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fantasy, fiction, historical, process of writing, research, research assistant, writers, writing
Why do writers create historical or fantasy settings that require research, when they hate researching? I have no clue, but I do it myself. It’s one thing to swan over to Rome and Florence to research the Medici at the time of the Italian Renaissance, but when I get home and realize I’ve forgotten some details, I often resent time spent sourcing those bits and pieces.
If you’re like me, help in the form of an on-call research assistant could be easier than you think. Today I’ve invited Brisbane research assistant Heather Gammage (who I’ve worked with – hence the mock-strangling photo) to describe what she does for authors. Heather has a BA in history with a minor in Classical languages (Latin). Her specific “field” is in the medieval, but she admits to a fair to middling knowledge of other eras and is an expert in tracking down hard-to-find references and facts.
So without further ado, here’s Heather:
Thank you, Louise, for inviting me to write about why I love being a research assistant.
I have written stories since I was a small girl. My original inspiration was Enid Blyton and the Trixie Belden books. My very first book was, essentially, a Trixie Belden rip-off I wrote at seven years old–the names of the teenaged detectives were different, and it was set in Australia, but it was clear where my ideas came from.
At the same age, I used to set myself assignments from the encyclopaedia on various things that piqued my interest. One week, I’d be reading about dogs, the next, I’d be copying lines out about the government of Indonesia. They were not brilliant, by any means (and, again, were mostly plagiarized), but looking back, it’s clear that the “research is my life” moniker I jokingly adopted on an online gaming forum in the early 2000s was based in more fact than I realized. Even more recently, I came to the conclusion that, while I love story-making and writing, what I really love about writing is the busywork leading up to it–the research; the world-building and the diving into dusty libraries for things I do not know. Perhaps that is why Trixie, the girl detective, resonated with me as a child.
I still write (and I have workshopped my fantasy novel with the fabulous Louise), but the practicalities of my current life circumstances and my university studies don’t allow me to seek publication–yet. Meanwhile, as a part of those studies, I applied for the 2012/2013 Summer Research Scholarship with The University of Queensland as a research assistant to Dr Kim Wilkins. I was thrilled when I was accepted! Over that summer, I worked with Kim on the research for her book Ember Island (published under her moniker Kimberly Freeman in 2013) as well as referencing and fact checking for her Year of Ancient Ghosts. Ember Island was set in modern and 1890s Brisbane, a fictional prison island based on St Helena Island, and also the Channel Islands (Jersey/Guernsey). As Kim worked on draft one, she asked me to research the things she needed for her historical setting–which varied from trade routes into Guernsey to how a rich boy would dress in 1890s England and Brisbane to how many inmates were on St Helena’s and what the guards were paid.
It dawned on me that I was doing two of the things I loved most, and being paid for it, and oh-my-god-wouldn’t-it-be-fantastic-to-do-this-forever. I could apply all of my very “bitsy” work and life experience: parenting, horses, painting, writing (in fiction, for games, and for academics), referencing in a range of different styles, research, history, small business ownership, gardening, retail, western martial arts, birth experience, arts admin, teaching, Latin, gaming and beta testing, web writing — I am a jack of all trades from work and experience over the years, but there is nothing that screams “hire me!” for one particular job.
But, surely, don’t all authors love researching? Who would hire me? Kim had always done her own research, and done it very well; the research assistant work was due to her publishing time constraints.
Then, in early 2013, I took Dr Kim’s writing class as an elective for my degree, which was, quite suitably, a “doing research for writing” course. As a part of this course, Kim asked other authors to speak at the lectures about how they approached their research. One author mentioned that she despised the research process.
Despised it? Really?
A whole tonne of pennies dropped on my head.
Since then, I have done work for other clients, as well as Kim, and as my undergrad studies end mid-year I will increase my hours to allow for full-time bookings. I absolutely love working with clients on their research as they write and edit their books, and my current rate is $40 an hour which clients pay in advance, usually buying a block of my time to use as they require it. Quite apart from the vicarious thrill of seeing an author’s writing before it is published, my authors ask me questions, often, about subjects I know very little to nothing about (my specialty is the medieval period and Western Europe, but I have researched as widely as 1890s Queensland, 1990s Victoria and London after WW2). So, I am always learning, always searching. My job is to make the process easier on the author, and they can focus on story, while I focus on accuracy (as far as practicable, and to an author’s requirements). It’s win-win.
