Craft of Writing

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Craft of Writing

Carter Jefferson

Going to the Source

A fellow in my writing group wants to know just what the cops do when somebody reports a theft—he's writing a mystery novel, but the real mystery is how he's going to find out how the police operate.

Somebody else needs to know how universities decide to give tenure to a popular professor. Another is curious about the way a local women's book group runs.

Most writers do their research by mining the Web or finding some reference book in the library. There is, however, another way: you can go to the source. Here's what happened to me.

In a story I'm writing, somebody clips a fawn on an interstate highway someplace in New England. The collision doesn't wreck the car, but it puts a dent in the fender, scares the driver half to death, and messes the deer up good. But what happens to the animal?

I call the state's Fisheries & Wildlife Commission.

"Hi. My name's Jefferson. I'd like to talk to one of your agents—the kind that deals with deer in the woods."

"Do you wish to report an incident?"

"Uh, no. I just want to ask a question. I'm a writer and I need some information."

"A WRITer?"

"Yes, ma'am. I write stories."

(Laughs.) "What kind of information do you want? We don't just tell everybody everything, you know."

"Well . . . . I'm kind of stuck. I want to know what happens when you find a deer that's been hurt lying by the side of the road."

(Long pause.)

"Okay. I'll put you in touch with an agent. Please hold."

I hold. No music in the background, probably owing to recent budget cuts. Finally, a male voice comes up.

"Agent Smith. Can I help you?"

We go through roughly the same thing I went through with the receptionist.

"A writer, huh? I don't think I ever met a writer. What kind of stuff do you write?"

"Stories, sometimes essays. Mostly they get published on the Web."

"I thought the only stories on the Web were porn."

"Uh, no . . . . There are some pretty good ones that aren't porn. Just ordinary stories."

"Okay. I'll take your word for it. So how does this deer get to be laying [sic] by the side of the road?"

"Well, it's just a fawn, see. It gets hit by a car. Just a glancing blow, not full on. So it's banged up, and falls by the roadside."

"And how do I hear about it?'

"Somebody calls you up and tells you?"

"Yeah. That happens." Pause. "I'd drive out an' take a look."

"Then what would you do?"

"Depends. Might call one of our vets if it's not hurt too bad."

"Suppose it's pretty bad—back end all messed up or something."

"You one of those animal rights nuts?"

"No, no—I just want to know what you'd do so my story will get it right."

"Sure I won't get my name in the paper, cruelty to animals and all that crap?"

"I promise. No paper. Nobody will even know I talked to you. I'll forget your name."

"Tell me who you are again. Where do you live?

"Back Bay, Boston. In an apartment. My name's Carter Jefferson. I belong to the VFW. If you want I'll give you my URL, and you can find out all you want on my website."

"Nah, forget that. Okay, I'll tell you. I'd shoot the poor little bastard and call the meat wagon."

"You carry a gun regularly?"

"Yep. Glock. Just like the cops."

"So what happens to the corpse?"

"Oh, if it's fresh, sometimes they give it to one of the homeless shelters. They can use good meat. Or it goes to the dump and gets burned."

I'm loaded with ideas for more than one story.

"Okay, thank you, you've been a great help."

"No problem. A writer, huh? Gotta tell my wife I talked to a writer."

"Well, if you ever want to know anything about writing, let me know. I owe you one."

(Laughs.) "I doubt I'll think of anything to ask. Have a nice day."

"Bye. Thank you again."

I never did finish that story, but I learned something. If you want the answer to a question and can't find it by doing research online or in the library, it's quite possible there's a live and in-person primary source to turn to. Somebody has that information. Maybe they'll tell you, maybe they won't, but you'll never know unless you ask.

About the Author
Carter Jefferson, once a naval officer, newspaper reporter and editor, history professor, and psychotherapist, now teaches writing in U. Mass./Boston's lifelong learning program. His stories and essays have appeared in The Hiss Quarterly, flashquake, T-Zero: The Writer's E-Zine, and other e-zines, and his book reviews in the Washington Post and the Chicago Tribune. He even sold one tale, hand-bound and illustrated, in an art gallery. His website: http://carterj.homestead.com.