 | 5 Sep 06 |
Writers spend a lot of time researchers. At least, those writers who are SUCCESSFUL.
Myself, I’m a little bit obsessive about research. In fact, I find myself getting lost in it, and have to be redirected back home. This July, I was camping with friends, and I was talking about my latest book with one of them. I told Carlene I was having trouble making a scene work because there was no TOUR like the one I was trying to use in the book. I had Googled it endlessly (yes, I can use Google as a verb if I so desire, Jen! So there!) and didn’t find one that worked for me.
“Hello, Natalie, you are writing FICTION. You can just make up the tour,” Carlene said. “Don’t let this bog you down.”
Yeah, she was right. Like I said, I get too obsessive. It would be entirely feasible to have that tour, at that time, in that area. There are OTHER similar tours, just none that were exactly what I wanted. And I’ve found that including a LARGE dose of reality in my books, even though they are fiction, makes them resonate with readers. People can relate.
But you can’t always do it. So I went ahead and created my own tour. I stand firm that a certain amount of reality has to be there in the book. Particularly for those of us who write crime fiction. The reader has to buy in. I guess that’s why I obsess about the details so much. But where does a writer find those details?
Getting the 411 is sometimes hard, but not if you know the right people. One of those “right people” is Cele. She has a blog that is devoted SOLELY to getting the 411.
http://wednesdaylinks.blogspot.com/
For example, in this week’s edition, I noted she had a link to Collection and Preservation of Blood Evidence. This is a gold mine for writers using crime scene investigation in their work.
And if Cele doesn’t HAVE a link, I bet she can find it. She’s a writer’s dream.
For those with weapons questions, there is a VERY good Yahoo group with people on it that know a LOT about weapons, and various other “crime” facts.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Weapons_Info/
I already mentioned Google. Writers, Google is your friend. Google’s been very, very good to me. I can find just about anything I need on Google.
If you are looking for an agent, I have a listing on my Web site, and it was just awarded the “Truly Useful Site” from Preditors and Editors. That was cool!
So, there’s a few places to get the 411. Now, off I go to write. Please share your own research and writing links.
© 2006 – 2009, Natalie R. Collins. All rights reserved.
Natalie R. Collins was born in Logan, Utah and attended the University of Utah. She worked for eleven years at The Salt Lake Tribune, Utah's largest daily newspaper, before leaving to devote more time to her family. During the ensuing years, she wrote five novels. She also worked for the 2001 and 2002 Sundance Film Festivals as an editor. Natalie is a member of the International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America, and Romance Writers of America.
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Wow, Natalie, thank you for the nod to Wednesday Links, and congrats on the Truly Useful Site award from Preditors and Editors.
First off I have to say that I glean links from everywhere. From here I’d learned that Karin’s hubby would be offing Cop info. So I featured Hot Cops as my Blog for the week, and from Cop Talk, somehow
I found my way to Blood Evidence. If it’s on your website, I’ll find it and share it with others. Thanks for the weapson site Natalie. One link down, 15 more to go.
What do you mean Google isn’t a verb
by Cele September 5th, 2006 at 8:24 amI have a few places for 411. Karin and Gary are a key source
. Crimelibrary.com where I learn more about psychology of killers than I ever wanted to know. THE SERIAL KILLER FILES by Schechter. FORENSICS FOR DUMMIES has great basic research. I also have Dr. Lyle’s other books because they are easy to understand (I am not a scientist or a doctor!) I read a lot of true crime sites to absorb the human factor. And I’m not afraid to pick up the phone or search out an email to find specific answers.
I’ve been to Cele’s site a couple times; now I’m going to have to make it a regular stop!
by Allison September 5th, 2006 at 9:49 amNatalie, Natalie, Natalie, if you keep telling people how much I harrass you, they are going to figure out I’m not as nice as I claim I am! I thought what happens on IM stays on IM? LOL!
Cele, I’m off to look at your site!!
by Jen September 5th, 2006 at 9:50 amCele what is your site?
by Karin September 5th, 2006 at 1:02 pmKarin, it’s linked from the blog post. http://wednesdaylinks.blogspot.com/
Jen, You are SOOOO much fun to tease…. She really is nice, people.
Allison, I rely on Gary and Karin, too.
Cele, I’ll see if I can help out this week on your links, since you are ALWAYS so good to me. PEOPLE, give Cele links!! Muwaaahhhhaaah. Heh. I think everyone is still on vacation. Or I bored them all to tears….
by Natalie September 5th, 2006 at 1:46 pmMethinks, Nat everyone is playing catch up from the long weekend.
by Karin September 5th, 2006 at 4:37 pmCele, great blog site. I added it to my faves. And thanks for the plug on hubby.
Karin, my pleasure, thank you for a great site.
by Cele September 5th, 2006 at 5:04 pmCele – looks like I’ll be spending more time on Wednesday’s Links.
I do know what it’s like to Google something and you think you’ll easily find the answer, and it just doesn’t work.
For police stuff, I usually just write my cop and say, “HELP!”
by J. Carson Black September 6th, 2006 at 4:28 amJake, it is hard finding some stuff. I do have more than 40 forensic and crime information links…but I’m always looking for more. I try to not use a link more than once a year, it doesn’t work for all catagories that I post.
by Cele September 6th, 2006 at 7:57 am