Today, it has taken me three hours to write two paragraphs. Not because I’m particularly slow at writing and, for once, not because I’ve allowed myself to wander all over the Internet pretending to be doing “research†(apparently, Harry Potter quizzes are not research, who knew? Neither are quizzes discovering which vegetable represents you… Weird).
The reason for this is because while you are setting a scene, every detail has to be as accurate as you’re able to make it. Sometimes you have to use your imagination and fill in the gaps but if you can get real events into your world, it does give a more authentic ring to the story.
One of my characters needed to receive a package containing books. Each of which, for authenticity purposes, I felt should be named. Three hours, six reference books, two dissertations found online, numerous blogs, Wiki pages leading to other primary sources and a thorough search of the National Archives website and I had my three lines of text. It will flash past practically unnoticed but at least I know I gave making it authentic my best shot.
The angels are in the details and so are the plot twists!