Writing Tips Wednesday: Do Your Research

My daddy used to say, “The devil’s in the details,” warning me to complete all tasks with thoroughness to achieve success. An earlier form of that phrase, “Le bon Dieu est dans le détail” (the good God is in the detail) is generally attributed to Gustave Flaubert (1821–1880). Interesting how that warning morphed from God to the devil. I understand that somewhere along the way, the military used it in reference to security. Maybe that’s when it happened. In more recent times, the expressions “governing is in the details” and “the truth is in the details” have appeared.

Whatever the version, this phrase can be applied to writing, specifically in the area of research. To maintain credibility, writers must conduct extensive research on their topics. A mishandled scene might slow down readers, cause them to abandon your work or, worst of all, prompt them to assign low grades to schoolwork and leave bad reviews about published works.

I attended a workshop on fighting during the Realm Makers Conference. Led by Carla Hoch, who (pun intended) pulled no punches, the crash course taught attendees the science behind crafting realistic fight scenes. If you write fight scenes, I recommend you read her book Fight Write. She’s hilarious, yet spot on with her recommendations.

Recently, I devoured a well-done violent scene in a YA novel. I raced through it on the edge of my seat . . . until its conclusion, when the main character’s movement pulled at the forming scabs. Huh? I sat back. There’s no way the character could feel scabs forming in the short time since receiving the wounds. I didn’t close the book because it was such a minor detail. But it still slowed me down, and I wished the author had caught the error before publication.

Don’t make your readers frown. Do your research. Here are five tips to stay on track:

• Establish a system to organize and archive your research. I use the Scrivener writing platform and have created a digital research folder within it that holds photos, PDFs, and website links.
• Use personal experience. A simple concept. If you write about what you know, it’s hard to go wrong.
• Double check dialogue. Run your manuscript by subject matter experts. If your characters are contemporary teens, ask your favorite teen to confirm that you’re not using outdated language.
• Ensure all elements in your setting are pertinent to the time period of your story. One YA novel I read was set so far in the future that the characters were unfamiliar with engines and phones. The author did a terrific job expressing the characters’ amazement when they stumbled upon this ancient technology.
• Don’t data dump. If you conduct a lot of research on a subject, you might be tempted to over inform your readers. In my current manuscript, one of my characters has an eating disorder. In early drafts, I had a doctor wax on about the repercussions of low blood pressure. My ever-honest critiquers pointed out that I’d committed subject overkill.

I’m always seeking new tips for conducting effective research, especially those that save time. Do you have any to share?