You Can Lead A Writer to Research...But You Can't Make 'Em Use It

There's an old saying in the writing world that the difference between truth and fiction is that fiction has to make sense. This is why research is so important in fiction writing. When I cite anachronisms, spelling errors, and other problems in a manuscript, 90% of the time, it's an error that could have been corrected with a little research.

Research is the writer's best friend. I spend a lot of time urging writers to double-check their research. Why? Because in minutes, with the magic of the Internet and my vast library of research books, I discovered a glitch in the story's timeline, the character's procedure, or a historical inaccuracy that cannot be ignored. Sometimes, what I find throws off the rest of the story, and I understand if an author's first reaction is, "I don't want to change that. It'll mean totally revising the manuscript." Yes, it's disappointing that a scene that hinges on three hundred pages is illogical or impossible. Yes, I commiserate with an author's need to protect his/her baby from deep cuts. You've already spent so much time on the story, finally feel it's perfect, and now I come along and rip it to shreds. So, of course, the author feels too protective to take a step back, consider my comments as helpful, and rise to the challenge. Since I'm a freelance editor, I don't have the power to make a writer follow my suggestions. All I can do is strongly advise. To opt against making changes is the author's prerogative, but an author shouldn't be surprised if that decision doesn't endear the book to readers.

What I discover too often are writers who write the facts around their story, rather than writing their story around the facts. Savvy readers will know the difference and will lose respect for the author who doesn't know the difference.

Last year, I wrote a post about the best habits for doing research. You can read it here. I urge you to do so and to follow these habits before committing to your story.

The Need for Etymology When Writing Historical Fiction

For those who aren't familiar with the term, etymology is the origin of words. I'm in the midst of judging a contest, and my entries are in the historical category. I love judging, by the way. It gives me a chance to read some stellar works (I've seen some amazing stories and even collected new favorite authors from the contest circuit) and if the work is less-than-stellar, I have the opportunity to provide an author with the chance to improve.Today's post is one of those Public Service Announcements. Don't Let This Happen to You:

Last night, I picked up an entry and began to read. Within the first ten pages, I'd stumbled over four words that didn't seem accurate for the time period. A quick flip to my etymology references confirmed what I suspected: all four phrases were nineteenth century in origin, while the setting of the entry is six hundred years earlier. The editor in me cringed. Four? In ten pages? What else am I going to discover as I dig deeper into the manuscript? Because right there, the author lost me. He or she clearly didn't do the research and I'm now going to consider every phrase that leaps out at me as anachronistic.

Now, of course, I don't expect the dialogue in a modern book (regardless of historical setting) to read like a Shakespearean play, but at the same time, don't use 19th century slang (or even 16th century slang!) in a 13th century story. It takes seconds to look up the origin of a phrase. Those of us who know these things (and readers who flock to the same historical time period over and over do so because they *do* know these things) don't easily forgive that kind of "lazy writing." It makes us wonder, what else did the author screw up? And once that happens, the reader's no longer engaged in the story. 

Some helpful websites that every historical author should have bookmarked: 

The Online Etymology Dictionary http://www.etymonline.com/
Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/
The Big List http://www.wordorigins.org/index.php/big_list/
Etymylogically Speaking http://www.westegg.com/etymology/

Are You Guilty of Character Anachronisms?

From Dictionary.com

anachronism [uh-nak-ruh-niz-uhm] 

noun

1.

something or someone that is not in its correct historical or chronological time, especially a thing or person that belongs to an earlier time: The sword is an anachronism in modern warfare.

Recently, I read a story wherein the heroine (age 28) referred to a television commercial that aired in the 1970s. The product itself hasn't been in existence (except through dealers in rare items) since 1976--nearly ten years prior to the character's birth. Needless to say, this jolted me out of the story. 

I see this a lot from contemporary authors who are at least a decade older than their characters. Their references don't jibe. They use phrases no twenty- or thirty-something would ever utter, recall television shows or popular songs they wouldn't have heard of. Their characters often come across as too savvy because they insert their personal experiences (which usually occurred much later in their lives!) into the character's much-younger background.

