Writing: The Why's, How's and Where's of Research
By Lisa Hood
When I decided to write a murder mystery; with my main characters as
the investigators, I had a few problems to overcome: 1) I have never been murdered I'm sure, as a writer, you have heard the cliché, "Write
what you know". So herein lays my dilemma. Obviously not all
murder mysteries have been written by authors with first hand
knowledge. Of course we know there are cops (John Douglas), robbers
(Donald Goines), lawyers (John Grisham) and medical examiners
(Patricia Cornwell) who use their personal experiences to create
factual fiction. The rest of use though, must rely on thorough
research. Why Conduct Research? After all, it is fiction, right? Well yes and no. If you are writing
Fantasy or Sci Fi, you have a bit more latitude, but even so,
research could prove beneficial. For example, you may discover a new
invention or scientific theory which you can build upon. You may
learn of a certain insect or animal with ritualistic behavior that
you can incorporate into one of your creatures. For the rest of us though, research is non negotiable. If you have
based any part of your story in the "real world" in a real
place, developed characters with real personality traits or real
occupations, then someone, somewhere will know the facts. They will
recognize your ignorance in a heartbeat and likely lose respect for
you as an author. For me, there is nothing better than losing myself in a good book, so
when I run across a blatant error or oversight, it snaps me back into
the real world. Then I forget about the story itself and start
critiquing all that came before or will come after. Not only will your research build your audience's confidence, it
will build your own. As you learn more, you can apply that knowledge.
You may learn that something doesn't work the way you thought it
did. You're surprised. Suppose your character stumbles upon this
bit of information too? Now they can be surprised. Or maybe they can
be the expert, who explains away the misconception to your audience.
It could be something small, or something so significant it changes
the course of your story. Research allows you to make informed decisions. I've also found
it helps me get past writing blocks or awkward transitions. I've
included: crime statistics, historical references and details on
personality traits (one of my characters suffers from depression so
I've added a lot of information on mental health and treatments). A Research Strategy Once you've decided to conduct research for your story, you may
be overwhelmed. The first thing you need to do is define your goal.
Research is merely the act of searching for an answer. So what is
your question? It's critical they are specific as possible. You
can waste many hours surfing through endless web pages or reading
articles and books, getting sidetracked and frustrated. It may help
if you determine why you need this information and what you plan to
do with it. Next, you can determine what types of information will answer your
question. For example, let's say your question is: "How do
guns work?" this may not be specific enough depending on why you
need this information and what you plan to do with it. With a
specific question you know the type of information needed to answer
your question. Sure you can delve into the history of gun making,
waste a few hours or days, or you can use a web site like
http://howstuffworks.com and find your answer in a minute. We're spoiled today with so much information at our fingertips;
sometimes we overlook the best resources for information, a public
library. If you just want general information, you may want to look
it up in an encyclopedia: more detailed information, such as
statistics may be found in trade magazines, almanacs, or reports. Sometimes the best resource is the Source itself. I think people like
talking about themselves; what they do, their life experiences. Have
you ever sat down with an older person and heard all their tales of
the good old days? Sometimes it seems like they could talk forever if
they had an audience. Be that audience. Ask questions. People can
surprise you with their wealth of knowledge and experience. Garbage in – Garbage Out Not all information is good information. You may have done your part,
decided to conduct research, asked specific questions and found the
answer. Or so you think. Before you accept that information as fact,
you need to consider the source. - Is it Reliable? For example, did the information come for a non
partial source? Are they trying to influence your thinking with
propaganda, rather than non biased fact? Are they trying to sell you
something? Keep in mind, any data can be skewed if the source has an
agenda. - Is it Qualified? Does the author of the information have
credentials? Are they stating fact or opinion? It's ok if the
source is stating an opinion, as long as they are identified and
informed opinions, which may or may not be supported by data. - Is it Relevant? How old is it? Life changes fast, and facts even
faster. What was 100% true five years ago may be 100% untrue today.
Has the data been taken out of context? You can give your audience much more than just an entertaining story.
You can give them knowledge. If you do thorough research and make
informed decisions in your writing, you will develop trust and
respect with your audience. Don't forget, research is a SEARCH.
It is not always easy to find the information you're looking for,
you may have to try several sources before you find your answer.
Consider it a treasure hunt, with nuggets of knowledge more valuable
then gold.
Lisa Hood is the author of "Shades of Betrayal" and "Shades of
Revenge". She has been writing for over 10 years and is presently
working on her third suspense novel, "Shades of Jealousy."She
is also the Talent Liaison @ BOOKJOBBER.com. Other articles by Lisa
Hood can be downloaded from http://www.bookjobber.com/articles.asp or
mailto:lisa_j@b...
2) I have never committed a murder
3) I have never investigated a murder
4) I have never known anyone who has been murdered, committed a
murder nor investigated a murder