Furry Writers' Guild Forum

Member knowledge base

Other than such topics as “Knowing people much more interesting than yourself” and “Underestimating yourself so much that your friends tell you to stop”, I’m usually not confident in my knowledge base. That said, here’s some things I may be able to help with:

Police Procedural - My dad’s been an RCMP officer for over 30 years and a lot of that has trickled down to me. He was a member of the Saskatchewan dive team, which means he dived for dead bodies. He also specialized in Crash Reconstruction Analysis - he goes to fatal or complicated car accidents, takes pictures, measurements, other data, and puts together everything that happened. I’ve gone on many ride-alongs, joined him to investigate car accidents, and heard many stories.

Computers - Like many a furry writer, I also picked a career line working with computrons. I specialize in software development: methodology, algorithms, testing, designing, coding, deployment, etc.

Math - Next to Comp Sci, I also studied a good chunk of high level mathematics. Group Theory, combinatorics, graph theory, modular math, optimization algorithms, etc.

Games + Puzzles - Board, card, video, tabletop, etc. - I love games, I love playing games. I have basic knowledge of game theory, puzzle solving techniques, and game design.

Small Town Life - The first 20 years of my life was spent living in towns with population less than 3,000. Most people don’t understand how a community that small operates. When the basics of a mall, movie theatre, chain grocery stores or eateries are removed, life is quite different.

Oh and Sex - I know about sex. I took grade 5 sex Ed and we all laughed at smegma. I also have acute gender confusion.

Ocean, lived in a town for about 10 years with a population of 700+. The town down the mountain from us was a population of 34 >.>

I almost miss that…

Here are things I can help out with:

Art History Minor Things

Art History: Ancient through medieval to early renaissance through modern. You can ask me about the significance of art in culture, how museums and curations work, and I can probably help you formulate visual motiffs that pertain to art periods and locations. Ex: Bauhaus, Vorticism, Futurism, Byzantine, what-have-you.

Historical Fashion: I can probably tell you enough about your character’s wardrobe to say “are you sure this is 1895 and not 1900?”

Architecture: In case you thought you were talking about a tudor house and not a tudor revival house.

The American South: African American Lit, Native American culture, White Anglo Saxon Protestants, fried hushpuppies.

Animation: I went to The Savannah College of Art and Design for a year and took a semester of animation.

Art Media: Art is complicated, expensive, and requires access to a lot of different tools. I can tell you about mounting a canvas, gouache, liquid media for acrylic and oil paint, pottery, differences in paint brush type (some paint will dissolve your paintbrush) and digital media. I’m sure this is an easier one to ask others for since furry is hugely art focused, but if you do want to have a chat about the steps you’d need to have your artist character make archival quality work, I can tell you about preservation methods too.

Bio Major Things

Virology and Microbiology: Anything from herd immunity to T-cell receptors to aseptic technique in a laboratory setting.

Evolutionary Biology and Genetics: Punnet squares, DNA structure, gametes and what they do, and how populations can evolve.

How to Write about Scientists: How we work on projects, who we work with, what kinds of tools we use. How not to write Science Man! with Magic Lab Coat.

Organic Chemistry and Anatomy: Let’s talk about methanol and fallopian tubes! Blood transfusions! Medical procedures!

Environments: This is a big one. Want to know the difference between a swamp and a salt marsh, and how to make region specific settings come to life in your story? Ask me!

Marine Biology: Shellfish, plankton, birds, marine mammals, dive mechanisms, nutrient cycles and more.

Chronic Illness: Both personal and professional perspectives as I have spent much of my life tackling the physical, cultural and emotional consequences.

Persnickety Stoat Things

Monsters and Tall Tales/Urban Legends: Home-grown horror is a lot of fun.

Baking and Cooking: I’m a foodie and took two years of chemistry, so I can probably tell you more information than you’d need to know about why your bread didn’t rise or your cookies are too flat.

Literary Criticism: Because yes this is a hobby of mine. Marxist theory, the differences in the Feminist waves, Focault and the Panopticon, etc.

Editing: I have taken a class on editing and did fairly well. I have a Chicago style guide, too. I am sure there are more experienced editors here, but if there’s uncertainty I can lend a hand.

Film: I watch a lot of movies and root through a decent amount of older cinema, too.

