Researching is important to all types of authors. It doesn't matter whether you write how-to books, nonfiction, or fiction. Best-selling novelist John Grisham is a great example of a fiction writer who does his due diligence. Mr. Grisham travels all around the world learning about the cultures of the people and settings that go into his works. B
ecause of his research, Mr. Grisham is able to accurately detail every bit of his stories. The amount of research you gather for your book is entirely up to you. Some writers like to research as they go, others like to stockpile mountains of data and keep only the best materials. Do what makes you feel most comfortable.
Here are some tips that might help you conduct your research:
1. Treat it like a job. The adage is that writing is 10 percent inspiration and 90 percent perspiration. No matter how interesting your topic is there will be days you just don't feel like researching. Do it any ways. The quicker you get your research together, the quicker you get to write your masterpiece.
2. Know what you need. It's good to have some idea of the structure of your book before you start researching. If you simply write out the chapters you need to gather information for, you can go to your research center and collect only the materials you need. Authors who just go to a library and start pulling down books will waste a lot of time on material that will never make it into their books.
3. Get organized; stay organized. When you collect materials, be sure that you know exactly where everything should be stored. A lot of authors lose valuable information when they misplace notes and research materials. Your work will go much faster if you organize your research to correlate with your writing.
4. Collect quotes and artifacts. One great way to help your research along is by breaking up your bookwork with interviews. Spending hour after hour, day after day doing nothing but digging through books or microfiche can get pretty monotonous. Consider any necessary interviews a part of your research.
Transcribe your quotes and add them to your research findings to get a sense for just how much information you've gathered.
5. Your book is only as great as what gets cut. One of the hardest parts of being a writer is leaving out information. However, great books are filled with great information. Your best material will be watered down by everything that is not at the same standard. Don't make the mistake of attempting to jam everything you know into your book. Be diligent in your research. When you are forced to cut good information from your book, you will know that you are on the road to creating a great book.
ecause of his research, Mr. Grisham is able to accurately detail every bit of his stories. The amount of research you gather for your book is entirely up to you. Some writers like to research as they go, others like to stockpile mountains of data and keep only the best materials. Do what makes you feel most comfortable.Here are some tips that might help you conduct your research:
1. Treat it like a job. The adage is that writing is 10 percent inspiration and 90 percent perspiration. No matter how interesting your topic is there will be days you just don't feel like researching. Do it any ways. The quicker you get your research together, the quicker you get to write your masterpiece.
2. Know what you need. It's good to have some idea of the structure of your book before you start researching. If you simply write out the chapters you need to gather information for, you can go to your research center and collect only the materials you need. Authors who just go to a library and start pulling down books will waste a lot of time on material that will never make it into their books.
3. Get organized; stay organized. When you collect materials, be sure that you know exactly where everything should be stored. A lot of authors lose valuable information when they misplace notes and research materials. Your work will go much faster if you organize your research to correlate with your writing.
4. Collect quotes and artifacts. One great way to help your research along is by breaking up your bookwork with interviews. Spending hour after hour, day after day doing nothing but digging through books or microfiche can get pretty monotonous. Consider any necessary interviews a part of your research.
Transcribe your quotes and add them to your research findings to get a sense for just how much information you've gathered.5. Your book is only as great as what gets cut. One of the hardest parts of being a writer is leaving out information. However, great books are filled with great information. Your best material will be watered down by everything that is not at the same standard. Don't make the mistake of attempting to jam everything you know into your book. Be diligent in your research. When you are forced to cut good information from your book, you will know that you are on the road to creating a great book.
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