Research: How Much Do You Need?

Research is an area that all authors approach differently. Whether it’s drawing on personal experience or spending weeks and months trawling through an historic period or geographical location, or learning all there is to know about a medical condition, an author owes it to their readers to get their facts as accurate as possible. Remember an expert could be reading your book and if you've made a mistake, they will be jerked out of your story and will put your book down - your worst nightmare!

When researching my current novel, I needed to get the background on a lot of technical and forensic information. The internet was a terrific help but it didn’t quite meet my requirements as it lacked the human touch. As luck had it, I was at an Inkwell Writer’s seminar in Dublin and met not one but two experts in forensic science. I thought I’d died and gone to Heaven! Needless to say, I made a point of chatting to them and exchanging contact details. Both authors – Niamh O’Connor and Sandra Mara – AND the Garda Siochana forensic specialist, were only too happy to offer several solutions to my characters’ dilemmas. My editor was extremely impressed with my expert DNA knowledge! And while I had pages of emails and information from the experts, and the detail used in my novel was minimal, one thing I was sure of - it was as accurate as I could make it.

Research, like ideas, comes in many different shapes and forms. Decide what’s required for your novel and use whatever resources necessary to get your story right. Be careful not to fall into the trap of spending so much time researching and reading about your chosen subject that you never actually write your novel!

Author, Alex Barclay, travels to the US and spends days with NYPD and other state officials to get right inside the world she’s writing about. I never quite had the courage to ask whether her publishers financially support her extensive research.

Research can be empowering for writers but a word of caution is required. Readers don't need to see all you've learned on a particular subject if a simple mention is enough. It's important to use information sparingly and only where relevant. Don't dump it into narrative or dialogue and always read your work aloud to ensure text/dialogue sounds natural and that it’s fitting with your writing style or voice.

It’s essential that you don't bore or irritate your reader by repeating information in dialogue that has been shown in the story already. E.g. "Isn't it terrible that the banks aren't loaning funds anymore? Only for the Anglo crash, companies wouldn't be in this mess!" If the reader knows the story is set in present day Ireland, they won't need to be told about banks or reminded about the recession.
The same is true for other information already given in the story – never let one character tell another character something they already know for the benefit of the reader, it sounds staged and unnatural and will jar your reader from your story.

One important point regarding research: don’t let research slow you down. If you’re finding it difficult to find the exact information required, it’s okay to move on with your novel and then return to fill in the gaps once you’ve completed your research. Very often you will gather a lot more information than you will ever use in your story but acquiring a broad knowledge of your subject matter will ultimately help your plot to be more authentic and it will help you post publication when you’re interviewed about your book.

©Mary Malone 2010

Mary Malone is the best selling author of Love is the Reason (Poolbeg). She lives in Cork with her husband, Pat, and sons, David and Mark. Love Is The Reason is her 4th novel . As well as being an author and freelance journalist, Mary works full time in the Central Statistics Office in Cork.

Find out more about her at http://www.marymalone.ie/

If you enjoyed this, check out these articles by Mary Malone:  Starting Your Writing Journey;  Plotting & Planning – The 8 Point Arc ; Character – Who Are These People;  and Mary has several tips in our 100 Tips from Top Authors