Perfumes: I know the difference between what things like Patchouli and Ylang Ylang smell like and know how to write about that.

Archaic Writing: I’ve taken classes on Reformation Lit, Shakespeare, Anglo Saxon Poetry and World Mythology

Religion: Greek Mythology and Christianity in particular (since western culture is supersaturated with both, still.)

Scotland: Lived there half a year.

M/M Sex: I’m happy to look over erotica though might be less useful for f/f or m/f (but will still be able to offer some advice for universal eroticism). Also willing to look it over and say: “ow, don’t do that” pertaining to what might be more realistic male affection.

Southern Culture:
Hey, you never know. I’m pretty darn familiar with a good amount of it, and many books about it. I can answer questions, recommend reading, explain etiquette and geography, etc. As someone who’s afraid of writing too much outside their own geography, I figured this might help some.

Sociology:
It’s one of my majors. I can explain a lot about sociological concepts and theories. If you have any questions about sociology as a discipline, or about social constructions and how they came to be, I’m your guy. This is very broad, of course, but don’t hesitate to ask.

Fencing:
Mostly in sabre, but I know enough about all three weapons and refereeing and competing to be able to help you with nearly any aspect of it.

Photography:
I probably have an answer to your question, or can find it in ten seconds-- unless it’s old-fashioned photography.

Epidemiology:
I love the subject. I love an excuse to do research on it. It’s really cool and while I’m no expert, I’d be happy to help you find information you need.

Game knowledge:
Dota, Magic, assorted board games, go.

Asexuality:
If you want to know what it feels like, how one might act, possible different kinds of feelings that fall under this umbrella term, etc, I can probably help.

Being homeschooled:
Yup, I was. Yup, I knew a ton of other kids who were.

How to drive a stickshift:
'nuff said.

Fishing

Many wildlife/naturey things like tree, bird, plant, animal IDs, basic forestry, etc.

That’s all I have for now. Will add more as I acquire more skills.

I have a Masters degree (or close enough) in Psychology. Now, this is more an academic knowledge of more general psychology and research - counseling/therapy and mental disorders are not my forte (I only took a single course in Abnormal, never took any Counseling courses). Still, I can at least give a crack at disorders, along with other typical psychological/mental things.

Also, being legally blind, I have experience with both blind people and those with other visual disabilities - even went to a School for the Blind for a semester in Junior High. That, and I have a prosthetic eye, so seeing from one eye and having a prosthetic is quite in my experience repertoire.

I have done quite a bit of research and seen a few things in relation to BDSM, but do not have as much hands on experience as I would like.

My father also works screen printing/graphic design for T-shirt businesses, and managed to draw several comics for Marvel back in the 90s, so the process of a big comic book company’s artist recruitment and interaction is on tap.

Aviation
My raison d’être, and also my day job. I’m a pilot for an airline flying in Southeast Alaska (You could call me a bush pilot, but that typically conjures a different image than what I do). I also give flight instruction from time to time in the SF bay area. I used to spend time and money flying aerobatics for fun and have lots of time upside-down. Certificated flight instructor. Advanced ground instructor.

Ice hockey
I’ve been playing and reffing ice hockey for over a decade. I play high-level adult recreational, but I ref all levels including college and high-level competitive youth hockey.

Swordfighting
As a kid, I got into swordfighting fairly early, doing small jobs for a friend of mine who was a swordsmith and a salesman for a respected armorer. I earned my first sword and training before I was ten, and my first real job was competitive and staged live-steel broadsword/florentine/mixed weapon/mixed period fighting at various shows around the southeastern United States from the age of twelve. (I left school in the 7th grade)
I did it for almost six years, so I can help with pretty much any swordplay-related questions, and I can help vet combat scenes involving any combination of western-style weapons. I can help you avoid writing a story featuring twenty pound swords and people running around in suits of plate armor. Then again, maybe someone like me is the only one who’d notice anything wrong with that. Sigh.

