*
|
* |
|
* * * November December Press Kit MONTHLY SCORCHER NEWSLETTER FEED LOVERS
Click for Hot Flashes * *
Click for Hot Thoughts BOOK SELLERS
*
*
* * ******************** |
An editorial on Research is in the Coffee Time Romance Cafe Chronicles [April 2008] Research can be Fun! Tilly Greene You have
this fantastic idea for a story and your muse is screaming to get it written.
The plotline is unique, the characters and their personalities are
engaging, the entire thing is right there on your fingertips but something
isn’t jelling. What’s hanging
you up? Most likely it’s what
makes your story stand out from the others:
special details. These are
the things that pull a reader into the tale you’ve weaved and keeps them there
to see how it all turns out. Research
gives an author a comfortable stable place to write about something they
didn’t know that much about before exploring further.
The trick is the better the research, the more in-depth you delve into
the subject, the more bang you put into the story and this makes for a more
tangible and realistic read. A win
win situation, right? Absolutely,
but where do you start? Simple
really, go back to the beginning. The
first thing you do is to decide what information you need to focus on for your
story. You can be as vague or
specific as you want but it’s best to have a general focal point.
I suggest thinking in broad terms and then narrow them down as you learn
more. Make a note of the questions
you have that need answering. For
example, right now I’m writing a series about Russian shape-shifters.
While I’m familiar with the country’s history I needed to have
precise information, specifically on dates, names, boundaries and terms used
during the specific periods. Once you
have a plan as to what you’re looking for, now it’s time to figure out where
the information can be found. Develop
a strategy of how you want to conduct your search.
There are all sorts of materials out there to offer help both online and
in your local library. Getting solid
definitions from reference sources is a great place to begin.
From there you’ll be lead to journals, articles and books.
Refer back to what you need to learn to pick the best place to attack
first. For me, I started online to
gather the dates and names necessary, then moved on to a history book for more
specific details and on to a biography of one of the leading figures.
A bibliography is also a good place to find other resources to continue
your search. After
you’ve decided on what you need to know and gathered your findings, it’s
time to read. This is where you
begin to truly understand the subject and discover nuances that intrigue you,
raise questions and encourage you to want to know more.
Make a note of these because they’re bound to catch the reader’s
interest in the same way and will add to your tale.
One of the areas I found interesting and raised further questions for me
was in regards to Genghis Khan. There
are actually two other ways besides reading to research a subject.
One is to interview someone who is knowledgeable in the field and the
other is to see it for yourself. Personally,
I’ve never sat down and formally interviewed someone in regards to information
I needed for a story although I have gathered information through conversations.
However, to see something in person is prime and a personal favorite
avenue of examining a subject for me. A
good example of this is a series I have published that takes place in the
fashion world. I’ve made trips to
the fashion capitals, read tour guides and maps, took pictures and made notes of
everything from the weather to the food and drink to the sites I visited.
In return for my explorations I brought the cities into the stories and
took the reader along for the trip. This
leads into the last thing you do with what you’ve learned, assimilate it into
your story. Let’s be perfectly
clear, this does not mean you copy what you’ve been researching or what
someone else has to say about it. What
I mean is that you take what you’ve learned, make it yours through your
author’s voice, plot twists and character actions.
It’s tricky but your want to weave your findings into your story as
seamlessly as possible, the last thin you want to do is wrench the reader from
the story. My last
bit of advice is to be very careful. Double-check
your facts because there’s nothing worse than making a mistake that can be
easily confirmed. It’s a
daunting task to tackle a subject you know little to nothing about but trust me
this can be fun and offer a new element to your writing.
There’s one very important thing to remember, if you’re writing
non-fiction or fiction, the same rules apply.
Learn from the various sources you encounter, don’t copy from them.
And, if given the chance to acknowledge where you gathered your
information then make an effort to do this. Now go
out there and research something you’re interested in and see where it leads
you. It may be what adds that bang
you’ve been looking for to the manuscript sitting around waiting to be
finished. Tilly Greene is a bestselling author of scorching hot erotic romances. You can visit her website at http://www.tillygreene.com * * * |
|
HOME BOOKS FUN STUFF BLOG LINKS EVENTS ABOUT ME Contact Tilly at tilly@tillygreene.com
ART WORK by Christine Clavel Tilly Greene Copyright© 2005-2008 All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized use of any part of this website is strictly forbidden. |
