Researching Like a Pro ©
by Melissa Schroeder

Many people ask me about my research for certain books. I have a degree in English and history, so it comes second nature to me. Lately, though, I have found so many people who are overwhelmed by the prospect of researching something for their writing. Me, I just can't understand it. Mainly because I am a researching fool and love to spend hours on the Internet or in the library looking things up. Yeah, I'm a nerd.

But, for those of you who have held back writing that historical because you don't know what the hell people wore in Regency England, or that action adventure because you don't know the right end of a gun, here are some tips.

First, if you have a lot to learn about the subject, break it down. What are you writing and what do you know about it? When I started writing my first historical, The Accidental Countess, I found myself stymied by what I thought I needed to know. The dress, the manners, the way people spoke...the list goes on and on. In fact, I held off writing it because I felt I didn't know enough to write it. Through some not so gentle prodding by my critique partner, I just decided to write it. What I found out was that I knew a lot more than I had thought. I love historicals and read them on a regular basis. What I realized in writing the first chapter was I had learned a lot of the dress, manners, and speech patterns of Regency England. So, I knew where to start my research. I needed to know certain aspect, the feel of cloth, maybe the laws of Regency England, and a few other things. But once I had my starting point, it wasn't so overwhelming.

Second, once you know what do and don't need to learn, you need to decide where to find the information. Everyone uses the Internet for research, so that is your first and best place to look for research. Make sure you set aside some time for this as it could take days to find out what you need to know. Don't be shy, go to Google and type in what you want to find out about. Guns, explosives, table manners of Victorian England, or trees native to Scotland, just type it in and go. Make sure to visit some authors of the genre you are writing, many of them have links to help you research. Remember to bookmark your favorites for easy access later on. Next, don't discount libraries, museums and the like. It's okay to read about the way a dress looked but what did the fabric feel like? One of my most prized possessions is a book with fabric replicated from 19th century England.

Third, join some groups and gain some contacts. Whatever genre you write, there is a group out there discussing it on the web. Join groups where discussions on the subject can help. Many of the people who answer questions on the loops are experts, ie detectives, historians, etc. Hooking up with someone who knows a lot about your subject can help you can construct a more realistic knowledge of your subject matter.

Last, don't get lost in research. No way, you say? Yes, you will. If you are interested enough to write about the subject, you will get caught up in the information you are hunting. Part of the fun is looking up all sorts of information to be stored away to use later but you can lose valuable writing time if you spend five months researching blood spatters or food in Edwardian England. Enjoy it, have fun, but know in the end, that what you are researching is work, and the result should be a great manuscript. If you find yourself spending more time on your research, setting a schedule might help. Set aside time during the day, or just use one day for research. Now, this is not to say if you reach a point in your work that you need know something, you don't pop onto your favorite site and look it up, but make sure you keep your time looking at a minimum.

Researching is needed in every genre of writing, and good research can mean the difference between selling and not selling a manuscript. So now that you know how to do it, what the hell are you doing here reading my article? Go do some research!

Please be aware that these articles are all Copyrighted to their respective owners, all rights reserved worldwide. Reprint only with permission from Copyright holders.