Music
My parents are professional musicians and have been playing together for almost half a century now. I grew up playing music and singing with them, and have toured with them as well as played shows around the southeast, which was the second paying job I took, often at the same shows as the first, but in the evenings. ^.^

Alaska
I live and work in the amazing state of Alaska. I haven’t lived here very long, and I live in the Southeast part of the state, so I probably can’t help you with your dog-sled, 40-below, or polar-bear questions. However, I might be able to suss out relevant information faster than most due to what local knowledge I have. Also, if it involves flying in Alaska, you’ll definitely want to talk to me. ^.^

Motorcycles
Growing up without much money (Swordfighting, music and computer work in a small town collectively pay very little), I turned to motorcycles from an early age. Also, I like them better than cars. I’ve been riding—and combat commuting—since I was about 17, and have done some pretty fun stuff on two wheels, including a 46-hour coast-to-coast ride in ~20F temps in the middle of winter. (And riding through all manners of ice and snow on the way back). My experience is with sportbikes and sport-touring bikes, as well as a bit of racing experience.

Sailing
I sailed and raced sailboats for years (Merit 24, J/24, and J/109 mostly). Usually worked foredeck. Have often considered living on a boat, and may in the future.

Swamp
I grew up out in the swamps of northwest Florida, and used to go out for days—sometimes weeks—at a time camping by myself, living off the land, with a sword, a backpack full of books, and some basic tools. When I was 13-16. Can you imagine parents letting their kids do that today? But I digress. Anyway, the swamp was my home and its sounds, systems, scents, denizens, moods and motion I can always help with. (Though every swamp is vastly different from every other swamp! Big water river swamps can be pretty terrifying even to someone intimately familiar with backwater bayous when the rain comes.)

Southerners
If you use the word “Yall” (or “Y’all”, if you insist) as a singular, I won’t be kind.

Large-scale computer systems
Wait, what? Ok, so here’s the thing. I grew up poor. All I ever wanted to be was a pilot. Swordfighting and music are notably unreliable methods of making enough money for flight training, and after I finished my private pilot’s license I ran completely out of money. I was able to do one flight between when I finished my license and when I left Florida. What does a seventeen-year-old swamprat swordfighting seventh-grade-dropout musician from the Florida swamp do to earn money? Why move to the Bay Area of California and get a job as a unix systems administrator in the tech industry, of course.
That progressed over the course of my career to unix systems architect to the nebulous ‘cloud systems architect’ title I finished my career with almost twenty years later. My strongest area of expertise, sadly, and the career that has made me more money than I’ll ever come close to seeing again. If you don’t cringe at the scene in Jurassic Park where she says “It’s a Unix system! I know this.”, then please give me a poke before you decide to write a scene about your clever hacker wtfpwning a system. I might just be able to suggest an exploit that will give your book some tech cred among discriminating readers rather than a hackneyed cliché that will alienate your tech-savvy readers.

American civil war
Oh yeah. I was also a civil war re-enactor in my swordfighting days. Artillery and infantry, and occasionally dismounted cavalry… which is pretty much yellow-trimmed infantry with revolvers or carbines. North and south. I got really into it for a long time, did a lot of living histories, etc… Probably not the most popular genre in furry fiction, but … just in case…

Second world war (esp. PTO naval and ETO aviation)
Did I ever mention that I read a lot as a kid? Fiction, science fiction, non-fiction, historical fiction… but one of my biggest guilty pleasures was reading WWII blow-by-blow accounts of the naval battles when I was in the single digits. (Which is why I could tell the history teacher she was absolutely wrong, which is why (among other reasons) I left school in the 7th grade… oh well!)
At any rate, that progressed to reading about aviation, US fleet sub operations, U-boats and tech, and … well, a whole lot more about aviation. Asking me about WWII infantry won’t yield much beyond the basics, but ask me about the difference between USS Darter and USS Baleo and watch my eyes light up. ~.^

Diving
This is only an afterthought. I’m sure there are many who know the subject better than I do, but for a while as a kid I thought I wanted to be a marine biologist and study cetaceans… so I managed to volunteer for some marine research positions, some of which involved diving. I haven’t done a lot of it, and when I moved out to California I did five or six dives before deciding that the water was just too dang cold. I live in Alaska now, so… but I can help with obvious errors, and—as with some of the things above—I’m equipped to possibly research things a little more quickly than some might.

Sex
I’m a fox. Pick something at random off the list and I’ve almost certainly done it. I’m not sure how that can be useful, but I’ve seen others list it as an area of expertise, so…

Anyway, please feel free to poke me! It may take me a bit to get back to you, but I WILL get back to you. I love to help when I can.

