Conducting Effective Novel Research: Top Tips

Once you have written the first draft of your novel manuscript, you may find during the evaluation stage that there are elements of your story that could use some fact-checking.

While I advise against conducting any detailed research during the drafting stage of the novel writing process, I heartily encourage it during the evaluation stage. Research is an important part of writing a novel, as it can provide the necessary information and inspiration to create a rich and believable world for your story.

Here are some steps you can take to effectively conduct research for your novel:

1. Identify your research needs: During the evaluation stage of the novel writing process, you should make a list of the specific areas that you need to research for your novel, such as historical events, geographic locations, cultural practices, or scientific concepts.
2. Gather information: Utilize a variety of sources to gather information, including books, academic journals, interviews with experts, online resources, and primary sources such as photographs or artifacts.
3. Organize your research: Keep your research organized and easily accessible by using tools such as spreadsheets, note-taking apps, or digital filing systems.
4. Verify your sources: Ensure that your sources are reputable and reliable by checking the author’s credentials, evaluating the source’s bias, and cross-referencing with multiple sources.
5. Use research to enhance your story: Use your research to add depth and detail to your novel but avoid overwhelming readers with too much technical or historical information. Use research to enhance your story, not overshadow it.

Remember that research should be a tool to support your creative vision, not a substitute for it. Therefore, I often recommend that writers wait until after they have written their complete first draft before diving into any research. You don’t want to get bogged down in research at the expense of actually writing your novel draft. Find a balance that works for you and use research to help you effectively tell the story you want to tell.

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Now that Jack has been forced to reflect on everything he has to lose, he resolves to do better. He’s determined to spend more time at home with his family and repair the relationships that have suffered over the years while he’s been so focused on work. But as Callie’s behavior becomes increasingly bizarre, Jack realizes he has a lot more room to improve than he realized – and it might be too late to save his daughter after all.

For fans of We Need to Talk About Kevin, The Push, and Baby Teeth.