As a fiction writer, it is important to have a sense of freedom when writing in order to maintain creativity and the desire to write. However, it is also important to make sure that although the reader may be transported to another world, that the writing maintains a sense of credibility. This paper will describe an example of how to do research for a post-apocalyptic science fiction novel, specifically post-war, futuristic post-apocalyptic writing. It may not seem like a fiction writer needs to do much in the way of research, but when considering small (and perhaps questionable) details within a story based somewhat on real science, it is important to write both creatively and accurately. Factual inaccuracies could potentially turn off readers who are interested in both science and science fiction, who would likely find the issues bothersome. The question, then, for writers of science fiction, is: how do you do the research to back up scientific or other-worldly things within a story to the extent that they are sufficiently explained for such persnickety readers?
In my case, this research is especially important because I am a female writer in a hugely male-dominated genre, so writing without research would guarantee a quick failure were I to publish my work. It is important to consider that critics within the scifi genre are also male, so the novel may be torn apart before a larger range of readers may come across it, basically damning it for all time. A male critic reading a female writer’s work is going to be especially particular about these details, writing off any inaccuracies as women’s inability to excel at subjects like science and math. Basically, backing up the facts in my novel is important not just for English Studies, but also for feminists and women in general.
As I research for such a book, I find that a large amount of the questions I have can be answered by some in-depth library research. Perhaps I want to know the extent of damage an area would sustain from a nuclear weapon, or what are some causes for a city to be covered in yellow smog. These questions can be figured out at the library, for the most part. For more challenging or detailed questions, I could consult a science professor and conduct an interview. Were I particularly focused on nuclear warfare, I may interview someone in the military or a veteran who was in the military during WWII (although, of course, these people might be difficult to come across) and get an oral history/account of why nuclear weapons might be used or what the effects are.
Considering modern society, I could also do a significant amount of research just by reading daily newspapers and watching daily newscasts (and archival research of news over the past decade). While the war we are living through may not be nuclear, it could very easily be used as background information in the story, which sets up a heightened state of war that is not only realistic, but also that the reader could relate to, which would make the writing more effective. My own memory of the 9/11 attacks, the Iran/Iraq war, and even the Gulf war could serve as information used in writing about a world that was torn apart by war. I could include autobiographical or biographical anecdotes of my peers, because everyone in our world has these types of stories to tell. This would make the writing more personal, allowing the reader to connect to it more than the rest of the science-related research I have described.
Another important aspect of my research is narrative analysis. In order to write science fiction, it is important to be familiar with the genre and to understand the history of the genre. To write in a post-apocalyptic setting, I should be familiar with the books and other media that are considered classic or great within the genre. For example, I would have to watch movies like Soylent Green and Godzilla, which were the first films to really explore the world and society after an apocalypse. Then, I would have to watch movies like Night of the Living Dead, which was the first zombie film that George Romero (the “Godfather of All Zombies”) ever directed and really propelled the genre of post-apocalyptic film into popular culture. I would also want to watch Romero’s subsequent films and many other films in the genre so that I could compare them and make notes about how the genre has changed and grown since it was introduced. Additionally, I should make myself an extensive reading list, consisting of canonical post-apocalyptic novels like Orwell’s 1984 and Huxley’s Brave New World, as well as well-respected modern literature like McCarthy’s The Road and everything by Richard Matheson, ever. It would be a disservice to the genre of science fiction if I were only familiar with post-apocalyptic literature, however, so it would serve me as a writer and certainly my readers if I became familiar with other writers in the broader genre like Ursula Le Guin, Issac Asimov, Terry Pratchett, and William S. Burroughs. While this research seems extensive, it is to my benefit that I have a 20+ year head start on the reading list.
It might, for some things, be easier to interview an established scifi author or director, but getting that interview may be impossible. However, there are ways to get closer to the people - I might attend a scifi/horror convention (such as FanExpo Canada or Chiller Theatre Expo) where authors and directors are often in attendance, such as Lloyd Kaufman from Troma Studios. In that scenario, I would either be able to take notes from a presentation the author may give, or attend a Q&A session and ask important questions of the author personally. It might even be helpful to attend presentations given by the actors that attend these types of conventions, like horror movie star Bruce Campbell for example, who could give some insight on the business and his experience with the genre. Unless my luck happened to be ridiculously awesome, these interactions may not be close enough to be considered interviews, but I may gain some information by doing a discourse analysis of the presentations and Q&A sessions. (and get my picture taken with Ernest Borgnine! Sweet!)
