Science research

How do you start writing a novel?

The first thing I do is decide the genre and the setting.

I suppose you saw some version of Back to the Future. Here the setting is changing not because of location, but because of time period. Flashing back or forward changes the appearance of the same location. The setting is new, isn’t it?

Genre is the type of novel you are writing. That could be a western, action, romance, detective, mystery, gothic, or what ever you decide to dream up.

Science fiction would be another genre.

Did you notice a possible change in the genre in one version of Back to the Future? The kid on the skateboard changed to a gun-totting westerner. Well, it was still science fiction.

The setting is where the action takes place. If the action is in the present, you will not have a great deal of research to do on the time period of the action. However, if the action takes place in 1850 or 130 B.C., you must do research on that time period as was done in Back to the Future.

Once you have decided where the action is to take place and in what time period, you can define your characters. Here are some things to consider:

Names:

Does the name of each character fit into the location and time period?

Don’t call your Viking raider, Joe.

Try Eric the Mad or some such.

Language:

What would the language be of your character?

If he lived in 1750 in London, what phrases would he use?

What would he sound like?

That will depend on his class won’t it?

A London cobbler would not sound the same as the Captain of the King’s Guard would he?

What about the King himself?

How would he sound? What vocabulary would he use?

Here is a Warning:

Don’t write a period novel if you are not willing to obtain the education and knowledge you will need to write it.

The key to good writing is to write about things you know and understand.

Of course, if you are writing science fiction, you can do anything you darn please as long as it “rings true” to science fiction readers.

That’s why the advice often given to writers is to read heavily in the genre in which they intend to write.

That’s one way to get an education, isn’t it?

Dress

If you met a man in Walgreen wearing a silver body-tight jumpsuit and having antenna sticking out of a gold helmet, you would think: That guy isn’t from here!

If your character walks into a Wild West bar in 1850 wearing a green suit, you will have some explaining to do. My guess would be that he is Irish and will be asking for a Guinness. Note: Guinness started in 1759 but I doubt that you would find it in the Wild West in 1850.

Dress must be consistent just as language is important. You need to know the local dress, not some stereotype dress you saw in a “B” movie.

Dress is also characteristic of vocation and class. A banker, a blacksmith, a millwright, etc., would all be differently dressed in the same location during the same time period.

Early settlers from Texas in Arizona could be told by their hats.

Other Factors:

If your character is a nurse, you must know something about how a nurse performed at her location and during her time period.

Don’t have that soldier shoot someone with a Winchester during the War of 1812. Oliver Winchester was born in 1810.

Each character needs a history. A person’s history at least in part determines his or her actions. You may never mention such a history in your novel, but you must know it.

Each character needs characteristics. You may never mention most of them but you must know them. These are the things that in combination make your character distinct from all other characters in the world. Take Superman for instance or Henry the Eighth.

The bottom line is that all things must be consistent and logical if you want your novel to fly.

If something is strange, you have some explaining to do.

How to do Research

The easiest way to do your research is by reading in your genre.

I don’t like reading most novels. Therefore I do research on the time and place.

I like to start with a map of the area. Then I like to read the history of the area even before the time period determined. I read history books, old magazine articles, Internet articles, etc. I like to visit the area and visit museums and historical societies. I like to talk to the people, especially the old timers that have significant tales to tell.

Go into book stores, yard sales, book sales, junk shops, antiques shops, and other places you can pick up magazines and books for a song. Look at the stuff they are selling in antique shops and ask about the history of unusual items. The way you do that is to say this: What is that thing?

In a way, it is much like being a newspaper reporter. I like to search old newspapers for interesting stories to see what other “reporters” have done.

Look in old encyclopedias, catalogs, and almanacs. You will be surprised what you can learn.

When I was writing Revenge on the Mogollon Rim, I decided to read one of Zane Grey’s novels, the settings of which was in the areas near my home in Arizona.

I knew something about Zane Grey because I was a guide and worked on exhibits for the local museum.

I expected to help in the rebuilding of his cabin that was destroyed in the Dude Fire. However, I moved from the area (Payson, AZ) before that task was started.

Anyway, I was reading his novel and came up on a phrase that didn’t seem right to me. It was a view his character saw from the Mogollon Rim. I didn’t think he had it right. I drove to the Rim and parked very near the place he described. Then I saw that Zane Grey had described the view perfectly. Mountains don’t move that fast.

It’s a good idea to know your subject, your location (setting), and your characters before you start writing the novel. Well, don’t let that stop you. You can fill in the blanks later.

Just don’t let some bold character take over your book.

Writing, how to write, setting, characters, language, characteristics, history, time period, research

By: John T Jones, Ph.D.

You have read volumes about ghosts and have browsed hundreds of websites to devour more information on ghosts, but have you ever wondered how many types of ghosts there are? The fact is that there are various types of ghosts out there and all these are minutely described and documented by the Spiritual Science Research Foundation (SSRF).

The Spiritual Science Research Foundation has undertaken extensive research on ghosts in order to demystify this widespread phenomenon and help people in recognising and treating the adverse effects caused by ghosts through proven methodology according to the science of Spirituality.

