How did people write things before the internet?

[kiya]

I got an attack story.

So I wrote it over the last couple of days, and in that time I have done for research:

* measured a cardboard box
* looked up how crime scene evidence is labelled and stored
* looked up crime scene photography
* looked up how to document blood spatter
* looked up a bunch of stuff involving children's literature
* looked up which of the Lang Fairy Books a particular story could be found in
* owl anatomy: feather structure and coloration; talons; general shape
* how to store powder evidence (accidentally discovered, really, but I used it)
* that tooth numbering system
* what the fuck is that thing that hangs around the bottom of the bed called, anyway?
* handwriting analysis
* miscellaneous Arthurian names, actually, though that bit's almost 100% invisible in practical terms
* hand size by age
* shoe size by age
* conversion of various measurements to metric

I did not look up what trackers can do because I know ivy, I could just footnote what the tracker spotted without having to look up what was plausible.

All of that digging up details and stuff? Was for a story that is, after revision to be longer, 2171 words long.


In unrelated news, Mo the Noodle has finally eaten something. We are relieved.

Comments

[kiya]

I had a comment to one of my first readers about making sure the story had sufficient truthiness.

[graydon]

I am much inclined to assert that of course you did. :)

May the truthiness be found resplendent and fractal!