Lynne Roberts: Successfully researching story details~
When you think about writing as an occupation, you might not automatically assume that means research. You should.
The research doesn’t start after you’ve dreamed up a plot. Every writer needs an arsenal of tried and true weapons with which to write. In fact, I was tempted to name this post: So you want to be a writer?
I started my career backward. I wrote my first book (never published) and then realized that I didn’t know half of what I needed to succeed. Enter one of the best weapons in the writer’s arsenal: The how to book. There are many books out there to help writers and what worked for me, might not work for you, but let me tell you which books I think no writer should be without.
EATS, SHOOTS & LEAVES by Lynne Truss is my favorite book on grammar out there. I read it for fun. Yes, grammar can be fun.
THE FIRST FIVE PAGES by Noah Lukeman. This is a book that will give you lots of tips on how to stay out of the rejection pile. But it all came together for me when I read Stephen King’s ON WRITING. Oh, I love that man. He speaks to you writer to writer and he holds no punches.
So now you’ve got some how to’s under your belt. What next?
When I started writing contemporary erotica, I didn’t think I’d have to do a lot of research. I was wrong.
There were many minor details I needed to clarify—for most them I used Google. For instance, in my first short, FIRST DATE, Bret drives a Mustang. I had no idea what the interior of a Mustang looked like. Google did.
The Novella I just finished, Creative License, takes place in San Francisco. As far as I’m concerned, the best kind of research is first-hand experience. So, for my birthday, I took a trip to San Francisco and mapped Caleb and Lily’s steps. I took notes regarding sounds and smells, anything I could think of that I might want to add to the book. And pictures, I took a lot of pictures. I even asked permission to take a few photographs inside the art museum where Caleb has an art showing so I could describe the architecture.
Obviously, you can’t go to every setting—or I’d write a book set in Barcelona post haste. That’s why I love Google Maps. You can pick an address or location, zoom in, click the satellite option and walk along that street. It’s almost as good as being there.
Research adds authenticity to a book setting, an essential characteristic if you want your world to come alive for the reader.
Contact Lynne
***Thanks, Lynn! I love the 2nd half of ON WRITING. If anyone hasn't read it and wants to jump to the dirt on creative writing aside from the 1st half of the book's autobiography of Stephen King, just read part 2. 
What was that rule... Never use more than 3 adjectives per noun in a sentence! And ditch the commas between them. (This isn't a formal paper we're writing... But you'll need to cross your t's and dot your i's for a literature paper!)
THE FIRST FIVE PAGES is another excellent book to help a writer understand what's expected of their manuscript. I heard Noah Lukeman speak in San Diego after reading his book. He's chuck full of practical information.
I'm with you on googling car info. Ugh. I'm so not into automobiles. And everyone should know they've done tons of surveys with GPS, even underground (sewer systems, etc.) that you can access online. Okay, my husband swears you can. I just like catacombs. But what can you expect from the archaeologically-inclined? I haven't needed to know about New York City's drainage... LOL Great post and best of luck with your stories. 
~Skhye
Fun. Fun. I'm so into sports cars. My husband knows he might lose me to James Bond if he ever rolls up in his Aston Martin.
San Francisco is such a great city. We actually walked up the crazy hill. We saw the halfway point and thought we were at the top. Wrong! Great shopping, great food, great sounds and smells. Too expensive to live though.
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Great post. I love research. Google, traveling, maps... I have a tray, souvenir from a trip to France, with a map of The Loire Valley painted on it. It shows the location of rivers and castles. You can't believe how useful this tray was when I wrote French Peril and wanted to check places and distances.
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Thank you so much for having me, Skhye! Last year, I did some research for a fellow writer on sewers. Worked like a diet. If you ever need to know about what lies under New York city... I've got some lovely pictures for you.
Hi Emma, San Francisco is expensive, but I love it! I feel about it like I imagine some people feel about New York.
Hi Mona, that is a useful tool! If I'm writing fantasy, and creating a new world, I always draw a map so I know where my characters are heading and how long it will take them to get there.
Thank you both for stopping by!
***OH! Write a blog post. Post the pictures. Tell us what you learned. The geologist and the archaeologist in me are just dying to know! I'm honestly the person who watches stuff like THE HISTORY OF CONCRETE.
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I love New York, too. Also too expensive. *Sigh*
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Great advice, Lynne! I didn't know you could walk down streets in Google maps. That's very cool to know.
Your research in Creative License made that book sparkle. It felt as if you knew the subject intimately, which now I see you did. Your research paid off big time with a fabulous, authentic story.
***You just might want to go see what you can see of your own little castle. You'll think twice about posting your address online! LOL Scary... ~Skhye
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Hi Lynne -- I'm a google-holic when it comes to research. I google everything. I love that I can be writing, have a question, go to google, get my answer, and then go back to writing. Perfect! One of my all time favorite resources for the craft is good old Strunk and White -- The Elements of Style. Great post!
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Hey Skhye. My DH watches stuff like the history of concrete. We don't have cable and he watches anything that is bearable!
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Excellent advice, Lynne. I love googling places and taking vitual tours. So cool.
Also The First Five Pages is one of my favorites too.
AJ
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Wow - I will certainly look into those titles. And research, well, ugh...if I have to, and sometimes I do. I google mostly, but sometimes I am led by the nose to my library.
Thanks for the great post!
Donna
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You are so right, Lynne -- it's the details that really make a story come alive for me, too. Great post, and thank you for the recommendation of Steven King's book...I've just reserved it at the library!
Linda
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I think anyone who writes should love to research. I know I enjoyed learning new things in school and research soon became my favorite part of school.
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