This week: Facts - Keeping them Straight Edited by: Lilith 🎄 Christmas Cheer  
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| I think we can all agree that researching can be a daunting process. Even when we are writing fiction, there are some things that need to be accurate in order for the story to be believable. In this newsletter, we will touch on a few of those things. |
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If you think that being a fiction writer excuses you from getting your facts as accurate as a non-fiction author - think again! You owe it to your readers to check any facts you're not sure of, especially if you're writing about a setting or situation in which you do not have first-hand experience.
Inaccuracies often creep in when we are in the heat of creation. We take shortcuts because we don’t want to break the writing spell, so we write something in and move on. We tell ourselves we'll fill in the details later. And then, well, frequently we don’t.
I recommend doing a bit of research beforehand. If there are certain things you know you plan on incorporating into your story, research them first.
Here are a few facts I was quickly able to pull up about a variety of things:
 Guns:
There are a lot of people out there who know their firearms, or at least believe they do and relish any chance to prove the point. If you mess up the basics, for example, the difference between a clip and a magazine you can count on getting shot down. If you're going to talk about a gun, make sure you know the facts.
For example, a .38 Special is a revolver. It weighs about 34 ounces and has a 4-inch barrel. This weapon uses a .357-caliber bullet. Additionally, not every .357 bullet is the same. There are different types for different uses.
The Limits of the Human Body
 When a person's body core temperature reaches 107.6F heatstroke can't be reversed and will prove fatal.
Water saps body heat. A person would survive barely 30 minutes a 40F body of water.
A person can survive after losing 30% of their blood. After losing 40%, a person would need an immediate transfusion for a chance at survival.
Towns, Cities, States, etc.
If you are going to use actual places in your stories, be sure to get facts correct like how long it takes to walk from the police station to the library, for example. A lot of writers will set stories in actual places and fabricate names for restaurants and shops, but if you're going to use real street names - get your info correct.
Writers are often told, "write what you know", but don't forget to do your research! |
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Drama: May 18, 2022 Issue [#11356]
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