options – a voice recorder, a notebook, a camera with video capability?”
It sounds like you just need to figure out the best ways to record and capture your experiences. Maybe bring a couple of options – a voice recorder, a notebook, a camera with video capability?”
My beautiful mountain village destination
This advice is pure gold to me. Thought I’d share it in case someone else out there is stumped about how to go about their research adventure. But what a great problem to have, don’t you think?!
Alla mahkoun (meaning God be with you/a Lebanese farewell)
Jennifer xo
