Background | Research | Writing Tips
Research Tips for the Tired
Because you can’t get away from the R word
I’m having a frustration moment (or seventeen) this morning — can you hear me screaming? It’s because I just realized one of the characters in my book isn’t grounded in enough research. Even though he’s a supporting character, I still need to learn more about the condition he has if I want to be true to the story. That means I need more time before I can send my manuscript to the publisher.
I used to think that barely anything I wrote required much research — especially if it was a book or play of my own devising. Looking at It more closely, I’ve come to understand that almost everything most of us write will require some sort of research. Why?
We’re all trying to make sure our work has enough credibility or reality, even if the worlds we’re writing about are fictional. Besides the book I’m writing, I’m thinking about two different play subjects — one that includes a World War II idea and the other, a supernatural possession story. Not only do I need concrete historical information about the war, I need information about the source material that frames my possession play.
Research usually means reading whatever you can find, and seeking out people to talk to you about their experience. Both can be extremely time consuming, and I can hear you saying, “Do I have to?” and groaning just a little bit. (I can hear you because I’m groaning, too). It’s especially annoying when you’ve gotten through at least a full draft or two of your play or book manuscript and realize you should have done research on a certain event or character.
Sometimes, you may tell yourself you don’t need the research — but then you’re opening yourself up to the possibility of reviewers and readers calling you out on whether you did any. Somehow, people seem to be able to tell a lot more often than you think.
Making sure readers and reviewers can’t say we didn’t do research is the reason we need to press on with it. I try to do as much research as I can before I start writing, but often that doesn’t work for more than a couple of weeks, because
a) I’m impatient to start writing and
b) I’m impatient generally.
I think it’s fine to begin your work (and a lot of times necessary), as long as you don’t end your research while writing. You also need to be willing to revise what you’ve written already — since if you’re a writer of any sort, you are a reviser, too.
And yes, it can be frustrating and tiring — especially when you’re trying to find something online and can’t. (See me raising my hand?) That’s why I pulled together what I learned about doing research on projects — and what I hope to learn, too.
1. Make it an adventure. I know, I know! On the other hand, you won’t do anything unless you can find some way to enjoy it, right? My favorite research story involves my first musical, which was about the Polish Solidarity movement. I found a movie on the movement at a library in Great Neck, New York. I told a friend about it, and she wanted to join me.
My friend and I ended up having quite the adventure, getting off the train in a downpour, finding a ride from a fellow traveler to the library, seeing the movie and walking back to the station. Those moments are golden — and may not ever happen without research.
2. Begin where it’s easiest — which usually means your favorite search engine. Visit sites that seem closest to what you’re looking for. Bookmark or save them in a research document with all the most promising links. Skim through any articles you find to see if they are worth reading more closely.
3. Look for connections, organizations, museums. There’s a strong chance you’ll find groups that are focused on the information you’re seeking. You might also try posting a question on social media or asking friends to see if anyone can help.
4. If you write to a museum or group, persist — because all of us are busy and not apt to reply quickly to a desperate (or even not-so-desperate) writer. Follow up with another email or call — just don’t overdo it because you don’t want to make a pest of yourself.
5. Go local if you’re trying to contact a national organization and you’re not getting anywhere. I’m trying to reach a national museum but I’m also going to contact veteran’s groups locally. That gives me a much better chance of actually finding someone who will talk to me.
6. Schedule your research time — say, an hour a day or five hours a week — to make sure you don’t forget to do it. And believe me, you will, or at least, I will, because research is the part of any project that bugs me the most).
7. Once you’ve got enough research to go on, start using it in your writing. Just be prepared to make changes later if you discover something you didn’t know before.
8. If you’re writing a commissioned piece for a theater or publisher, you need to be clear on the amount of time you think it will take you to do your research. It’s crucial to estimate the time you’ll need as closely as you can, because your employer is going to have deadlines of their own. If you’re writing your own piece, it’s not as crucial — but figuring out how much time you’ll need to read, interview, or attend an event or class should give you the basis of what you’ll need to build a schedule.
What I’m learning right now is that thorough research always takes longer than I think it’s going to. That’s when I have to work on my patience — no matter how much I wish I didn’t have to. On the other hand, I know I’ll feel more confident about my work when the research is done — and so will my audience and readers.
Meaning, today needs to start out with a few calls — but then, yes, I will return to my writing. Knowing it’s incomplete, knowing I have more to learn — and at the same time, feeling just a little smarter about what I’m working on than I did yesterday. All because of —
The R word.