-Fox

FIRST AID:
I’ve previously been an accredited Saint John Ambulance first aid instructor, and I taught professionally for a number of years. I can help you work out factual, accurate uses of first aid, and determine what would be first aid level help and what would be paramedical level help. (A lot of stories conflate these…)

Occupational Health and Safety:
I’m an OH&S professional and technical writer, and I’ve participated in on-site inspections, accident investigations, written reports, etc. I can give you a pretty good idea of what would pass and not pass on a jobsite, and help you grasp the realistic failures (and surprising successes) of safety culture on a modern jobsite.

BDSM:
Been active in my local community for over a decade, have participated in and led workshops, and spent years as a leader for my local city’s largest kink group.

Hunting:
(Modern). Lots of for-food hunters in my family, lots of hunting trips in the warm canadian autumns and cold canadian winters.

Parenting:
I’m a father of three children. Need help realistically writing young children’s reactions to events, I’m happy to contribute.

Google AdWords:
I’ve set this up for a number of companies. Want to advertise on Google? I can get you started.

Thailand: I spent a good chunk of my childhood living on Phuket island. Need to know what a monsoon rain is really like? Just how incredibly green a real rainforest is? (Painfully green.) What long-distance running in tropical weather is like? I’m your guy.

Farming and Agriculture
I come from a family that’s been farming in southeast Michigan for nearly 200 years, as well as being a student of Agricultural Business Management at Michigan State University with minors in Environmental Studies and Sustainable Food Systems. I’m fluent in a lot of the practices, technologies, and cultures that’s accompanied the industry from the 1800s onward, as well as the interesting conditions and possible futures of the business, especially in the fields of sustainability and, to an extent, biotech.

Life in a Family Business
As I said earlier, I come from a farming family, which also means a business family. I’m in the unique (and often deplorable) position of being considered an heir to the business. This life also means that I’m not technically bound or even protected in some cases by labor laws, usually by socially-imposed restraints. It’s a very interesting scenario from the outside, I’d assume.

Living on a major College Campus
As someone who’s “lived on” for one and a half years and counting, I can tell you for certain that it’s a strange affair. I’ll leave it at that for now. XD

Shared Delusional Episode/Folie à Deux
This one comes from personal experience, followed by research on the psychological curiosity after the fact.

Suicide Interventions
I’ve had the displeasure of having a few people very close to me come very close to losing their battles with clinical depression. If you need to write a character who is trying to stop an attempt through just talking, or even has to personally intervene, I’m sure I could help. I’ve experienced a fair bit on the subject.

Hunting, Tracking, and Trapping
I’ve gone on many a hunting trip in Northern Michigan. While mainly for deer, I’ve also been involved with hunts for bear and elk, as well as how you might trap animals differently depending on what you want to attract. I also know a bit about the history of hunting in European Cultures and life as a “mountain man”.

World-building and Cartography
I’ve spent a long time developing a functional planet for my projects to take place in. While I only have a basic academic background regarding I can help you out with anything ranging from climates to plate tectonics, and also how the geography and climatology of a planet can shape and influence culture or set of cultures through the duration of its existence.

Scrivener
I’ve been using this program for the past few years, especially for NaNoWriMo. If you find yourself using this and could use a few pointers, I can definitely give you a helping hand.

Marine biology: I’ve just gotten my PhD in Marine Biology and Ecology, and I know something about the marine environment, from viruses to whales.
Microbiology and virology: My PhD was mostly focused on viral and microbial genomics in the sea, so I can be helpful when it comes down to details regarding sequencing, genetics and the like.
Artsy art: My father is an illustrator for some important Italian magazines, I’ve worked with him in the past and now I’m still doing some technical illustrations here and there. I also draw for myself alone, mostly with soft pastels, and I have an intermediate knowledge of such things.
Italy and the like: Well, I’m Italian, so if you need any information about my country, feel free to ask.
Self-image issues: I’ve had some nasty troubles with my own image of my body and appearance, and so does my girlfriend. I’ve also tried to raise some awareness on the topic with a couple of personal, furry-related projects which have received a good feedback.

-MikeT

Love this thread! Thought I should add something myself. Here goes:

Religion/Spirituality:
I’ve studied both Eastern and Western Christianity to the 15th century extensively, as well as having a great interest in religious traditions throughout the world. I’m also fascinated by New Religious Movements, e.g., Scientology, Raelians, Ancient Astronaut Theorists, etc.

