 | 19 Jun 09 |
I work for the Federal government, and since they have an interesting way of hiring people, I am often surrounded by people who are, well, interesting! In fact, some of these people people are challenged in ways you don’t always see on a worksite.
For example, the lady that works across from me is always stoned. Some days are worse than others. Some days she can barely talk, and other days we wish she couldn’t talk, because she is not very nice.
I am not the slightest bit worried that she will ever read this post, because they recently gave her a computer, because we are all supposed to be using them, and she reacted by setting her new computer on top of the garbage can. That was rather symbolic and funny, but the bosses didn’t think so. They let her know that she will not do that with her computer again. So she just hides it behind her book that has pictures of Jim Morrison pasted throughout it.
She idolizes him, and frankly, that says a lot about her character, because she idolizes a man who was found dead, in a bathtub, of a drug overdose.
She has been known to put the stinkeye on people when they piss her off, and I’ve heard she practices voodoo and witchcraft, so I’ve tried really hard not to piss her off. Or wake her up. Because it’s so hard to get a good eight hours of sleep when you are at work. They just don’t make it very comfortable. I’d like to suggest beds and pillows, at least for her. One day she fell asleep head down on her desk, pencil in hand, and didn’t move for two hours. Finally, I told the lead she had better check on her because I was not entirely certain she was breathing, and that really would not make my day.
She was just sleeping deeply.
There are also some hygiene challenged people at work, and I just want to say, “Here is the soap. Here is the toothpaste. Do you know what they are used for?” I doubt it would help, though.
One day, my friend Heather and I got into a great discussion. We were trying to decide what was worse. Someone who was stinky or someone who was stupid. She thought the stupid people were worse. After all, you can tell a stinky person they need to bathe.
I countered with, “Well, yeah, but what if they are stinky and stupid? Maybe that’s the problem.”
Deep thoughts. I know.
Working environments are always interesting to me. I am currently reading a book that features a journalist, and his experiences at his paper remind me of the time I worked for The Salt Lake Tribune. We had some pretty interesting people working there, too. Back then, quite a few people made it a habit to have two hour liquid lunches, and one of our copy editors regularly came back inebriated. One time he got his arms stuck in the filing cabinet. It was pretty amusing.
I like realistic environments in books I am reading, and I like to create those in my own writing. I worked for a while at the sheriff’s office here in my county, and I got to know these people. Cops are so interesting to me.
I think my time working there made it more realistic. And I would have to really research to place characters in an environment that I was not familiar with.
I just read a book that I found hard to swallow, because it was written by someone who obviously did not understand or know the environment she was writing about.
They say write what you know. Do YOU think it’s possible to write about something you don’t know, and do it realistically? Anyone have any samples of this being done well?
© 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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I would be sooooooo tempted to prank the woman who was sleeping. It would be like a new challenge every day, to come up with small things to just mess with her. Like moving everything on her desk. Find a statue of Jim Morrison and perch it to where he’s looking down on her with the sign “repent before it’s too late” taped to his hands. Or change out every source book she has on her desk for one in another language, just to see when she’d notice.
(Clearly, I am still in fifth grade.)
by toni mcgee causey June 19th, 2009 at 7:08 amI was going to say yes, of course, that’s why they call it fiction, but then you threw in the word “realistically” and that just screwed up my entire argument.
Actually, I think you can research something enough to write realistically about it, but clearly personal experience helps. Especially if you’re going to use real-world objects where people can check the facts.
On the other hand, I have a meth lab blowing up in my current WIP and I promise you I have ZERO experience with that! I am relying on research….
by Lorena June 19th, 2009 at 8:28 amLorena, that cracks me up. I’m kinda glad you don’t have experience blowing up a meth lab.
(however, we happen to know someone who has done this) (in construction work, you meet the most, um, interesting people)
by toni mcgee causey June 19th, 2009 at 10:27 amI haven’t blown one up but I’ve dismantled a couple. Nasty $h!t.
Sort of like you never forget the smell of your first crispy….uhm…nevermind.
by Silver James June 19th, 2009 at 11:05 amMy gods it’s Silver! She’s everywhere!!!
by ev June 19th, 2009 at 6:03 pmNatalie, I’m with Toni. I’d never get any work done because I’d be too busy pranking the voodoo woman.
Realistic writing…It certainly helps if you have experience if you are truly layering a scene with the five senses. If it’s just a passing part of your plot, research will probably do the trick. I’m loving Google Maps Street View. I may not actually describe a drive or a building in detail, but I want those details firmly entrenched or a visual reference when I do.
I suppose anyone who writes FFP genres probably doesn’t have real life experience either… Mileage may vary on how well they do. I do know that when somebody gets it wrong (whatever *it* is…), I often want to introduce book to wall.
Hang in there, Natalie!
by Silver James June 19th, 2009 at 11:11 amAs someone who’s gone through the Civilian Police Academy, joined the Alumni group, and only two days ago was sitting at the Ale House with a homicide detective (whose latest chapter is at my blog again, by the way), asking questions about the correct procedures in an investigation, and what the cops say to each other (learned something new: “slice the pie”), Yes I think it can be done IF you do your research and take the job seriously.
I recently read a book that didn’t work for me because the cops were doing thinks I knew they couldn’t do — or else they were totally stupid. Neither option enhanced the read.
by Terry Odell June 19th, 2009 at 1:28 pmI can always tell the writers who know the environment they are writing about, at least tried to get it right, or totally faked it.
Like Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse. She might have been a waitress at some time or she is just really good at watching them work, but it feels real when you read her books.
by Jill James June 19th, 2009 at 3:58 pmTen plus years of working in social services and I can always tell someone who has been there done that and who thinks they know how it works because they did their research.
There is the by the book way of doing it and then there is real life. One never looks much like the other.
And if I were to ever write a book, the antics welfare clients get up to would make and entire series.
Seriously, you really do need to start pranking her. And since you never have a problem with her, why would she even suspect you?
by ev June 19th, 2009 at 6:07 pmPersonally, your co-worker needs to go. Unfortunately, it is hard to fire some one but it can be done. It may seem funny, but she is not doing what she is being paid to. Shame on the supervisor for not working on the necessary paperwork to get rid of her. Would she even notice if she didn’t have a job?
by Patricia Barraclough June 19th, 2009 at 8:21 pmGood research shows in books. It must be possible to write well without personal experience. With all the paranormal and space alien books out there, many of them good, either that world exists or a good imagination is worth a lot.
One point you made is very true. If you really are familiar with a topic through experience, you notice the little things that are missing or wrong. It is the little details that give validity to the story.
Natalie, you crack me up! I think you can pretty much write about anything if you do your research and, if possible, put yourself in that environment for a time. But, I also believe it shows when you really, really know an environment!
by Debra Webb June 23rd, 2009 at 5:00 am