R is for Research
I have loved research since grade school. One of my favourite assignments in elementary and high school involved researching and writing an essay. I enjoyed the facts I could find and the opportunity to learn more about various subjects.
As a writer, research is important whether we are writing fiction or non fiction. A website called Lumen Learning posted this on their webpage to answer the question, what is research in writing?
“Research is the physical process of gathering information and the mental process of deriving the answer to your question from the information you gathered”
In fiction this can be about your characters’ behaviour or idiosyncrasies. It can involve researching cultural and social context and historical details. Making sure you find the answers to questions about your characters, your settings, and your historical accuracy can help give you confidence in your material.
When I was writing A Mother for Anna, which is set in 1903, I used the term “milk mustache”. One of my early readers asked me if that was a term commonly used during that time frame. I assumed it must have been, but further research showed me the term didn’t get coined until in the 1920’s. A little detail but by changing it my novel became more accurate.
Where can you find materials?
1. Start with what you already know. This might be snippets of family stories, photos of people, clothing, housing, or any other details. For my Prairie Hope series, I had those little nuggets of family history that left me asking what else might have happened? I had old photos to show the clothing of various time periods and also some old family documents.
2. Access material from a variety of sources.
a. Archives/ records/ maps
b. Newspapers
c. Encyclopedic knowledge – google for valuable insights into various time frames
d. Libraries
e. Travel to places to get ideas of the scenery, distances, etc.
f. Opinions – whether stories of people who lived through an era or opinion pieces from papers.
3. Organize material. What links together? What is non essential for your writing?
4. Use the materials to lay basis for plausible story lines.. Ask yourself the question about whether this could have happened by having factual accuracy. The little village of Hepburn in my Prairie Hope series didn’t get a store until 1912. Where did the homesteaders have to travel to get supplies? If I would have had them go to the little village it wouldn’t have been accurate and anyone reading it from the area would have realized that. If the railroad didn’t go to Hepburn in 1899, where did the settlers disembark and how did they get to their homesteads? Contemporary novels are easier to know details or travel to find out what things are like than needing to rely on historical maps and documents for historical pieces.
Enjoy this part of the writing journey as you delve into the research to help make your writing the most accurate it can be. What sources have you used to help you learn more about a character, place, or era?
A most informative post, Carol, and one I enjoyed reading very much. I like reading historical fiction, and I don't know how many times I've gone to double-check if someone had included the right details for the era. I'm happy to report that quite often the author has been correct. I enjoy doing my own research. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThank you, dear Carol, for this treasure trove of research tips.
ReplyDeleteThis quote you shared is important for writers as well as for those who study faith and the Bible.
"...deriving the answer to your question from the information you gathered.”
I'm so thankful God gave us so much information in His Word.
Blessings.
I found it interesting that "milk mustache" wasn't in use until the 1920s. Who knew?! It really bugs me when I watch a movie (or read a book) and they get some of those seemingly small and insignificant details wrong. Research is important! Thanks for this post!
ReplyDeleteVery helpful post, Carole. I loved the part about the "milk mustache" and how you edited your writing.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Carol. Thanks for all the information on where to find facts. There is such a huge amount of information out there and it’s good to know where to get the right information. The research road needs more attention in this day and age. Love your post.
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