By Sandra Orchard
Yes, I have as much fun twisting a
phrase for a good title as I have twisting what readers think they’ve deduced
as they read. The details make the difference. Accurate, illuminating,
surprising details.
But how does a writer know what details
to use?
Research.
Please tell me, you didn’t just groan.
Research is fun! You get to learn new things, see new places, and meet
interesting people. What’s not to like?
The key is to not settle for what you
glean from an Internet search or a book. Talk to people. Talk to people in the
various vocations depicted in your novel. And . . . talk to people of varying
personalities, backgrounds, and life experiences, to better imagine how
different people would react to the scenarios you plan to write.
Whenever possible, also visit the
“environments” you wish to depict—whether a specific town or a factory or a
farm or a ghetto or a grand palace. Gain a sense of the atmosphere and rhythm
of the place. Ask lots of questions. Jot down lots of details—sights, sounds,
smells, tastes, and textures.
Choosing which details to use and how is
an art in itself, but if you don’t know the details, you’ll
inevitably fall back on stereotypical descriptions that aren’t nearly as
interesting.
My Serena Jones Mysteries are fun adventures,
and the research for them proved to be the same. I started, as most writers do,
by reading online articles about art crime. From there, I devoured biographies
of the best-known art detectives and books on art and forgery. I even took an
online course with the University of Glasgow on Art & Antiquities Crime,
which proved to be a fabulous way to “meet” several experts in the field.
But the real adventure started after I
settled on a location for the series. I wanted to attend a conference in St.
Louis, so I decided to make it my heroine’s hometown and contacted the FBI
headquarters there to see if I might visit. It turned out they had a
straightforward approval process in place. And after I filled out the
appropriate online forms, my visit was approved!
A member of the FBI Art Crime Team even
called me at home prior to my visit to answer questions. Likewise, art museum
staff willingly, albeit a tad nervously, answered my questions about their
security. Overall, I’ve found that most professionals are happy to share their
expertise with a conscientious writer. But you’ll never know unless you ask.
And sometimes research opportunities
just drop into your lap, like that late night visit to the ER, that totally
unwarranted traffic stop, or the wonderful new friend you make at a
writer’s conference who invites you to visit her home, which happens to be in
the perfect location for your next novel—in my case, Over Maya Dead
Body, since even FBI agents need a vacation and what better place than
Martha’s Vineyard?
In fact, I had to visit twice; just to
be sure I got the details exactly right. <wink>
Sandra Orchard is
the award-winning author of several books, including A Fool and His
Monet; Another Day, Another Dali; and the Port Aster Secrets
series. The winner of six Canadian writing Awards and a Romantic Times Reviewers’
Choice Award, Sandra has also received a HOLT Medallion Award of Merit, a
National Readers’ Choice Award, and a Daphne du Maurier Award. She lives in
Ontario, Canada. Learn more at www.sandraorchard.com.
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