Recently I was working on a book set in Fort Worth, Texas. I grew up in Fort Worth but haven’t lived there in many years. My son lived there fairly recently, so I thought I’d ask him a few questions.
Now if you’re a writer you know that asking a non-writer about something can be difficult. I’m talking family and friends. Strangers are usually better because they know you’re interviewing them for a book and you don’t have to drag the answers out of them. Family members don’t generally care.
First we had an exhaustive conversation on the phone and in email about which bar/nightspot my characters might frequent. Finally we settled on one. When I asked him to describe it he directed me to the Internet. Okay, I found a lot of pictures, menus, etc. The website was much more thorough than he would have been. The other day I found I needed more information, details that probably weren’t on-line. Our next conversation was conducted via email.
Me: Where would my character park if she wants to go have a drink at this place? She’s a single woman so she wouldn’t want to park someplace scuzzy.
My son: Free parking garage. 1 min walk.
Me: What’s the parking garage like? Two story? One story? Is it lighted? Does it seem safe?
My son: No answer
Later that day he called my husband and apparently told him I was driving him nuts with my questions. Okay, I extrapolated that but I’m betting it’s true.
My husband, after learning about my dilemma, said, "Make it anything you want. It’s fiction."
"It’s set in a real town. I like to be accurate if I can," I said.
"Why? It’s fiction."
"All right, I’ll make the damn garage the way I want it." And if anyone who lives in Fort Worth calls me on it I’m directing them to my son.
My husband is a little bit better, but only because I can ask him more questions since I live with him. He has the misfortune of being a doctor, so I pump him about all things medical.
Me: I need a really exciting operation.
Him: Surgery isn’t exciting. Or you don’t want it to be.
Me: Nevertheless, I need something dramatic.
I explained the situation and he grudgingly came up with a scenario and operation. But getting the details from him was like pulling teeth. I finally told him to just describe the operation and I’d worry about making it exciting. Then I had him go over it to make sure I got the medical details correct. Can you say exhausting?
He was even funnier when I asked him about a friend’s question.
"Why do you want to do that? It’s stupid."
"I don’t want to do it. Her character does."
"Well, it’s stupid."
"Then for Pete’s sake think of a way for it not to be stupid!"
I have a friend who is an OB/GYN. She’s grown accustomed to me calling her and asking her those kinds of questions. I always preface my question with, this is for a book. In fact, if it’s about me, I have to be sure and tell her.
Have you ever tried to brainstorm with a non-writer? I had a funny conversation with one of my writer friends and her husband. Her husband was convinced that my book was set in the wrong time period. Nothing we said changed his mind. So most of his comments were pointed at the time period he preferred. It was still a good brainstorming session, though. I generally (though not always) say no to whatever anyone says (writer or non-writer) but discussing it helps stimulate my imagination.
Recently my husband and I made the long drive from Western Colorado to East Texas. Given that he was a captive audience, I decided he was the perfect person to help brainstorm part of my plot. I described the set up, which is very woo-woo. Did I mention he’s a doctor? He does not do woo-woo. So, I gabbed on, telling him all about the hero (who is a doctor as well) and his dilemma. I paused for breath and looked at him expectantly.
His mouth was literally hanging wide open. I’ve never actually seen that before, but the words fit the description perfectly. I said, "Bob, what do you think?"
He turned to me and said, "I have absolutely no idea."
Yeah, I think I’ll save my brainstorming for my writer friends. But no matter how much my husband rolls his eyes, I’m still hitting him up for medical information.
Eve Gaddy
On Thin Ice, Bell Bridge Classic, August 2011
Too Close For Comfort, Bell Bridge Classic, September 2011
