My next book is not due until November. This is a wonderful, wonderful thing because it means after several years of writing to tight deadlines which require me to write at least 7000 words of new material most weeks, I can spend time preparing myself to write the book: developing the characters, researching the background, designing the setting. (As I’m a crap plotter, I probably won’t decide what happens till I write it, as usual.)
For the last few books, I’ve done research as I go: while I write the book, I discover what I need to know, and then I find those specific things. For example, Nina Jones has a lot about bats in it, so I decided what facts I should include, made a list of questions, and then rang a very nice forest warden specialising in bats, who answered them for me.
At the moment, though, without a first draft needing to be written, and no deadline screaming at me, I’m faffing around discovering what I can, to see if it sparks my imagination. I’ve spent this week researching Alzheimer’s disease, and ice cream, and having little mini lightbulb moments. Nice.
Alzheimer’s and ice-cream? Sounds intriguing!
Ah, you mean where you forget what flavour you like and have to try all 44 to see if you remember?
That’s it, exactly! I’m on flavour 26…
Thanks Rachel. I’m at the stage where I’m not exactly sure where I’m going, but I’m letting what I discover lead me.
Good luck…..I’m not sure I’m too good with too much time. Mind you I don’t have deadlines yet
lx
Julie, as I have much info on both, you can always pick my brains at the RNA lunch next month…
(Just not this week as I am on d**dl*n*)
you sound so chilled x
Research is fun. My last book involved rising sea levels, the Palace of Versailles, musculature of the human forearm, and common methods of execution. Fun! Fun!