SLOG – Research for Writing 1
Research 1, this excerpt is from $uccess, Your Path to a Success Book
by Maralyn Hill and Brenda Hill
Research is a valuable and necessary part of any writing project. Between the library and the internet, there is no reason or excuse not to do it. There is nothing as beneficial as experiencing the location, food, time or event. However, you can also research it and read eyewitness accountings. Whereas we love experiencing food and travel, many lifetime experiences are joyful and others are quite painful.
If you are going to write a story about your great grandparents based on the tales that have been handed down, you may want to read something like “Everyday Life in the 1800s,” by Marc McCutcheon. It will provide you with the facts about the period, language, courtship and marriage, fashions, food and furnishings. This book has a long shelf life.
In contrast, if writing about criminals, you may read an old book like one I’ve had in my bookcase over 20 years, Criminal Minds by David A. Taylor. This was written before DNA and the current forensic information now known. I’d strongly consider reading The Criminal Mind, by Katherine Ramsland, Ph.D. It draws on current real-life cases, novels, and movies. You could read both and learn. But, if selecting only one, I’d read the current one.
Document everything you research and give credit where credit is due.
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Maralyn D. Hill and Brenda C. Hill