Hello 2026! Research is for some just one of the less-than-fun parts of writing and for others, an adventure. So, for January, our Round Robin bloggers have been asked to share their most fun or eye-opening research experience, and here is mine.
Journalism is a very different beast from novel
writing, but I’m game to try my hand at pretty much anything if it stretches my
writerly mind. Many years ago, and with an upcoming trip to the UK, I pitched
an article on beer festivals to the travel department of the Calgary Herald.
The upshot was that my idea was accepted, and I was asked to submit a 300-word
article.
What started as a ‘what if’ quickly became ‘now what?’
Part of me was excited, part was scared, but having got this far, I decided to
approach the British Tourist Board to see if they would fund my enterprise. Much
to my surprise, they thought it was a great idea, especially as I was writing
for a Canadian newspaper, and provided a rental car for one week.
That was more than enough to take me to a few local
breweries in preparation for the Uley Beer Festival. My children and I attended
on Friday evening, just to have fun and, well, drink. Quite apart from the
beer, ale, and cider available, there were also wines from all around the
world. You bought your drink tickets at the main entrance and then used them
for whatever beverage took your fancy.
The strongest beer available was from the Scottish
Caledonian Brewery, closely followed by a local brew from the privately owned
Uley Brewery. I managed to get an invitation to this brewery, where the beer
was fermented in barrels, which takes a different kind of expertise than
brewing in a vat.
Image from gloucestershirepubs.co.uk
Having had fun on Friday night, I returned on Saturday
to interview brewers, vendors, and festivalgoers. I was surprised to find how
far afield many of them had come, but as one young man from the north of
England explained, it was well worth the trek not only for the beer but for the
atmosphere.
I am pleased to say that not only was my article
published, but one of my photographs was selected to illustrate it, and it came
in just under the requested word count at 299 words. All in all, the whole
experience was very worthwhile. Besides having this piece published, I have
also had articles published in the magazines Dogs All, CreaturesAll, and West.
Sadly, over the interim years, each of these magazines is now defunct.
Now I’m looking forward to reading what my fellow
bloggers have to say on the subject.
Anne Stenhouse http://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com
Connie Vines http://mizging.blogspot.com/
Diane Bator https://escapewithawriter.wordpress.com/
Helena Fairfax http://www.helenafairfax.com/blog
Dr Bob Rich http://wp.me/P3Xihq-1
Sally Odgers Behind
Sally's Books Mark 2
Skye Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea
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