Reading without understanding ...
01/10/2004 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 

Reading without understanding Is like looking at an instruction manual and not being able to put things together.

Hello everyone

One of the principle tools of writing is the ability to research. Something that isn't really taught at school yet should be a tool of everyone rather than just earnest writers who want to get everything right. If anything, it's something that ends up learnt how to do for oneself the hard way rather than by any set method.

I've remarked to people in the past that I did and still do try to research at least one new or different subject every year beyond layman's level. I also tend to keep my general knowledge honed and in practice, keeping the neurones in my brain working, by answering the questions on the more 'serious' TV quiz shows faster than the contestants. It's a good mental exercise even if I have no desire to take part in such things myself. It's also a good way to discover weaknesses in your knowledge that might need to be sorted out some time. Knowledge is power in any profession.

A lot of the time, though, my research subjects these days tend to focus on something pertinent to whatever I'm writing. I've got past many broad area subjects and tend to focus on more specialised subjects these days. So many subjects, only one lifetime. All this research should make me a mine of information on various subjects. To some extent, that's probably true. I can draw up the odd obscure fact as and when it seems appropriate but I tend not to be an information bore either, while knowing where to look if I need a recap.

What I depend on far more is what do I understand about the subject that I have learnt that I can use the knowledge more effectively. After a while, I also applied that technique to how I learnt my subject, looking at the broader picture before getting down to details. Learning a subject in isolation from anything else definitely does not give the wider aspects and knowing a little about the social and political situations of the time period that these subjects evolve in often indicates amazement that any radical thinking was done at all.

Again, putting things into context also takes account the bigger picture and might lock into other subjects you're researched. Making links like that makes for easier memory connections and tightens any relevancies. One of the odd games of this sort of research I've ended up doing is if there's a firm link to something else across the world then it gives a route of research no other writer is going to look at and a lot more to feed the imagination as well as speculation. Probably the reason why I've never got caught into something that was just purely Arthurian legend or whathave you, well, apart from it being done to death that is. If you're going to develop new ideas then you simply have to dig a lot deeper and look for things other researchers miss and not re-hash what has gone before.

For that, you also need a quirky lateral way of thinking as well. One of the things about research is that it's all too easy to get bogged down with the information than what you really know about it. The ability to quote facts might be deemed useful but unless you know what it means or can explain it at different levels to other people than that is all the research is worth. A lot of the time in story-telling, the reader can discern the author knows the subject simply because basic mistakes or illogics are avoided and with how much authority what is written is put over.

The knowledge base is then used very effectively and serving a purpose. Poor research always stands out to those in the know. Effective research enables blending the knowledge with reality so things look feasible in fiction. Loose the reader there and they won't read your story. Something else that isn't taught at school, at least not outside of a science class, is understanding. Most of the time, you're told something is so with the hope that realisation that it makes sense as it is will come much later. Being shown a mathematical proof for something still doesn't make the right connection as to why it should be true or why other avenues aren't checked out as well.

Yes, it makes sense but as with any doctrine, no one asks something outside of the box without looking ridiculous. Also, outside of exam results, no one really checks to see if such an understanding comes then or much later in life. No doubt there's a time factor, ie not enough time, involved in all of this and the juvenile brain just needs to know the facts. It's a shame and I'm sure a fair number of you out there are going to mutter, 'Schools aren't the same as when we were young.' For writing purposes, understanding the reasons brings a greater awareness of the world about us. Some of it is scientific method in as far as why the sky is blue and chlorophyll colours plants.

Once known, it is put at the back of your mind and something else is looked at. Other things depends on understanding why certain things work a particular way. If you have an interest in Science Fiction, then logistically you might have an understanding of some scientific methods even if you're not a scientist. People know the effects of gravity even if they can't quote Newton's Laws of Motion and it's easily demonstrated. With the arts, you know what you like even if you can't put a verbal reason to it. For writers, the reverse has to be applied. Everything they know has to be capable of being put into their own words. For that to happen, you have to understand what you're writing about. You can't crib information and hope everyone else knows what you're or someone else was writing about.

You need to show a level of understanding about the subject itself. As with research, understanding is the tool of the writer and needs to be honed. It invariably means asking questions and then seeking out the answers to satisfy this information. The quest for knowledge is something that needs to be used throughout your lives. Education doesn't stop after you leave school or any higher education facility. You might not be so aware that you're doing it but you've always got and should always develop how much you know about the world if you're going to be flexible in this ever changing world. Knowledge and understanding are tools that can be used in all walks of life. Of course, not all of you are or want to be writers but the basic tools are there for everyone to use.

