I want to start out this blog post with the premise that research can be fun! (Trust me for a minute here!)
You just have to make like Sherlock Holmes and repeat over and over to yourself, “Elementary, my dear Watson!”
Just kidding. š
Please don’t tell me that I am the only one out there that absolutely loves research for my novels, stories and short stories. My family laughs at me when I am researching because I have so many eureka moments! š Enthusiasm is definitely key to enjoying the research when you would rather be writing. But if you like what you are writing about, the research can be nearly as fun as the actual writing!
So, what exactly is research? And how do you go about it?Ā Researching, unless you are writing a complete fantasy story with its own rules and everything, is the process that an author goes through to make sure the facts of his or her story are accurate and correct. It’s basically answering your own questions to write a better and more believable story. A great way to research is to remember and answer the five questions as you go along.
- How?
- When?
- Where?
- Why?
- What?
And keeping a notebook and pencil handy or a blank document close by is always good to. You don’t want to forget all those great details. š I like to include the links to helpful sites when I research too so I can go back and reference them again if need be.
Everyone goes about doing their research a little differently. There is really no right or wrong way as long as you are finding the information that you need. I start research when I have a question about something. (Probably not quite the best way to research!) as I like to immerse myself a little in the story first to find out what I will need to dig into.
If you are interested in reading more about how to research, here is an excellent blog post I came across: How To Do Research For A Novel
So, how about you? Do you have any tips for researching? I’d love to hear them!
Legends and Roses 
I agree: Research CAN be fun. š But usually it’s not the method that makes it fun, but the subject matter. For example, I’ve been reading some books lately for research for a potential writing project… and I’d like the fictional world to resemble Iceland (which I visited for the first time in April) in terms of its geography, geology, and climate. So, on top of experiencing a little bit of Iceland in person, I’ve also read a few books that cover those aspects of Iceland I mentioned. I’ll probably use the Internet to fill in any blanks later on.
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That makes two of us then, Sara! š I guess the key is to write about something you like and then the research will be as fun as the writing. I know that I have found myself becoming so enthralled with researching my topic, I forget to take notes and then write!
And that’s so neat you got to visit Iceland! Nothing like first-hand experience to make your writing come alive š
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Exactly! And if I actually own the books I’m using for research, I often forego note-taking and use sticky-tabs and highlighting instead. I did that with a natural and herbal remedies encyclopedia I referred to during my previous WIP.
I already want to go back to Iceland. There’s still so much to see, do, and experience there. It awoke an adventurous side of me that I never really knew existed. š
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