Languages:
I was a Latin and Ancient Greek major in college, and one class away from a German minor. Mi ankau parolas Esperante (I also speak Esperanto), so I’d be happy to take a look at anyone’s constructed language for feedback…

Japanese Literature:
I’m self-taught in this area, but I have a great fascination with Japanese culture and know quite a bit about haiku. Or at least what I can gather from translation and English-language studies.

Scuba Diving - Certified PADI Divemaster, has dived in the UK as well as in Egypt, Thailand and Indonesia. I have pictures of things too, if you want.

Rock Climbing - Climbed indoor for 6 years, just climbing outdoors now leading as a trad climber. I also teach people the basics at a local climbing wall, so I can explain the simple skills needed, as well as technique. Indoors I climb at around English Grade 6 and 7. Crimps (thin edges) are my speciality.

English Literature - Will have completed my BA(Hons) Degree in English Literature this year. I’ve read some medieval and Greek literature, but am more familiar with early modern to modernist literature. Specific modules have been on concepts such as revenge and witchcraft, so I can tell you a lot about the the latter especially.

Werewolves - Currently writing my undergraduate dissertation at the University of Exeter on them.

Being British - I can tell you if the stereotypes are correct.

Travel - Been fortunate to go to Thailand (Phuket, Koh Samui) several times, Indonesia, Egypt.

I spent a big chunk of my childhood living on Patong Beach, in Phuket. My mom used to run Sea Canoe tours out to Koh Samui. :slight_smile:

We should compare notes one day. God damn I miss that place (but ‘the place’ was back in 1988-1992, which was a huge transitional period for Phuket and Patong in particular). Wonder how much has changed?

Oh, nice! I only went to Phuket once, but Koh Samui several times. The time limit you describe is beyond I even came to exist, I was there after the millennium. Phuket was pretty busy and built up in some places, and Koh Samui was going the same way. There are now series organised crime issues as well as incidents of sexual assault at the full moon parties on the beaches. Chaweng beach got pretty bad, with incidents of jet ski scams. It’s a shame really. =(

I suppose if you wanted to know about Football, Baseball, or Basketball, I could help out with that. Sports and nerdery is a combination that I do not see often, however.

Sled Dogs: I’ve been involved with the dog mushing community in some capacity for around six years and have myself been racing since 2011. In addition to having competed in races of up to 300 miles in length, I also spent a summer working as a dog-handler for a four-time Iditarod champion.

Horses/Mules/Donkeys: My mother is a trainer fairly well-known in the western US, primarily of mules, but also of horses and donkeys. I learned to ride as a toddler, have done so fairly regularly ever since, and as a teenager used to win a nice degree of awards in the 4-H horse shows.

Alaska: I lived in Alaska for half a year once while working at an Iditarod sled dog kennel and have visited it numerous times otherwise.

A Song of Ice and Fire: A few users have mentioned fanfiction so I’ll include this too - I’ve read all the George RR Martin’s books and am reasonably well versed in the gigantic cast, their individual histories, history of their world, the noble houses, etc.

Homeschooling: I was homeschooled up to 7th grade and went to a virtual school after that, which still counts as homeschooling to a certain extent.

Some historical areas I’m fluent in:

World War II Naval History I find the world wars fascinating in general but my study concerning them has focused on the naval aspect, particularly in the Pacific theatre of WWII in 1941-1942. I’ve got a decent memory for names so I list off pretty much any major capital ship the American and Japanese navies had in the Pacific during my two years of focus, along with a rundown of each particular ship’s service history.

Shipwrecks I have a morbid fascination with shipwrecks and started collecting books relating to them when I was in the second or third grade - my library is pretty extensive by now - with my knowledge thereof particularly concerning both trans-atlantic ocean liners (I’ve done a great deal of research on the Titanic) and on the maritime history of western North America.

Plymouth Colony I doubt this is a topic anyone’s writing on, but 8-9 years ago or thereabout I went through a period where for two years I was extremely obsessed with the Mayflower, her passengers, and the original 1620 Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts. If need be I could list every person on the ship from memory along with their occupation, origin, and age at time of the voyage, along with what happened to them in the new world.

