The Novel Research

[Stephen Brayton]

I sometimes envy those authors whose books are centered in New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles. They describe neighborhoods and toss out street names and locations like a poker dealer throwing out the new hands to the players. Of course, if those authors live in those cities, then the familiarity is understood. For me, though, it’s still amazing because they seem to know their metropolises like the backs of their hands.

I’m not sure I would like to venture into writing a scene in one of those towns. My fear is someone would write back with corrections. “Hey you idiot, the Bronx Zoo is not located by La Guardia airport.” I have enough problems withDes Moines,Iowa. In major metropolitan areas, there are always a few radio stations broadcasting traffic and weather every five to eight minutes and with the slew of interstates, highways, and interchanges, the traffic reports can be daunting and confusing. For those not familiar with Iowa’s capital city, you’d better be listening carefully and closely when the traffic reports air. Why? For the simple reason that the sponsors’ commercials last longer than the report.

However, I digress. When outlining my book “Beta”, I discovered I was going to have to do a lot of research to stay true to the locations depicted. I really admire the late Ed McBain and his ability to create an entire fictional city for his 87th Precinct stories. For me, I can create fictional characters, as well as a few fictional locations. However, for “Beta”, I wanted to use actual locations if possible.

So I spent countless hours visiting the various locations, sitting in my car writing descriptions in a notebook, maybe snapping a picture or two. Often times, if a scene took place inside, I took the time to talk to the employees, learn a little about the business, and again, scribble down some details.

Part of my novel is set in the Quad Cities, where I spent several years as a child. I was familiar with the area. Still, I wanted to visit locales, get a feel for the neighborhoods, talk to some people. I drove the route my detective and her partner took during their day together, stopping at various places, noticing minor details I wouldn’t have caught had not been there.

After I did this, I discovered a problem. The detective’s search for the missing little girl by traveling all over the Quad Cities takes all day. She leaves the police station around nine in the morning and doesn’t return until after five in the afternoon. My problem was that, even taking into account time for visits and conversations, I finished my route by noon. How could I fill up the rest of the day in the story? I didn’t feel I could legitimately add in more scenes just for filler. I needed to slow down the day without resorting to an out-of-left-field time warp. To do this, I added in traffic problems, delays due to police activity, lunch, and scene where my detective gets to con a con by playing to his baser emotions.

Another problem I’ve had with my research is often times businesses will change or even disappear. In the last few years, the downtown Des Moines landscape has drastically altered. The building where I set Mallory’s office building is no more, as well as some restaurants, gas stations, and other businesses I’ve included. In the years during which I wrote this story, I left in a lot of the material from those original research excursions because I couldn’t go back and alter the scenes to fit reality. It would have taken too much time and I’d have never finished the book.

However, one benefit to my travels was I met people and saw things that ultimately ended up in the story. A lot of the people you read about and little tidbits added to the scenes are based on actual sightings. The stern secretary who wouldn’t assist me in my endeavors. The almost militaristic and or mechanical receptionist and parking attendants. The flustered receptionist who didn’t have a clue what I wanted. The surly looking meat market owner. Of course, I changed the names of many actual businesses and fictionalized their interiors since I was unable to see inside. I felt very happy, though, to accumulate much more material by just looking around me as I traveled.

Sometimes…you just can’t make up this stuff.

[Dana King]

My rule of thumb as a reader has always had a lot to do with how much of a big deal the author made of something; the level of specificity determined ow much of an SOB I was. Don;t give a shotgun the characteristics of a rifle, or vice versa.

On the other hand, you can get away with a lot if some things are right. Streets don't move; what's on them comes and goes. I have a specific, real building on a real Chicago street for my PI's office. He parks his car in a garage up the block that doesn't exist, but Dearborn Street does. Who's to say there won't be a garage there some day? It's not like the Amoco Building is there now.

Kurt Vonnegut put a Holiday Inn near an Interstate ramp in BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS, when there wasn't one. Holiday Inn damn sure built one when the book came out, though. 

Don't get yourself wrapped around the axle. Sounds like you're providing a convincing amount of accurate detail. Remember, this stuff complements what is really important: characters and story.

[Stephen Brayton]

True Benjamin. Thanks for the comment. Sometimes you have to understand the problem or realize the story really shouldn't be written in the first place. I've run into the latter a few times.

[Benjamin Sobieck]

Write what you know. You get the best results. I kept restarting my WIPs, not quite knowing why they weren't ticking. Turned out it was the setting. Now my writing is more effective.

And if a reader gets nitpicky about details of an area, remember that 100 years ago most people didn't have electricity. In 100 years, people reading your book aren't going to give a rat's arse if McDonald's sold the McRib in your setting's time period.

[Stephen Brayton]

Thanks Dana. I was in Des Moines just this last weekend and had gone downtow for the first time ni a long time. So much has been built down there I don't recognize half of it. If I use present day buildings in future stories I'll just slip them in and not worry about where they were in the first two books.

I was downtown to do some more looking for a partcular hotel and to make sure my streets were correct. I wanted to get those correct. Locust runs one way East to the River and Grand, for the most part, runs one way west. The north/south streets are one way with the odd numbered streets touh and the evens north.  I also wanted  to find a building I remember from years ago, but isn't there any longer. So I have to switch locations to place my lawyer's office for the new story. It's a little frustrating but still fun.

[Dana King]

I base my PI stories in Chicago. I don't live there anymore, but I remember the neighborhoods and use a lot of Google maps to refresh my memory, and to check to see what's not there anymore. My current series takes place in a fictional town in Western Pennsylvania that bears a striking resemblance to where i grew up, which gives me the best of both worlds. I can make up whatever i want or need, but the map of a real place is in my head so I always know where everything is.

I wouldn't worry much about places that aren't there anymore. Stuff happens. Even the pickiest reader will realize there is a lag between when a book is written and when it appears. If they don't, and want to make a fuss because you used a Holiday Inn where there is now a Comfort Inn, the hell with them. They should read non-fiction.

There is no substitute for being able to put boots on the ground. I still visit old neighborhoods in my home town when I go to visit my parents, and look for places to use in Chicago. Web sites of places tourists don't know about can be very helpful, too.