To not use them is a waste. 'Course, all you lot reading here read or you wouldn't be here in the first place. The real question is do you look up something you don't know nothing or only something about it and more importantly, do you understand it afterwards. Without the latter, one must become too dependent on others to tell you what is what. Then again, maybe that'll put me out of a job. Be happy. Be safe. Enjoy the rest of the website.

Thank you and good night.

Geoff Willmetts

editor: SFCrowsnest.co.uk

PS A solemn dedication to the passing of Shelby Peck, once music-teacher, educator in comics as a means to getting kids to read in the 60s and an e-friend of the past few years.

(Less Serious) Thought For The Month # 1: Is there anywhere selling the Star Wars Trilogy at full price and are any of you sick for not waiting to see which company was selling the limited gold box edition??

(Less Serious) Thought For The Month # 2: As I was talking about Isaac Newton above, I remembered this little tale which should give you pause for thought. You all remember how Newton was sitting under a tree when an apple fell on his head and he fathomed the laws of gravity, yes? Well, what I want to know is why did he leave his laptop in the branches of that tree in the first place and was it damaged in the fall?

Before you Apple Mac computers starting complaining about victimisation. The joke wouldn't make much sense if it was a PC up in the branches. PS If you've survived this far in the editorial, let me reiterate something from the website newsletter and the above editorial. As you can see from the main page, we have one of the biggest SF/fantasy/horror monthly reviews columns on the Net. Our success has increased the number of books that comes in and our policy is to read everything before giving a review. You want the bottom line about what you're going to read. We roadtest books so you have some idea of what you're letting yourself in for when all you've got to go by is the cover and promotional blurb. That means actually reading the product and telling others what you think. For that, we're always on the outlook for more reviewers.

Apart from the ability to put words into sentences, you also need to know how to précis, either know or do a little research on associated subjects and can express opinions constructively expressing good and bad points about the books you read. I did say you have to love books and willing to read beyond your favourite authors, didn't I? If you like reading books in the genre, think and show you can write a decent review and, most importantly, live in the British Isles (sorry, expense, time and distance travelled prohibits elsewhere), contact me below for my 'Reviews Flyer' - put this in the subject ebox and we'll see if you've got what it takes.

We can't pay you but a review for the price of a book has to be a good incentive. We have one of the most popular SF review columns on the Net. Think you're up to writing a review or do you think it's a hard thankless task?? If you think the former and can write, then you're really going to think you've landed your hands in the biscuit tin.

PPS: For those keeping track, I'm still about 20 months (December 2002) behind. We had a short story pile ready for immediate attention so some of you read this far in my editorials last time. With going through the ebook samples, I have removed some who've gotten published elsewhere. Thank you for your patience but let me know if you've sold elsewhere so I can reduce my pile or if you've changed address, especially e-mail address. I can't give you my comments unless either is up to date. Currently, doing spot-checks to see if you're still there when I reach your sample in the pile is making it easier on my time and catching up on the slush pile. This isn't much of a repeat, just to show you're not forgotten.

Those sending in ebook samples, be prepared for a long wait and read the Guidelines elsewhere on this website. They are there to help you do some of the right things and reduce the number of times I'm repeating myself over silly grammatical errors and spelling mistakes that you shouldn't be making. It makes editing a lot easier if any editor has less work pointing out poor English which should have been sorted out in the first place and more focused on other areas of your work. There's an old editorial adage, if you can't aim for perfection why should an editor nurse-maid you to that state?

If you're a writer, then you should understand the words and grammar of the job you're supposed to be writing or are you considering it as mundane and boring as any other job to get right? Fall in love with making every sentence the best you're ever written, read up and understand the rules of grammar. Be prepared to put a story away for a few weeks and go back to it for a self-edit. A lot of the time, errors will just stare you in the face when you didn't see them the first time round.

Once you know where your weaknesses are, they can be sorted and allow you to move a little higher up the ladder towards making your material look its best. Please don't confuse this with my short story slush pile which is kinda low at the moment. We're always willing to give short story writers a chance to be seen if they can withstand my scrutiny even if we can't pay for their efforts.