At the outset, it is important to note that while we use the phrase ghosts (demons, devils, negative energies, etc.) as a collective noun to cover the entire gamut of negative energies, there is a vast difference between the lower order ghosts and higher order ghosts such as subtle sorcerers (maantriks) from the sixth and seventh region of Hell. They differ according to their spiritual strength. Ghosts primarily use their spiritual strength to harm humanity.

The generic types of ghosts as identified by the Spiritual Science Research Foundation in ascending order of hierarchy as well as power and strength are:

Common ghost Demons Black serpent Female goblin Jaakhin Witch Spirit Subtle sorcerer The Hierarchy among Ghosts There is a hierarchy among ghosts which is based on their spiritual power or strength. Ultimately all ghosts are controlled by subtle sorcerers (maantriks). Basic shape and form of types of ghosts The spiritual principle that word, touch, form, taste, smell and its associated energy coexist is also true with ghosts. Depending on their type of energy, they take up generic forms. These forms can however change, depending on what the ghost is trying to achieve. For example, if the ghost is trying to intimidate, it will take up an intimidating form, whereas if it is trying to fool a spiritual healer it may take a form of an angel http://www.spiritualresearchfoundation.org/spiritualresearch/spiritualscience/angel/index.php or a positive energy. They can also take the form of our departed ancestors thus misleading psychics and the people who come to psychics to enquire about departed relatives. This is true in almost all cases. How does one become a Ghost in the first place? When a person dies only his physical body ceases to exist. His subtle body however continues to exist and moves on to the other regions of the Universe. Some of these subtle bodies become ghosts. Most ghosts have unfulfilled desires such as cravings for sex, alcohol, revenge, etc. or derive pleasure out of exerting control over and tormenting humans and other subtle bodies. The subtle body of a person after physical death is defined as a ghost if their characteristics and intentions match the above. There is no special process as such which they go through to become a ghost. How does a Ghost become a particular type of Ghost? The main reason behind a person becoming a certain type of ghost is due to their predominant personality trait and their predominant thought at the time of death. For example people involved in adversely affecting humanity at large are more likely to become subtle sorcerers (maantriks). On the other hand excessive worldly desires and constantly thinking ill about others may culminate in one becoming a Common Ghost (Bhoot) after death. Summary The most reliable way of reducing the risk of being affected or possessed by the various types of ghosts, is undertaking spiritual practice as per the 5 basic principles of spirituality http://www.spiritualresearchfoundation.org/spiritualresearch/happiness/spirituality/basicpricinples_spirituality_d.php. Spiritual practice and spiritual healing remedies, coupled with personality defect removal and eradication of ego are the tools to access supreme protection from God that insulates one from the attack of ghosts as well as helps us proceed to higher regions in the afterlife.

By: Sean M. Clarke

Ghosts have always been a mysterious and fear evoking topic for most of us. Fear of the unknown’ has affected every individual on this Earth since ages. The Spiritual Science Research Foundation (SSRF) has conducted research into the subtle world for the past 20 years with the objective to bridge the gap between the known and the unknown.

What are ghosts?

When a person dies only his physical body ceases to exist. His subtle body (consisting of the subconscious mind, intellect, ego and soul, i.e. minus the physical body) continues to exist and moves on to the other subtle regions of the Universe.

A human being is comprised of:

The Soul The mental body or the mind The causal body or the intellect The supracausal body or the subtle ego The Vital body The Physical body

What happens after death?

When one dies, the vital energy is released back into the Universe. The physical body remains on Earth while the subtle body travels to a subtle plane depending on its merits or sins and its spiritual level.

If the spiritual level is lower the subtle body becomes heavy due to sins and excessive ego and as a result gets stuck in lower subtle planes of existence such as the nether world. If the sins are intense then the subtle body goes to hell and may exist there as subtle body or ghost.

This means that ghosts are subtle bodies of people who have passed away having unfulfilled desires such as cravings for sex, alcohol (things that they can only experience through a physical body), revenge, etc.

The subtle body of a person after physical death is defined as a ghost if their characteristics and intentions match the above. There is no special process as such which they go through to become a ghost.

What decides where do we go in the after-life?

When we die, our course in the after-life is decided by a number of factors such as:

The type of deeds done during the life-time. The extent and the type of spiritual practice one has undertaken during lifetime. The type of death – natural and peaceful, violent or accidental and the type of funeral conducted. The rituals as per Spiritual Science done by the descendants after death to help the deceased in the after life.

Who are likely to become ghosts?

People are likely to become ghosts after their death when They have many unfulfilled desires and many negative impressions in the mind. Many personality defects, such as anger, fear, greed, etc. A high amount of ego. They have harmed others and have the basic nature of harming others. Lack of spiritual practice consisting of progressive level of surrender of mind, body and intellect done with the intention of God-realization.

Summary

Only people who have reached the 60% spiritual level and have low ego are able to proceed to the higher regions of heaven and beyond and do not become ghosts. The rest of humanity, when they die, finds themselves in the regions of the Nether world and Hell. Most subtle bodies in the Nether region are highly likely to become ghosts. All subtle bodies in Hell are ghosts.

In fact, even if one is a gentleman but doesn’t have enough spiritual strength through spiritual practice, he is liable to become a ghost when he dies. This is because he is attacked by higher level ghosts and is controlled by them.

Performing adequate spiritual practice as per the 5 basic principles while alive ensures spiritual progress and greatly decreases the possibility of becoming a ghost.

By: Sean M. Clarke