S. W. Raine

Steampunk/Urban Fantasy Author

Research, Research, So Much Research…

Let me tell you that revising isn’t going any quicker than outlining.

With all of my time-consuming 30-day challenges out of the way, I’m on a nice, steady schedule (Dancing on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.  Writing on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.  Sundays are to do whatever I want). But even then, I only have a few minutes in between putting my son to bed and going to bed, myself, on weeknights.

I know that I have a problem with tenses.  I switch tenses like woah.  And I know that this current round of revisions is to fix minor and major storyline issues, but I just can’t help myself.

And when I’m not fixing each sentence structure- which should happen later– I’m doing research.

What am I researching?

  • The Victorian Era mourning period.
  • How long one can return to work during a mourning period in the Victorian Era.
  • The British Military’s Basic Training during the Victorian Era.
  • The German/Prussian Military’s Basic Training during the Victorian Era.
  • Prussia.  Yep, Victorian Era.
  • Airships.  Zeppelins.  Dirigibles.
  • Pirate Ships.  Brigantines, Carracks, Galleons.
  • Modern Ships.

I have about a dozen tabs open at a time.

I also went to the Tall Ship Celebration in Bay City, Michigan.  I didn’t only board those ships for fun, this time;  I also did it for research purposes.  I took a million pictures, so that I could write the scenes that take place aboard the ships with better accuracy.

My favorite was the replica of Christopher Columbus’ Santa Maria.  Yep.  That ship definitely felt like Captain Keenan’s ship.

How do you do your research?  What are you doing research on?  Let me know in the comments!

Raine

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