Thanks so much for sharing today, Heather. I can hear a whole batch of authors out there on the Interwebs thinking How do I get her to work for me! If that’s you, Heather can be contacted at: heathermgammage AT gmail DOT com, and if you’d like to see what Dr Kim has to say about her beloved research assistant, you can read Kim’s blog On Having a Research Assistant.
If you’d like more info, or want to ask a question, please drop that into a comment below and either Heather or I will respond. Thanks for reading!
Thanks for this email, Louise. Could you please check that the link on Kim’s site works? I couldn’t open it from here.
Research is such a large part of a story when the author has never been in that particular era. Because I’m a beginner still, I find the information I have researched is not just about the end goal of (eg) finding out what a boy wore in 1890, but everything I read around that information forms the picture in my mind before I write about it. I’m enjoying the research because of that and it widens my vision. However, I can imagine someone like yourself or Kim or any writer who has a full-time job, a family, and other essential distractions in life, finding a research assistant spot on!
Cheers, Jill
You’re dead right about getting a feel for the era, Jill. I do like to immerse myself in that pre-draft, but once I start writing I don’t want to stop! And sorry you couldn’t connect to Kim’s site. It worked for me. The actual link is: http://louisecusack.wordpress.com/2014/04/03/surfers-paradise-hosts-innaugural-indie-authors-down-under-book-signing/ Hope that works. Cheers!
That’s one of the things I love about researching, too, Jill, when I write. I also love the “fact checking” and talking to people about their expertise (people love sharing what they know). I once had a geologist talk for hours about his stuff when I asked him if it was possible for certain metals and gems to be in the same area, when I was doing draft 1 of a fantasy. I never knew rocks were so fascinating!
I have a love-hate relationship with research. I don’t know if I could hire someone to do it though because the more I dig, the easier it is for me to get climatized to the era or place I’m researching. What better way to write with realism?
I just started a fictionalization set in 1st century Palestine. Finding credible sources is the most difficult part of researching this time period.
If only I could afford to hire a research assistant. I’m glad you’ve been able to find a job you love as much as I love writing stories.
Sharon, you might find that paying for a few hours of a research assistant’s time saves you days! They often have access to academic libraries we can only dream of! And even directing you to books that have the background you want can save time. (BTW 1st century Palestine sounds fascinating. Do let us know when the book is published so I can grab a copy.)
I am so glad I found this post. I am a research assistant to authors myself but struggled for years to figure out how to channel my love of learning and researching into something usable. Thank you so much for posting this. It really helps me understand it more from a writer’s perspective.
Glad it was helpful, Rebecca. And I’m more than happy for you to put your website address into the comments here, so anyone looking for an admin assistant has the link. Cheers!
I just came across this post and I’m so glad I did! I just finished being a research assistant for a novelist and absolutely loved it, so I’m hoping to continue down that path! My website is http://www.ashleyhennefer.com if anyone is in need of a research assistant!
Hi everyone,
I’m glad to have found this site as well. I, too, would like to enter into this field of research assistant but as I’m just starting – I’m not sure how to find a writer in need of an assistant. I love history and if I can combine that with my passion for research then I’ll be that servant! Please contact me at pattigavigan@gmail.com. I’m in the U.S. – Syracuse, NY. I can travel if needed. Let’s do this together! Thanks for reading. – Patti Gavigan
Hi Patti. Thanks for sharing your info. Fingers crossed that writers contact you. There must be authors out there looking for a research assistant, because this blogpost gets regular hits. Do you have a particular period of history that you’re very interested in/familiar with? Regency England? Medieval Europe? You might be able to target readers writing in those areas by contacting writing organizations and asking about a free plug. Romance Writers of America (and Australia, where I’m from) have many authors writing historical romances. Fantasy authors might like historical detail to help their fantasy worlds feel authentic. Just a thought.
I found my author to work with thru reading and enjoying their work, and becoming friends on facebook. There are multiple groups on facebook that are for authors and readers that you can meet and talk to authors in.
Awesome news, Rebecca, and thanks for posting those details. It might help other budding research assistants work out how to get started, building their business.