Fact Finding Mission
My Writing Journey Part 5
As a writer, I understand the importance of research in bringing a story to life. I relish the thrill of discovering gems of information that add credibility and depth to my narrative. One such gem in my debut novel Brushstrokes of Love, was coming up with the name for the property where Jake’s parents live. The Cape Otway area of Southern Australia, where the story is set, is famous for limestone formations known as The Twelve Apostles. Jake’s surname is Davis which is of Welsh Origin. So I started researching what part of Wales the name came from and towns in the region. When I discovered the town of Pembroke also has a limestone coastline, I knew I had found the name of the Davis family property.
Mixing fact and fiction can be a delicate balance, but the ultimate goal is to create a story that is entirely plausible and engaging for the reader.
When I'm writing about real places, my aim is for readers to recognize the descriptions and feel a sense of familiarity with the setting. I want my words to transport them there and inspire them to visit for themselves. On the other hand, when I create a fictional place, I aim to paint such a vivid picture that readers are disappointed to discover that it doesn't exist.
Palace of the Legion of Honour - Paris
I can be quite pedantic when it comes to research, which can be both a blessing and a curse. I remember once when I was trying to caption my travel photos, I spent hours searching for the name of a building in Paris that we had seen from a passing tour bus. It had a green domed roof with figures around the roofline, but I couldn't find its name anywhere. I tried every possible combination of descriptors, hoping that an image would turn up. Finally, after a lot of searching, I discovered it was the Palace of the Legion of Honour. Captioning that photo gave me a sense of satisfaction.
At the heart of every good story is a sense of truth. Whether writing about real places and people or creating a fictional world, it is the research that will help infuse the story with the kind of detail and authenticity that will keep readers invested from beginning to end. So I aim to keep digging, keep exploring, and keep writing - the rewards are sure to be worth it