Ten Top Tips for Researching
Ten useful tips for writing research
By Allison Symes, Core Contributor
ISSN: 2977358x(online)
I write fiction and non-fiction. Research comes into so much of what I do and, over time, I’ve picked up a few tips to make the most of my research time. I hope you find the following thoughts useful.
Always research from more than one source to be sure your information is valid. If you can vary the format too, even better. As well as written records, there are audio and film ones etc. Check what you’re using is the latest information possible unless you specifically need to go back in time and research who knew what and when.
Keep a record of your sources as you research. It will save you so much time later on and a publisher will need to know where you researched. You will also need to know so you can make sure if you do need to seek permission to use any of your research directly in your work, you know where and whom to ask. Never use anything without permission. If in doubt as to whether you need permission, it is best to assume you do. Bear in mind, there may well be fees involved here but copyright infringement never looks good and can be costly.
Give yourself plenty of time to carry out your research. You will have your research to hand for when you write your drafts. Time spent here on researching can save you time on writing and editing later.
Beware the rabbit holes of research! Everyone falls down them from time to time because they’re fun to explore. It is so easy to be sidetracked into following interesting lines of enquiry but ask yourself are these relevant to your story, book, or article?
It pays to write down somewhere what you know you need to know before you research. It can help you focus. It also gives you a place to start.
Inevitably, those interesting lines of enquiry could possibly be useful to you later on. Make a note of them and move on with what you need for this piece of work.
When researching history, especially, bear in mind the old saying history is written by the winners. Make sure you research from the winning “side” and the losing one. Your research should be balanced. Both sides can offer up interesting perspectives but you do need the two.
Make good use of your local libraries and remember the museums and galleries can often have interesting archives of their own. For example, the railway museums do have their own records so if you are researching transport possibilities, it would be worth you checking these out too. The social history museums can shed a lot of light on many aspects of life so bear these in mind too.
Keep good notes. Back them up. Remember you can use audio notes too. If you just use written notes, type them up as soon as you can while the ideas are fresh in your mind.
Museums and galleries produce great guide books. These can be a fantastic place to start researching further, you take home a souvenir, and you support the places you visit by buying these. Everyone wins.
So, which research tips have you found the most useful? Have you discovered areas in which to research that may not be “obvious” places to look? Do share via the comments.
Author Bio
Allison Symes, who loves reading and writing quirky fiction, is published by Chapeltown Books, CafeLit, and Bridge House Publishing. Her flash fiction collections, Tripping The Flash Fantastic and From Light to Dark and Back Again are out in Kindle and paperback. She has been a winner of the Waterloo Arts Festival writing competition three years in a row where the brief was to write to a set theme to a 1000 words maximum.
Website: https://allisonsymescollectedworks.com/
Books: http://author.to/AllisonSymesAuthorCent.
Her Youtube channel, with book trailers and story videos, is at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPCiePD4p_vWp4bz2d80SJA/
With her non-fiction hat on, Allison blogs for online magazine, Chandler’s Ford Today, often on topics of interest to writers. Her weekly column can be found at http://chandlersfordtoday.co.uk/author/allison-symes/
Allison also blogs for Authors Electric and More Than Writers, the blog spot for the Association of Christian Writers.
All good points, Alison. I would add to those, don't forget to talk to people! Do you know someone who works or has worked in the area you're interested in? (I get a lot of people asking about crime scene examination). Or perhaps a relative lived in a place or time that fits in with your book?
Of course, personal recollections need cross checking as well - memory isn't always reliable - but first hand accounts can be invaluable, and true stories add depth and interest.
Great advice, Allison. I would definitely go about research differently now having fallen through a few rabbit holes!