“Here Spidey Spidey Spidey…”
Research for fantasy fiction is a little like opening my door and letting in the spider that turned mild-mannered P. Parker into his alter ego.
Here I am draining its venom and injecting it into every ounce of science I have ever learned… in the name of research. I hope it works out as well for me as it did for S.Man, but the experiment is ongoing.
Today’s research was on, what I’d like to call, paranormal realism—and I’m going to call this a fringe sect of mild-mannered non-fiction books. This is like the book “The Demonologist” about the Warrens and their life-long journey through the paranormal. Look, we all know the House of Death in New York City probably didn’t have blood running down the walls or spirits puking pea soup, but it didn’t get that name for nothing. Something isn’t right in that place and there are probably thousands more like it around the country.
Can you say for sure you, your friends, your family, have never had a supernatural experience? Ever heard of one? That’s what I thought.
So, we know freaky things exist that we can’t quite explain even if ghost hunting businesses aren’t able record their experiences for reasons akin to quantum entanglement. Observing the subject changes its behavior even if the subject doesn’t “know” they are being watched. Therefore, the ghost “we saw” walk across the field of view of the camera never shows up on the tape because it somehow overcomes or befuddles the technology at just the right moment.
With so many similar features of hauntings and possessions, though, one has to wonder… is the victim making the events fit what they know to be the “paranormal” or is the victim genuinely having a similar experience to the guy before? As with alien abductions, we may never know. Fringe non-fiction merely tells us “The Truth is Out There.”
Someone once said to write what you know, and I have developed a counter statement. Take what you know and let it influence what you write.
Research for me isn’t a matter of reading a lot of romance and fantasy (if it were i would be perfection by now). Research is all about realism, be it ghosts or possessions, European sword fighting, bo fighting, being good in a knife fight, or staying true to the mythology of the occult. Realism is where it’s at.
This has led me down a dubious path of interviewing ex’s with the sorts of hobbies that would help, asking partners at work their opinion on demons, and checking book out of the library that are landing me on an NSA list somewhere.
My characters come from psychology–even it’s dark side–and my heroes have skills I myself have had to learn. Dive all in. Make your fiction a quiet little corner of your reality you visit often. Pick up a staff. Put on makeup, leather, fake nails, a million rings, and become the character you want to write at a bar at midnight.
A magic system is really derived from science because we all relate best to the familiar. My knowledge of anatomy has come in handy for making healers. Basic energy theories can be warped and twisted to become my wily web of magic.
Open the door.
Wiggle your fingers invitingly.
Whisper “Here spidey, spidey, spidey…”
And write your weird little heart out.
Love and gratitude always,
