Research Like a Pro
Sometimes, while I’m researching for a novel, I worry that my internet search activity is going to get me flagged as a potential terrorist. I can easily picture federal agents showing up at my door with a list of the questions I’ve been typing into Google: How do car bombs work? Do pilots go through airport security? What sort of guns do snipers use? Defense attorney process?
“It’s for a book, I swear!” I’ll insist as they hustle me into their sleek SUVs to drive me to some off-the-grid bunker for questioning.
The truth is, if writers are going to write outside of their own experience (which most do eventually), they are going to end up researching some extremely specific topics and questions. Sometimes, all that is needed is a single detail to add a splash of realism to a scene (like the type of gun a sniper would be using); other times, the writer needs to acquire an extensive base of knowledge that will be used throughout the book for a certain character or setting.
You’ll know some of your research requirements from the outset. If you are writing a book about a marine biologist and don’t know the first thing about marines OR biologists, well then obviously you’ve got some work to do. However, you’ll find that other questions just pop up as you go along, questions you never even dreamed of asking, and yet you find yourself tapping them into Google one day because you realize you absolutely must know the answers in order to write the book you want.
What are the most expensive brands of sneakers for women?
Do high school students study Hamlet in New York?
What does internal bleeding feel like?
Fortunately, we live in a day and age where many of these answers are available at the click of a mouse. However, it’s important to remember that available information doesn’t always equate to accurate information.
For those who are new to the research side of novel writing, here are a few tips and tricks to help you find the best information possible.
Talk to Real People
There is no substitute for talking to actual people who have hands-on knowledge and experience in whatever “thing” you’re researching. It may take a bit of legwork to actually get someone on the phone, but my experience so far is that people are generally open to sharing about their areas of expertise.
Just last week, I phoned a prison in New York to ask about the visiting room. I got transferred three times and ended up speaking with a woman in the superintendent’s office. She was very nice and answered all of my questions. It was an eye-opening moment for me. Like, huh. I live in Canada, but I can pick up the phone and call a prison in New York…and someone will answer me! Within seconds! What a world we get to live in!
Don’t be afraid to use your connections, also. If you need to talk to a chef and don’t particularly feel like walking into a restaurant and flat out asking to speak with one, you could always start by asking your friends and family if they know anyone in the food industry. I’m constantly floored by the interesting jobs and hobbies that people have around me. You may be one connection away from speaking to the perfect person for your project. Plus, it can help if there is already a relationship in place to bridge the gap. “I’m a friend of Laura’s” or “I’m John’s nephew” might get you a conversation with someone who would have been too busy to talk to a total stranger.
Last thought: Depending on the genre(s) you write, I highly recommend finding a medical professional who doesn’t mind answering questions as they come up. I have an old friend going through medical school, and she gets random messages from me every once in a while: Hey, could a broken rib puncture someone’s lung? Hey, do bone fragments from a gunshot wound in the shoulder need to be surgically removed? Hey, what sort of medication would someone be prescribed for tonic-clonic seizures? Injuries and sickness happen a lot in literature; having a real life doctor around to answer your questions can be a big help if you want to write those bits with accuracy.
2. Experience It for Yourself
Of course, it’s not always possible—or advisable—to experience firsthand the situations our characters find themselves in. The protagonist in my first book gets shot in the back by an assassin’s arrow; I’m not exactly chomping at the bit to try that out for myself. Nor am I rushing to reenact the time he gets hunted by wolves in the woods or chained up in an underground prison. We have our imaginations for a reason; some scenarios are better to be envisioned, written down, and left alone.
However, when possible—and as much as finances allow—try to step into the world of your story by stepping into the real-world equivalent. If your character is an accomplished pianist, take a few lessons. If your character loves the wilderness, find a friend and rope them into going camping with you. Likewise, think about the setting. If your murder mystery takes place at a ski lodge, it’s probably a good idea to find a ski lodge and go stay for a night. If the climax of your thriller takes place on a subway platform, go and stand on one for a bit (take a friend if you need a safety buddy—maybe the same one you dragged out camping). Listen to the sounds, breathe in the smells, notice the visual details. The more you take in, the more you will be able to spin an authentic story on the page.
I would be remiss not to note how awesome Google Earth can be for fiction writers. Let’s say your story takes place in New York, but you absolutely cannot afford a plane ticket. Google Earth, baby. I highly recommend using the street view to give you ideas for what sort of specific details to include. I have chosen a handful of locations in my books by using the wonderful world of Google Earth.
That being said, if you CAN afford the plane ticket to New York, that’s even better. You will experience things that you just can’t absorb through a computer screen. I remember the one time I did go to New York in person, my family and I were leaving a concert at Madison Square Garden. I’ll never forget the sudden change in setting as we crossed a street. It was like flicking off a light switch. All of the comforting noise, lights, and bustle that had been around the arena was suddenly gone. We found ourselves on a dark, lonely street with homeless people sleeping along the edge. I had never really considered how close wealth and poverty could exist—in this case, literally separated by a street. The scene moved me so much that I included it in a book years later. It was something I never would have imagined on my own; I had to witness it myself.
3. Read—but Carefully
There is some great information to be found on the ol’ World Wide Web; there is also some incredibly biased and inaccurate information. When perusing the internet for research, your Spidey sense needs to be on at all times.
Here are a few tips to help you out:
Cross-reference your information as much as possible, even if you think you’ve found it on a trustworthy site.
Look for journals or university publications (.edu indicates that the site belongs to a university).
Check authors and dates whenever possible. This can help give you an idea of the relevance and accuracy of the information.
Don’t accept blogs as the gospel truth. (I tell you as you’re reading my blog… This is confusing, now that I think about it. But I hope that you never take what I say as the gospel truth either.) Always use blogs to springboard you onwards to other sources.
Don’t take AI at its word. It’s not perfect. Like blogs, it should be used to springboard you on to other sources.
Lastly, I HIGHLY recommend finding some actual books about your topic. Track some down on Amazon, or make a librarian’s day by asking them to help you find some relevant titles. The book I read to help me prepare for my latest WIP gave me a much richer understanding of one of my central characters and huge confidence boost when it came time to write his story.
Research is a serious business, but at the end of the day, it should be fun too. Stay curious. Stay humble. Enjoy the privilege of glimpsing the world through different lenses that you might never have put on outside of your writing.