Research, research, research.

I know Cat has a bee in her bonnet about research and how some writers seem to think they don't need to research certain things.
You do. I don't care who you are, you need to research. Even with all the research people sometimes get it wrong... but not wrong over and over again. Not so wrong that the book is total crap. Because if a writer did, I'd like to think it wouldn't pass muster... no publisher would touch it, and if by chance one did... then the editor would hurl it back at the writer and ask for a re-write.

Let me tell you, if you have not ever been pregnant - then you need to research!! You need to talk to an ObGyn and a few midwives  before writing a scene where a woman who is less than 4 weeks pregnant has a scan and the doctor declares the fetus is perfectly healthy.
[So many things wrong with that scene - my head nearly exploded when I read it.]

If you are a male writing a female main character at least spend sometime getting to know how women think.
Don't assume - we over think, are touchy feely, have to hug everyone who cries, or are weaker in anyway.
Trust me when I say, I can kick your ass and I won't think twice about it.
Also - shit is funny. Okay, it's the way it is... shit happens you choose your response. I choose to find the redeeming amusement factor every time.

  Give consideration to things like the weight of an assault rifle to someone who has never held or fired one before... they're not fucn light, if you don't know how to hold the rifle when firing you are going to be shooting all over the place, [dangerous and stupid] and you could hurt yourself [so now you're a liability, dumbass].
Not many people can pick up a rifle [or handgun] and hit the target first off. Especially when that target is moving. You need to take into account the size and weight of the weapon and the person using it.

And - for fucks sake, THINK things through.

How many 'old' men who can take a hit from a sniper in the leg and still run and then have a sniper hit the guys shoulder and the old man still be running? [On the flip side, I don't know any snipers who would've fucked the shot up that badly.]
Luckily the 'old man' didn't require any immediate medical attention.
WTF?
And better still was firing back. At what? Who knows... he sure couldn't see this 'sniper', so he was doing two things: drawing attention to their position and wasting ammo.
At this point I'd like to say: fucktard.

Also - if it's winter, and for whatever reason you are not dressed for winter [during some kind of apocalypse] go steal some survival gear from the nearest camping store.You need to be able to function and you can't do that without warm clothing and decent boots.
The basics: water, clothing, shelter, food.
Boots - yeah, that's right. You're going to be moving, on your feet for long periods, walking through God knows what. You need boots and thick socks. (And extra dry socks.)
While you're at it, get a good first-aid kit and learn how to use it.
Grow a fucking brain.

I might be done ranting. Until I remember something else that annoyed us.

What's really bugging me is I can't recall the name of the main character - yeah, I know, but she was a total non-event.




PS:
In case you're interested in what we carry in our car when we're on a job: A comprehensive first aid kit, a backpack containing warm clothes, boots, toiletries, cash, water, ration packs, a spare weapon and ammunition, Sat-phone.
Stuff get's added as we need it. But that's the basic grab-bag. We each have one.
We're lucky that we have a fully qualified doctor within Delta and an ex-army medic. But, we are all capable of administering effect first-aid.