acelocked said: Do you find research at all helpful, like getting sucked into wikipedia and ending up so far from where you started you forgot the chain that got you there? The distraction of randomness, especially if it doesn’t start out that way, as a reset switch?
Okay, first, I HATE TUMBLR. Jesus, now we can’t even reply to comments?
Second, oh, that is such a great thing. I will get lost for DAYS on a subject that catches my fancy. I spent two weeks reading up on piracy in the age of sail, a while back, including the different types of ships and sea battles. I should do something with that, sometime.
Lately my dad’s been on a big 1800s American West kick, and…I’ve been following along a little? Started reading a book detailing the adventures of Kit Carson.
I OUGHT to start reading up on the history of boxing and 1930s New York City, because I’ve got the time and eventually I might like to write that Boxer thing, if I feel like I’ve got the historical chops for it. (And oh, I am such a sucker for the history of NYC, you don’t know. Once I realized that this story would be set smack in the middle of Jazz Age! Prohibition! Depression-era! New York City, it racked way up on my List O’ Things What To Write.)
On the basis that more reading might do me some good, I found a couple of good books on boxing at my local library today, in fact. But the online catalog claims not to know my library card number, so I’ll have to stop in tomorrow to put a hold and have them called to my branch. OH NO I HAVE TO PHYSICALLY VISIT A LIBRARY somebody bring a crowbar around at about 6 pm to lever me out).
Though none of that is exactly random, is it? But anyway, yeah, researching random subjects is a blast. I’m not sure if it’ll help here, though. Then again…it’s possible my well has just run dry. I have not really been into fiction reading or TV shows or anything in a while. And if you keep trying to write in a vacuum, sooner or later you run out of material.
So yeah. That may be a thing to do. Can’t hurt to try, anyway!