Why Research Is Important To Me - 1. Why Research Is Important To Me

To write [just] for fun isn’t realistic; writing is a lot of work. Some write because they must, to resolve by expression an internal mental mess. But for the rest of us, why do it unless it pleases you? Most of us gain satisfaction from a job well done. Research is part of that.

Excellent point. Research is fairly key when it comes to doing good stories. I'm finding myself research a lot about Washington D.C. and using Google Earth in one of my stories in order to make sure I get elements right.

I could not agree more. When I run into trouble in my writing, it’s often because there is something in it that begs for research, for better information to guide me and the story. Your writing clearly benefits from your research - it’s wonderfully crafted and utterly believable. 

16 hours ago, knotme said:

To write [just] for fun isn’t realistic; writing is a lot of work. Some write because they must, to resolve by expression an internal mental mess. But for the rest of us, why do it unless it pleases you? Most of us gain satisfaction from a job well done. Research is part of that.

Thank you for your comments.Writing is very hard work and effort. I've written to resolve a number of issues and challenges and still do.. usually via poetry.  Prose is a different kettle of fish and pleases me when i feel i've done a good job. Thanks again for your input!

16 hours ago, droughtquake said:

I once read a long fantasy story about a teenager who was a diver – it was a what-if for the author and his youth. The protagonist was good enough to make it to the ’68 Olympic Games in Mexico City. He witnesses Tommie Smith and John Carlos raising their clenched fists and lowering their heads in support of the US civil rights movement (the IOC banned them for life – an Australian, Peter Norman, who wore aa ‘Olympics Project for Human Rights’ badge during the ceremony in support was left off the Aussie Olympic team in ’72 and was not invited to join other Olympic medalists at the Sydney Olympic opening ceremony). The protagonist was written as being at least somewhat Openly Gay (I read the story online on another site about 15 years ago), but he never meets Dr Tom Waddell (Tom would later found the Gay Olympics, be sued by the USOC and forced to change the name to the Gay Games) who was participating in the same Olympics. When I emailed the author to ask why they never encountered each other in the story, the author admitted that he’d never heard of Waddell before.

 

The author is a closeted man who I think I remember telling me was in an opposite-sex marriage. Writing was his only outlet for his real feelings and desires. The story had reached significantly more than 100 chapters the last time I noticed it, but I had stopped reading it long before that point.

 

A little research should have uncovered that tidbit of history.

You are right, of course drought quake!  Research would have helped him. Thank you for your comments my friend!

16 hours ago, Reader1810 said:

tim, I totally and completely appreciate every bit of effort you put into the research you do for your stories. I especially appreciated your efforts with Changes. The realism of the situation was evident and made the story so much more than it would have been without it. 

 

 

Thank you, Reader! I appreciate your comments and support.

13 hours ago, BHopper2 said:

Excellent point. Research is fairly key when it comes to doing good stories. I'm finding myself research a lot about Washington D.C. and using Google Earth in one of my stories in order to make sure I get elements right.

That's great ... and i'm sure readers appreciate it! 

12 hours ago, Parker Owens said:

I could not agree more. When I run into trouble in my writing, it’s often because there is something in it that begs for research, for better information to guide me and the story. Your writing clearly benefits from your research - it’s wonderfully crafted and utterly believable. 

I often mumble to myself.. "Can that happen?  Is that a thing? When did that happen?" Then i have to look it up because i just need to know then!  Thank you Parker you're very kind! xoxo

The moment someone shares a story with the public, they're no longer writing 'just for fun'.  I constantly research while writing, particularly for the CJ series so strongly grounded in the real world. Doing anything less would be insulting to readers who decide to spend their time reading what I wrote. Same reason I don't go long periods of times between chapters. I'm not taking for granted anyone picking up what I write if I treat them as so unimportant. I treasure comments from readers who are reminded of a place when I describe it accurately, and comments like the one someone made about retracing characters' steps while on a visit to Washington and eating at a restaurant I used as a setting. I'll repeat myself: it's all about respect for the readers.

5 minutes ago, Carlos Hazday said:

The moment someone shares a story with the public, they're no longer writing 'just for fun'.  I constantly research while writing, particularly for the CJ series so strongly grounded in the real world. Doing anything less would be insulting to readers who decide to spend their time reading what I wrote. Same reason I don't go long periods of times between chapters. I'm not taking for granted anyone picking up what I write if I treat them as so unimportant. I treasure comments from readers who are reminded of a place when I describe it accurately, and comments like the one someone made about retracing characters' steps while on a visit to Washington and eating at a restaurant I used as a setting. I'll repeat myself: it's all about respect for the readers.

I know you don't .. but some people who post on here, and other places have said that to me, which is why I included it.. i dont' need to research because .... up to that person but it will show eventually. C, your stories are wonderfully detailed and i'm pretty darned sure, most, if not all the places you talk about, you've been to, or researched very well. It's respect for the reader.. and ourselves, i hasten to add.  Thanks for your comments!!

What's one of the top rules for writing?  "Write what you know."  Well, if you don't know, what better way to improve not only your writing but your life in general than by digging deeper into the nuances of your topic?  Nice article as always, Tim!

14 minutes ago, jkwsquirrel said:

What's one of the top rules for writing?  "Write what you know."  Well, if you don't know, what better way to improve not only your writing but your life in general than by digging deeper into the nuances of your topic?  Nice article as always, Tim!

i have a tendency to break that rule on a regular basis ... but i make sure i read a lot before i post anything or i ask GA members with that insight or experience to review for me. Nothing worse than assuming you're right and finding out you're not! Thanks very much for your great comments!

I couldn't agree with you more, tim.  I write because I enjoy it (most of the time), but I also want it to be written well so the people I share it with will enjoy it.  I do a lot of research sometimes on the smallest item to try and make what I'm writing more authentic.  Sometimes the research is just as much fun as the writing.  Doesn't matter if it is learning about a location I'm using or some other detail.  I learned more about cave formations than I thought I would when that entered into RWTP.  The research that you do for your stories may not be known by most of us, but the end result shows in your incredible writing.

Research is essential for writing.  I've read stories that have had a wrong detail (not a small detail) and it completely ruined any interest in reading further.