Most of my stuff is going to be combat related, heh. I haven’t done a lot of it since moving from the UK, but I remember it pretty well.

Stage Combat I used to teach armed and unarmed stage combat groups at local schools, theatres and community groups in the UK.

Medieval Armed Combat I was a member of a historical reenactment/living history group, and we used to run armed combat displays for the public ranging from the Norman era up to the 1800s. I used short sword, long sword, twin swords, falchions, double-handed swords, spears, spear and shield, daggers, rapiers, rapier and dagger, quarterstaff, axe, axe and shield, cloak and sword, hat and sword, and unarmed. I also have experience wearing full sets of medieval armour in stupid crazy heat, while attacking and defending a castle (but not at the same time).

Medieval Firearms I had a pair of flintlock pistols that we’d run duelling demonstrations with, and also helped give musket and cannon drills.

Archery We used to teach archery to kids, as well as run siege archery, shield wall, and competition archery displays.

Getting stabbed During one of our practices, a sharp-edged sword went through my right hand, so I can tell you about that if you need it.

Shattering femurs When I was eight, I had a unicameral cyst in my left femur, and on my eighth birthday, I fell over and it shattered. I spent fourteen weeks in a cast, was unable to walk, missed tons of school and only finished getting operations on it when I was sixteen. I’m also likely to need a hip replacement at some point within ten years, so once that happens I’ll let you know about that too :stuck_out_tongue:

Emigration I moved from the UK to the US to live with my wife, and that was a fairly laborious but ultimately rewarding experience.

Being a foreigner To that end, I can compare notes with people about living here as an English-speaking foreigner. It’s not super special, but it’s something.

Anime soundtracks Because I HAVE SO MANY

Butchery My first job here was in a meat department of a grocery store, where I trained to be a butcher, so I have lots of experience with that, and meat cutting.

Working in hospitals I worked in lots of different hospital departments as an ad-hoch administrator and receptionist around the South of England

Working in film and theatre I’ve been lucky to get involved with some great and professional film and theatre shows, although not in major capacities. I got to work with Trevor Nunn, Alice Eve, and Joe Fiennes in a theatre show once. That was awesome. I have also been very embarrassed in front of a celebrity, in a related matter.

Professional Librarian, Libraries in general: My major career. I have the degrees and 40+ years in US academic and public libraries. Classification, catalogs, rare books, preservation, reference desks, I’ve done most of it. Also worked in a library software firm for 6 years, writing instruction manuals and doing quality control testing.

Genealogy, genealogical research: I’ve done a fair amount of work in this area, working my own families back in some cases all the way to the Middle Ages. Probably not something that will come up in your writing, but if it does I’m here.

Veterinary practices: Originally started college in vet medicine, worked in a couple of small animal clinics. Have had many pets, not just the usual dogs and cats, but sheep, horses, fish, reptiles, and birds. Lots of exposure, probably a bit dated information.

Theological seminaries, Religious life: Primarily Episcopalian/Anglican US exposure. I have a degree in Religious Studies (world religions, not just Christian) and attended a “high church” seminary (cassocks, gowns, and daily chapel services) for a while.

Classical languages: Undergraduate prize in Classical and Hellenistic Greek, some basic Latin and Sanskrit. Have also studied Anglo-Saxon and Middle English language and literature.

Radio history, Amateur radio: Licensed ham for 30+ years. Morse code, radioteletype, digital and computer controlled operations a specialty.

Theatre organs, Pipe organs and their music: Fan of and amateur player, familiarity with a large repertoire of popular and classical music late 19th through mid-20th centuries.

Community theatre: Acted, directed, costume design and construction, lighting design and operation, helped manage, ran publicity for a small theatre group in Chicago, late 1970s era, about four years. Back stage unseen stuff about lighting, props, scenery, costumes and interpersonal issues and how you do actual theatre on a shoestring budget. (Was fun, might do again some time.)

pricks up ears I may have questions for you at some point! Probably along the lines of ‘got any photos?’ :slight_smile:

Sure, I’d be happy to share photos! If/when you come in need of references just PM or email me.

Oh gosh. The FWG could use this by the bushel! @_@

Mostly what I’d really like to know about from this would be the central principals, and then the species/genus specific idiosyncracies that would affect their veterinary care.