This is the third installment in the “HOW I WRITE” series I’m participating in every Wednesday with several writers, where we all discuss how we approach writing a book. Every writer has a different process and this project gives us a chance to share and compare ours. Click on the “How I Write” image to find a list of the participating writers and links to their blogs.
Last week we talked about Characters, Plot and World Building. This week’s topic is Research.
Whether you’re writing fiction or non-fiction, chances are you’re going to need to do some kind of research for each book. It could be something as complex as an organ transplant procedure for your medical romance book or as simple as the latest bands that the teens in your YA book would be listening to.
And research isn’t as always as straight-forward as one might think. You may know you need to research the things you don’t know, but what happens when you don’t know what you think you do know? Prime example: I’ve seen it mentioned that “humans only use 10% of their brains” so many times in movies and books, I believed it had to be true. So did countless of writers that used that statement as a scientific “fact”, it seems. Not having any clue that it might be a myth, they didn’t think there was a need to validate it. And there you have why research intimidates me a bit – just when do you know that you’ve researched enough? (I don’t have a good answer to tell you the truth, as I’m still trying to figure that out myself.)
Some may say this is a good reason for the advice given that authors only write about what they know. But I’d find that pretty boring, personally. One of the most exciting aspects of writing is the chance to explore people, places and predicaments that I’m not necessarily intimately familiar with. What I don’t know for certain I look it up in encyclopedias and online academic articles or ask real-life experts.
I imagine historical fiction requiring the most extensive research in order to get language, clothing, science/medicine, transportation, culture and even thought processes right. Which is why I only plan to write it when I have the time to devote the kind of effort to research needed. In the meantime, I like to write fantasy, science fiction and paranormal because there’s somewhat more freedom to make up my own history, cultures and rules to a certain extent, and I can easily look up any specific fact.
Write what you know? Sure, but I say also write what you want to know, and do some research to fill in the gaps. Every story is an opportunity to learn – and share - something new.
Don’t forget to visit other participating blogs to see how other writers handle research. Come back for next week’s topic: Starting a New Book.
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Next Comments →
I also love the idea of writing what you want to know. I write to learn what's going to happen in this new world that has invaded my brain.
*smiles* Me too, Kay! The exploration of a new world – even if it is one from your own imagination – and discovering what is going to happen IS learning something new, indeed.
See my post if you want a prime example of writing about what we think we know and doing some research and realizing you had it all wrong!
I love learning and exploring new things but if you're going to be a writer (and not a perpetual explorer) you have to know when to set the research aside and write. I do initial research for about 2 weeks and then write the first draft and make notes of stuff I want to verify during revisions. I think it's very easy to get sucked into research… it's sooo much fun!
I just looked at your post a bit ago – perfect!
I agree that it's easy to get sucked into research, both because it's fun to learn new things and because it's easy to second guess every assumption you make. But it is important to know when to set the research aside and just write. Gail made some great points on her post how to know when you're done research: when it starts cutting into your writing time.
I love the idea of writing what you want to know as well as what you know. It can be daunting, but oh-so-interesting to learn new things!
I agree, Kris!
I've always hated that "10% of the brain" myth. The human body doesn't work that way. I mean, really–think about it. If you stop exercising, you lose muscle mass and stamina. Why? Because maintaining that level of fitness requires energy–calories. If you don't need it (evidence: you're not USING it), it's a waste of effort (calories) in a world where, historically, food was in chronically short supply. Why would we have a brain 90% of which is useless?
I'd heard that myth so often and for so long I honestly thought it was true, and didn't readily question it. I felt so duped when I learned the truth!
Hi – I'm with you. Some aspect of fantasy or the unrealistic creeps into my writing. Writing a straight cont. fiction isn't that appealing to me. And research makes it fun and sparks ideas!
The one way I could see myself being excited about writing a contemporary that is exciting to me, would be to add something extraordinary – like character talents, unique gifts or fantastic events that occur – or to focus on something somewhat foreign to me, like an unusual setting or occupations that I've never held but am curious about.
I really like your take on this. I think you are absolutely right. I think I write what I want to figure out and when I have just wrote what I knew in the past. I have bored people and myself!
Well put!
Thanks Tina!
The internet is awesome for most of my research. I read so much about so many different things that I am always fact checking to make sure I haven't mixed up topics. It is very easy for me to do so I am constantly checking and rechecking my facts.
{ 107 trackbacks }