The Outlandish Companion - Diana Gabaldon [166]
There are all kinds of online venues these days, of course, ranging from news-groups and independent Web sites to the immensity of America Online. While I do now and then visit various such venues (there are five or six groups on AOL alone devoted to discussion of the Outlander novels), most of my online time is spent on CompuServe, among the forums of the Readers and Writers Ink Group.
There are several forums in this group: the Writers Forum, the Literary Forum, the Authors Forum, the Romance Forum, the Erotica Forum, the Poetry Forum, and the Book Preview Forum (and by the time this book appears in print, there may well be more). In The Beginning, there was simply the Literary Forum; as membership increased and online traffic became heavier, though, several new forums evolved from this, offering a broader range and more room for specialized interests among readers and writers.
My own usual electronic hangout is the Writers Forum, where I am a “section leader”1 in a section called “Research and the Craft of Writing.” This section deals with— surprise!—questions of research “Was peppermint candy available in New York in 1794?” “How do you render someone unconscious quickly, without leaving marks?”), and craft “How many points of view can you use in a novel?” “Should a writer begin with short stories before tackling a novel?”). Conversations are wide-ranging and always interesting, and I now and then take advantage of the forum’s members myself, for expert advice on research questions.
Sometimes, I simply ask a straightforward question “What does black powder smell like?”); occasionally, I’ll post a brief excerpt that I’m working on, to see whether some technical point “comes across” adequately in the context of the story, when read by someone with an expertise in medicine or whatever.
The following section shows part of a “thread,” or conversation, based on one of these excerpts. When a question is asked or a message posted in any of the CompuServe Forums, it may be addressed to a specific person, or to “All,” but anyone who reads it is more than welcome to respond.2 When I occasionally post an excerpt like this, there’s no telling who may read it, or what they may have to say about it. The original message(s) and the responses to it are collectively called a “thread.”
Most forums have members who participate regularly, as well as those who “lurk,” reading messages but rarely responding, and some who simply wander in from time to time. Since the “Research and the Craft of Writing” section is “mine,” I’m well acquainted with most of the regular participants and therefore know something of their own interests and backgrounds; other people I know only by name. To give more insight on the following thread, I’ve provided a quick capsule description of the participants.3
Elise Skidmore is an industrial technician by profession, who is section leader for the “Writing Exercises” section of the Writers Forum.
Rosina Lippi-Green is a professor of sociolinguistics and creative writing, and a published historical novelist (writing as Sara Donati).
Mira Kolar-Brown is a Project Manager (Employment Initiatives) based in Manchester, England, presently working on a mystery novel.
Coleen Harman is a veterinarian.
Ellen Mandell, an M.D. with specialties in OB/GYN and epidemiology, was following a trail of breadcrumbs when
she plunged down a rabbit hole and hasn’t been seen since. Alan Smithee is a specialist in medical radiology.
Beth Shope is raising a family in Switzerland and working on a fantasy novel.
Barbara Schnell is a German photojournalist and novelist, who also did the (excellent) German translation of Drums of Autumn (Der Ruf der Trommel).
Marte Brengle is a software expert and technical writer, working on a novel.
Betty Babas is a section leader in the Romance Forum.
Jo C. Harmon is an RN.
Susan Martin is my co-section leader in “Research and the Craft of Writing” and is at work on a historical mystery set in France.
Arlene McCrea is a retired academic.
Eve Ackerman is Librarian for several R&WI forums, and