Hatrack River Writers Workshop: Contacting Federal Agencies

This is topic Contacting Federal Agencies in forum Open Discussions About Writing at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.

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Posted by Rhaythe (Member # 7857) on :

Hey, all. Been a while since I've checked in here, but had something on my mind that I wanted to put to this crowd.

Has anyone taken the step to contact government agencies concerning the accuracy of material in their works? For example, my current WIP concerns the FBI Chicago office, and I'm trying to figure out where I need to draw the line between fact and fiction. Obviously I could make up whatever I need to concerning what happens within those four walls at 2111 W. Roosevelt, but I'm a fan of accuracy in novels, and I hate having to "fudge"... especially if I think about the employee that theoretically could one day read my story and roll his or her eyes at what I've written.

Anyway, my question is how far have you gone in terms of verifying your material with official agencies. I work for the Coast Guard, but even still I'm hesitant to go calling up the FBI and telling them, "Hey, I'm trying to write a novel. Could you answer a couple questions?". Makes you wonder how many people have tried that kind of cliché tactic. My guess would be if someone tried that and was not on the FBI's radar, he certainly WOULD be afterwards.

Any thoughts on the matter?

EDIT: correcting my poor grammar

[This message has been edited by Rhaythe (edited August 07, 2009).]

Posted by aspirit (Member # 7974) on :

Another problem with calling any government agency is if they've never heard of you, they'll consider your questions a waste of time.

In my experience, it's better to call someone you know and ask them to refer someone, who can refer someone, and so on until you reach the type of person you wanted from the beginning.

I've sent you an email. Maybe I can help, if no one here has a closer connection.

Posted by rich (Member # 8140) on :

My experience has been favorable when trying to ask questions of local law enforcement, or even the White House. (I called the White House, and took up a lot of the volunteer's time asking inane questions like, "Don't you get paid for this?", and "Are you tracing this call?" Seriously. The guy I spoke with was very nice and polite, and answered all my questions.)

I haven't tried to call the FBI, but I assume they have email at the local office. Give it a shot. Tell 'em you're a writer, ask your questions, and go from there. You may even be able to get to do a visit. Or, hell, just ask them for a visit, a looksee into their day to day activities, or whatever specifically you need from them.

Posted by extrinsic (Member # 8019) on :

I operate on the principle that it never hurts to ask. Begging foregiveness for harm done by egregious factual errors might and has hurt. I've gained some valuable information just by asking persons who like to share their expertise and knowledge.

In these post 9/11 times, I've contacted entities for information and been politely told no for security reasons. Some entities I've contacted through a public relations department and was informed of the limits of what can be shared, what's available that's common domain, and what's available that's proprietary.

I've been indirectly involved in one or two Freedom of Information Act inquiries. Just having the FOIA moniker on it puts some backs up, but information that's requested and not protected must be provided. They're the ones who make the initial determination if it's protected. Easiest to just say no. Then it's time for court if the need is compelling.

HIPPA and other recent privacy legislation has blocked a fair portion of otherwise public records. HIPPA generally deals with private medical records, but even the parts that wind up in the public record are protected by HIPPA.

My experiences with Federal agency inquiries involving personal interests for story purposes were all referred to public relations for vetting, better access for favorable reporting, more resistance for unfavorable reporting, if not outright refusal. Some insisted upon contractual obligations before sharing information. Wasn't worth the hassle to me.

[This message has been edited by extrinsic (edited August 07, 2009).]

Posted by Crank (Member # 7354) on :

I've not yet attempted to contact the United States government with any of my questions, but I have spent email and phone time with the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration and the German Embassy in Washington DC. in preparation for my YA novel.

For one of my upcoming mainstream novels, I've got plenty of police procedure questions to ask, so I plan to schedule a ride-along with our local police department.

S!
S!

Posted by Rhaythe (Member # 7857) on :

Interesting thoughts. Thanks for your time, and aspirit, I pinged your inbox back.

I do have a couple local contacts I can try to trace, see how high it goes. These things take time, and it never hurts to ask the internet (so long as you don't listen to 100% of what the internet says).

@extrinsic - how much of your WIPs have been influenced by information gleaned from your inquiries? how much of it has been fudged? Just out of curiosity. I'm always interested to know how people balance fact and fiction.

@rich - that's encouraging.

Posted by Teraen (Member # 8612) on :

Try asking for public relations or media department. Its their job to answer stuff like that... albeit from news organizations mostly, but its still a good shot. I think most federal agencies are interested in putting accurate information out there, I think back to the military letting actors go through boot camp and having advisors on scene during filming shoots so that they end up looking better to the public...

Posted by extrinsic (Member # 8019) on :

My Federal agency inquiries to date have been for nonfiction purposes, excepting one to a tribal nation not part of Federal jurisdiction. They flatly refused my inquiry citing sacred knowledge was not shared with outsiders. I found a way around the refusal by finding what I was looking for elsewhere.

I don't like to fudge. I've had critiquers erroneously indict my work for factual errors that I'd exhaustively researched. The aroma threshold of hydrazine versus its lethal level, for one. There's a narrow limit between smelling it and dying from exposure. Another critiquer flat out yelled at me for characterizing live oaks as an evergreen tree species, which they are.

No, I don't like to fudge. What I'd rather do is compose a fictional story to authentically, plausibly fit its premises, if not accurately, without getting bogged down in factual accuracy. Nonfiction and fantasy stories are other matters.

[This message has been edited by extrinsic (edited August 10, 2009).]