If you're going to write characters who are much younger (or older!) than you, be sure to research carefully. Spend time with people who are the approximate age of your characters. Use search engines wisely! Be sure the slang you use, the pop culture you reference, and the knowledge you give your characters is age-appropriate.

For example, anyone born between the years 1966-1976 are considered Generation X. Generation X children were more likely to have lived through their parents' divorce than any other previous generation. They were the first "latchkey" kids. As they aged, they've become focused on higher education, and financial and family security. They tend to use digital technology to simplify their lives through online banking and shopping. Gen X watched the OJ slow-speed car chase and the subsequent trial, which was probably their first foray into Court TV. They came of age during the AIDS crisis, the stock market collapse, and the 90s dotcom burst. This was the MTV generation (when MTV still aired music videos). Their movies reflected coming of age angst: The Breakfast Club, Reality Bites, Clerks,  Fast Times at Ridgemont High. On television, they tuned in to Beverly Hills 90210, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and The X Files.

After 1976 to about 1994 are Generation Y, or Millenniums (also known as Echo Boomers since they are the largest segment of new population since the Baby Boomers generation). Generation Y kids had soccer moms and trophies for every player. This generation is more technologically savvy, thanks to the popularity of the PC and the Internet. For the most part, these are the bloggers and social media mavens. They're culturally diverse and more liberal in their thinking. Gen Y kids played with Transformers and Pokemon. They fell in love with Elmo. Pop music renewed the popularity of boy bands with 'N Sync and The Backstreet Boys, but added the hiphop of Eminem and Tupak. Their television shows were edgier: South Park, Family Guy, Two and a Half Men, as well as the glut of reality shows that burst from the networks. They grew up with Home Alone and The Lion King--on videos they could watch whenever they wanted--before discovering the films of Judd Apatow and The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

What a difference a few years makes! 

To fully connect with your reader, be sure to research your characters, their pasts, and their experiences before creating their fictional journeys.

Anachronisms or Flashback to Something that Never Happened

Did you know the word, “Hello” wasn’t part of the English language until after Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone? It’s true. Developed from the old sailor’s call “halloo” (or a derivative), the typical greeting we use today won out over Bell’s own preference to use when answering the phone: “Ahoy.” Imagine that. We might have answered our phones with “Ahoy” all these years. I just might want to try that for fun. (Yeah, I’m a geek. Wanna make something of it?)

Now imagine you’re writing an Elizabethan romance. Your heroine is wearing the corset, the Spanish farthingale, a kirtle, and a sarcenet overskirt complete with low, square neckline. Her sleeves are appropriately puffy and her ruff is in place around her neck. She enters the magnificent Hardwick Hall and spots the queen. “I’ll just pop over and say hello,” she tells her escort.

That quickly, you’ve lost the loyalty of your reader. I hear those grumbles—those of you thinking, Oh, come on! What are the odds my readers know that? In ReaderLand, pretty danged good! Never underestimate your reader’s intelligence. Now is not the time to do the Time Warp.

No doubt a smaller percentage of you are thinking, So what? That’s what an editor’s for. Nope.

Editors are not the folks you see in television shows and movies who take your work, fix all the typos, and book you on Oprah next week. They’re overworked, underpaid, and juggling far too many projects to focus on just you. Your editor is your advocate in the publishing world. (S)he’ll help you make your manuscript better, but the work, my friends, falls into your lap. (Or laptop, if you will.)

So be careful with those anachronisms! Just as you wouldn’t have George Washington commanding the troops in Trenton from the driver’s seat of a Corvette because it obviously didn’t happen that way, you have to watch your word choices and be sure sayings and colloquialisms were in use in the old days. How? How else? Look it up!

A terrific website for etymology (word origins) is the Online Etymology Dictionary. http://www.etymonline.com/ Bookmark it. There are lots of others, but this is my go-to-first site. And be sure to double-check any info you clarify online. **NOTE: I called this my “go-to-first” site, meaning I have others.