Research: A Quick Guide for Fiction Writers

Last time, I noted that I haven’t offered much in this blog about research, which is a vital part of most fiction. It inspires incidents, sets up surprises, and adds to authenticity. I’ll dig in a bit on research without turning this into a course in library science.

Note: I’m talking about research for fiction here. There are no quick guides for nonfiction research.

My first step in research is always to write down everything I "know" about the subject. This can be a lot or a little, and sometimes bits of it are inaccurate. This serves two purposes.

First, it often reminds me of interesting facts that could be useful in the story. Once I have my notes, I usually go through them right away, highlighting those sections that thrill me. (Often, my imagination will kick in and I'll end up free associating or speculating.

Second, I get a good sense of the holes in my knowledge. Both areas that are totally unexplored or unknown and items about which I only have superficial knowledge.

I respond to what's missing and what I'm curious about with questions. Usually, these come bubbling out of me without much effort. But even if I’ve filled pages with questions that I'm eager to trace down for answers, I step back for what I call a "360 view." (This is actually inaccurate, since I don't just look around, I also look up and down.) For something like exploring a real city, I have "go to" questions such as finding out about the weather or what the biggest industries are or the distinctive neighborhoods (especially ethnic sectors). People are shaped by the land, the politics, the history, the work they do, the hierarchy, and the places they come together.

A specific story may need detailed information about some elements and have very little to do with others. Not all questions are equal.The important thing is to focus on questions that can lead to other questions and might provide surprises.

Once upon a time, I'd take my questions into a library and get lost. Now I tend to search on the Web and get lost there. I usually set a timer. Sometimes, it stops the research (especially if I've strayed too far from material related to the project). Sometimes, the timer gets reset because I’ve found a rich store of information.

Anything that's worth noting is worth saving what the source is. This allows me to go back and check for something I might've missed.

Even though this work is for fiction, I'm careful about confirming what pops up. Urban legends are pervasive and can lead to trouble in two ways. First, because they often include a seed of bigotry or malice. Second, because they are likely to be widely known, reducing the impact for readers and audiences. Overall, I don't want to mislead people, even if it's good storytelling. So, in addition to checking what I've learned, I'll check what I "know." It is not unusual for me to have accepted false ideas that are common knowledge or to have attached an idea to the wrong subject.

It is the evocative and little-known facts that enliven a story. If they can be woven in (and not force fit), they can provide delightful surprises. Connections between ideas and facts, especially between people, can it provide even deeper value to storytelling.

I think we’re all curious about relationships and how both power and support are expressed in communities. These are subtle and require time and thought to uncover, but they often provide insights into our own lives. That makes research into relationships invaluable to bringing more to a story than emotional experiences. (Though, I always try to provide rich emotional experiences with stories. Bradbury said that was why people read fiction to begin with.)

Occasionally, the research will offer up themes or suggest problems (like drug addiction) that can be investigated in a variety of ways. These often point to incidents that might be included, ideas that people will expect to see in a story, and, perhaps, ways to structure stories.

Now, I have seen people become too enamored with what they discover in research. It's good to remember that this isn't an essay or a polemic (or shouldn't be). Most research, no matter how engaging, probably shouldn't be included in the story. The same thing goes for falling in love with a theme or a structure too early for most writers. I do know some who avoid the pitfalls and are able to make including what they've learned feel organic to the story, but usually the result is something that slows story pacing to a crawl or draws attention to itself.

Overall, it's great if research is playful and fun, but not at the sacrifice of failing to go deeply enough into the important subject areas. And, fundamentally, what's included from research must serve the story. In my case, this means cutting out a lot of stuff I think is cool in later drafts. Usually, the stories are better for this, and the research, no matter how carefully kept for later, is forgotten. But sometimes, the stuff that gets cut out is so compelling, my imagination holds onto it, embroiders it, and presents it back to me as a new story. And that’s a delight.