Creative writing is a passion for many, a fun hobby for others, and overall a great exercise to process thoughts, feelings, and what we find in the world. Writing is not just beneficial to the writer, but the readers the writing impacts. A crucial piece to any good fiction writing is making sure the necessary research has been done. This not only helps the writing to be more immersive, but it often inspires the writer with new, fascinating ideas about their subject.

How do I know what I need to research?

There is tons of information out there with the internet. However, this does not mean you need to write a research paper and become an expert on something utterly random in order to write. You only need to research the necessary pieces to write your story. Start by making a list of all the useful things you could know while writing. Consider the setting, the character’s backgrounds or occupations, any events that take place, and the cultural aspect of the world. Even if it feels like world building information, write it out! From there, look for any common topics or themes that could be connected and easily researched. If it is something you have no personal experience or knowledge in, then it is most likely a topic to look into for more detail.

Where do I find sources?

Research does not have to be a boring, tedious session of you scrunched up at a desk in the corner, pouring over bland textbooks for hours on end. This isn’t schoolwork, so don’t treat it like it is! No one will grade you on it, and you have more freedom in how you find sources.

Google Advanced Search can be a great place to spring board off of, especially when you aren’t sure which direction your research will take you. Remember that people label their articles and works more generally, so it is important to take into account the wording of your searches. If you aren’t finding what you want, try getting more creative about different ways to word and search for what you need.

The local library is another helpful resource—but don’t go there and aimlessly wander. Ask a librarian for resources on the topic you are looking for, or even explain why you are researching it. You would be surprised at the suggestions librarians can give you that you never would have thought of.

How do I know if a source is credible and appropriate for my project?

When you find a source, first scroll down and check the author information to see if they are qualified to speak on a subject. For example, you wouldn’t want a random blogger telling you how to perform heart surgery. Instead, reference a medical journal or a source written by a professional in that field who has personally studied heart surgery and can summarize the process.

If you are researching something historic, museum websites or archives are a great place to look. In general though, articles don’t have to be from academic sources to be credible. For instance, if you are trying to do setting research on a particular area, asking a resident of that area about what it’s like can work well while being an unconventional source. The most important part is that the author of the source has validity to speak on the topic. Another type of research is personal experience. It can be fun to gain that experience and take in the information and observations from it, if given the opportunity. Don’t be afraid to get out in the field yourself!

How do I incorporate sources into my writing?

Less tends to be more in the case of implementing research into writing. You will learn a lot of interesting facts you want to share, but this can come off as an info dump if you aren’t careful. It helps me to remember the story is in a character’s point of view, and they are only taking in through their senses what they personally notice and observe. This helps to cut back on information so the writing doesn’t get muddled with unnecessary detail. As for how you can give credit to sources, author’s notes at the end of a project work well when you want to explain where information came from and how it affected your writing.

Where can I find more information?

The Art of Creative Research by Philip Gerard is a wonderful guide to the writer starting out their journey of research for the sake of creative writing. It gives many helpful tips and ideas, and it walks the writer through the process of research with their project from beginning to end.

“How To Research Your Novel…And When To Stop” by Joanna Penn is a helpful article from The Creative Penn that covers the basics of research. She provides several ideas, resources, and tips of where to start researching.
Link to article: https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2017/01/18/research-a-novel/

I wish you luck in your writing research!

~Natalie