Research is important!

In addition to writing I also line edit. Recently I was given a manuscript to line edit. Within the first chapter I found several factual errors. Things that a modicum of research could have corrected. So I decided to post another blog on doing your "homework".

Remember you never know what your readers experiences are.

1. If you have a character who is a doctor and he/she makes a diagnosis - you better have researched that disease until you know every symptom, what the usual presentation of it is and what could be a really unusual presentation. You need to know the test that are used to diagnose it, the treatment for it and if you can find someone that has a loved one with or has the disease. Nothing better than first hand knowledge.

2. If you are writing a soldier with TBI or PTSD make sure you know the differences, the treatment, the prognosis, the VA disability rating percentages and the pension they recieve for it. Talk to a soldier, or your local VA office or VA psychologist.

3. If writing an artist - learn about the field. What are the different techniques, the different disciplines, the different materials. Take a drawing class or go to your local college and talk to an art professor.

4. If you are writing a student - go by your local college's registration office and ask for a bulletin that will have the requirements for every major they offer. It will also give you the summary of each class. If you decide that you need a scene where the character is in class find out when it's offered and approach the professor about sitting in on a class one session.

5. Writing a police officer? Talk to one. Pick up the "Howdunit" series.

6. Writing something where a character uses a sword? Go visit stores that sell them. Feel the weight or if you can afford it buy one then hold it for five minutes. Feel the burn it puts on the back of your arm, your wrist.

7. If you write science fiction make it believable.

Research and Writing

They go hand in hand. There is some truth to the axiom "Write what you know" I mean want to piss off a nurse reading your romance? Have your character who is a nurse diagnose an illness - unless she's a Nurse Practitioner OR the doctor is dead - your reader may throw your book across the room. What if you have your characters have lunch at a chain resturaunt but there isn't one in the state you set the book in? A reader from that area will pick it up and be put off.

So today, I thought I'd share my list of research books.

My Library!

The Writer's Thesaurus
Webster's New World Dictionary
The Phrase Finder
The Synonm Finder
Eats, Shoots and Leaves
The Chicago Manual of Style
Passionate Ink: A Guide to Writing Erotic Romance
GMC: Goal Motivation and Conflict
Write Great Fiction: Description and Settings
Write Great Fiction: Revision & Self Editing
Write Great Fiction: Dialogue
Write Great Fiction: Character's, Emotion and Viewpoint
Write Great Fiction: Plot And Structure
English Through The Ages
The Romance Writer's Phrase Book
The Writer's Digest: Character Naming Sourcebook
The Writer's Guide to Everyday Life in the Middle Ages
World Almanac of Fact - for several different years
Travel Guides for several cities and countries
The Loving Dominant


Now, where do I get all these books? Bookstores (online and off) and my favorite spot - ebay! Yes, ebay! I've picked up several from there less than bookstore prices.

Which one's should a new author have? There are three must haves in a starting writer's library. These three items are essentials of the trade. They are like a microscope to a scientist, a blackboard for a teacher, or a stethoscope for a doctor.

1. A good Dictionary - not one of those pocket deals - no a real thick dictionary - it doesn't have to be the huge college dictionary but Webster's New World Dictionary 1984 edition works for me.

2. A good Thesarus - The Oxford American Writer's Thesaurus is the one that works best for me, I like the way it is set up.

3. GMC: Goal, Motivation and Conflict - This book by Dixon is a must have whether you are a plotter or a pantser. Unless you understand the basic reasons for a character's actions the reader never will accept them.

If you must have a number 4 - then a good naming book. I like the Character Naming Sourcebook - it is seperated by nationality and has the definitions of the name as well as the top 10 going back to 1880.

Thanks to the internet and research books - you can kick the "Write what you know" axiom by learning what you need to write your books!

Location Scouting

Another fun thing about writing is going places to get pictures! Since a book I'm currently working on has the climax at Bellingrath Gardens. So, I grabbed my camera and my hubby and spent some time enjoying a March afternoon and happily snapping pictures!

My favorite part of the garden has always been the mermaid fountain. She looks so serene and graceful. It's actually a pretty quiet spot there. It doesn't hurt that I've always been a fan of mermaids. There are times of the year that she's prettier because of the flowers around her.

This is the boathouse that sits on Fowl River and where the climactic scene will take place.

There is a quiet serenity to the gardens and if you ever make the trip to Mobile, AL take an afternoon - no matter the season and walk through the gardens. If it's during the Holidays - go late in the afternoon so you can enjoy both the mums AND Christmas in Lights.