Rabbit Holes

 

There's nothing more frustrating to me than a fact that negates the whole premise of a story. 

I've recently been researching Arthur Conan Doyle to find a tangent whereon I can hang a steampunk werewolf story. I thought I did sufficient research to nail down the setting as Edinburgh 1842, where the Galvani locomotive, and forth I went with gusto to compose a story about the test run of the Galvani, the first battery-powered locomotive. However, in checking a particular detail, I went down a few more rabbit holes and discovered my MC had not moved to Scotland until 1850. It wasn't just a case of making my MC older. The central event was 1842. The entire story is negated, and tucked away in a folder of "failed." Thankfully, down a few more rabbit holes I found another central event even more fascinating than my original one, The Night of the Big Wind 1839, that also involved my Doyle tangent. I'm saved! Now I have to write the thing, but at least now I CAN write the thing.

I love those rabbit holes. I hear so many writers tell beginning authors not to get lost in their research, and I can understand that beginning writers would enjoy any excuse to not start writing; but I find my stories in those searches, especially in writing steampunk. Early on in my career, long before Google and computers, I was roundly chastised by a workshop member for centering a story on a particular sugar cookie in my fantasy tale. With a sniff of utter disdain at my ignorance, I was told, “Granular sugar is a product of the Industrial age. A pre-tech society would use honey.” No sugar, no story. Who knew you had to research fantasy? And where would I have learned that?

Rabbit holes are incredibly useful for mad ideas, writing fodder, and detailed settings. They also make my stories complete so I can fill up with research and write 2-3k a day or more. I find my novels deep down in those rabbit holes. For my steampunk series, I have a particular formula for plots: I center the conflict at a confluence of social concerns, historical details, and character development. When I come across a minor detail about a setting that also addresses an overarching element of the background, I recognize how the two can be addressed by my characters. 

Don’t be afraid to fall into those rabbit holes. You might end up in Wonderland.