Friday, July 1, 2011

Viva Research!


Sometimes research is the best part of the process. Especially if it takes you to Italy.

I'm writing this post from a gorgeous agriturismo about 30 kilometers south of Florence. It's the same path my MC travels in my WIP. While I could have written the scenes without actually traveling here, I'm certain those scenes will have greater authenticity because of this trip.

I walked the path my MC walks. I visited the train station my character uses. I took lots of pictures.

And, oh, I drank lots of wine. In fact, I may go open another bottle right now.

7 comments:

  1. You're the second writer I know who spent time in Italy recently. Wow! What a treat! All in the name of research--and R&R.

    Linda A.

    ReplyDelete
  2. OH!!!!!! I just did a blog post on writing stories in international settings. Too cool. You have to show us more pics soon. Love!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hmmm...maybe I should start setting my stories somewhere other than NJ...

    In the words of Napoleon Dynamite...LUCKY!

    Enjoy, and yes, go open that other bottle of wine :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. That settles it. My next MC is going to work in a vineyard in Bordeaux. That's a beautiful shot, J.A.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks, everyone. I took that shot of my son thinking of my MC who feels very alone at that point of his story arc -- in Florence. I've been taking photos through my MC's eyes. I need to remember this trip for both of us.

    And I highly recommend this personal research for every writer!

    ReplyDelete
  6. As I type, my fingers are turning from a lime hue to a deep forest green.

    Envious? You bet!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Scenery good. Remember smells, sunsets and the cacaphony of a foreign language.

    ReplyDelete