How to Speed Up Your Research
A Writer’s Journey
If I’m going to participate in NaNoWriMo this year, I’ll have to start my rough draft of VOODOO QUEEN after a mere 3 months of research. Granted, that’s just about all I’ve done this summer, but it’s simply not enough time.
I’ll do a great deal more research once NaNoWriMo is over. Nevertheless, I’m trying to cram in as much as possible. This experience has taught me some excellent time savers.
For SACRED FIRE, those books were The History of the Vestal Virgins of Rome by T. Cato Worsfold and Rome’s Vestal Virgins by Robin Wildfang. For VOODOO QUEEN, they were A New Orleans Voodoo Priestess by Carolyn Morrow Long and The Mysterious Voodoo Queen by Ina Fandrich. Every time I read them, I find something new I’ve missed.
When I researched the Second Punic War for my book Sacred Fire, it seemed like everything I read about the war quoted an ancient Roman historian named Livy. Instead of reading a bunch of books that regurgitated Livy, I decided to just read Livy’s work and call it good.
3. Write Your Rough Draft
I usually say finish your research before writing; that will prevent you from basing your plot on inaccuracies. At the same time, you reach a point where research serves little purpose because you don’t even know what’s going to happen in your book.
I read Livy’s History of Rome the first time before I started writing Sacred Fire. It was completely pointless. I didn’t know enough about my topic to even understand what I was looking at. Several drafts later, I read it again and was bursting with ideas. Now the war plays a much more prominent role in the book.
4. Read Books more than Web Pages.
Don’t get me wrong, the internet is an excellent resource for historical research. It’s also a time-sucker. It can take forever to find the page you’re looking for, and you’re likely to run into the same information over and over. Not to mention there’s the temptation to waste time doing other things!
Books, on the other hand, offer a comprehensive and in-depth look into your topic. It might be overkill to read a book on certain aspects of your research – in those cases, web pages are better – but I feel it’s better to focus on books.
5. Find an Expert in the Field
Researching the voodoo religion for VOODOO QUEEN can be frustrating because it doesn’t have structure, scripture, or a code of ethics. There’s so much false information, I don’t know what’s useful and what’s trash. Even the “classics” about voodoo are often nonsense.
Luckily, a professor I’m working with referred me to a historian in New Orleans who recommended a few books on the subject. She saved me a ton of time! Now I don’t have to search out legitimate information and analyze it for accuracy; I know the books she suggested will be sufficient. When I finish them, I can call her for clarification on anything I didn’t understand.
6. Be Organized
Highlight books, take notes in Word Documents, use a table of contents in your notes, make timelines, print web pages, site every source including page numbers in your notes and even the text of the novel. Don’t waste a second searching for information you’ve already read!
I hope that helps all you historians out there.
Do you have any other useful tips on making your research more speedy and efficient?
On A Writers Journey, aspiring novelist Teralyn Rose Pilgrim talks about the excitements and disappointments that go along with her budding career. Currently agents are looking at her historical fiction about Rome’s Vestal Virgins.
teralynpilgrimm.blogspot.com
2012-10-12 17:00:11
Source: http://teralynpilgrim.blogspot.com/2012/10/how-to-speed-up-your-research.html
Source:
Anyone can join.
Anyone can contribute.
Anyone can become informed about their world.
"United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.
Please Help Support BeforeitsNews by trying our Natural Health Products below!
Order by Phone at 888-809-8385 or online at https://mitocopper.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST
Order by Phone at 866-388-7003 or online at https://www.herbanomic.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST
Order by Phone at 866-388-7003 or online at https://www.herbanomics.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST
Humic & Fulvic Trace Minerals Complex - Nature's most important supplement! Vivid Dreams again!
HNEX HydroNano EXtracellular Water - Improve immune system health and reduce inflammation.
Ultimate Clinical Potency Curcumin - Natural pain relief, reduce inflammation and so much more.
MitoCopper - Bioavailable Copper destroys pathogens and gives you more energy. (See Blood Video)
Oxy Powder - Natural Colon Cleanser! Cleans out toxic buildup with oxygen!
Nascent Iodine - Promotes detoxification, mental focus and thyroid health.
Smart Meter Cover - Reduces Smart Meter radiation by 96%! (See Video).
| Online: | |
| Visits: | 1,602,708,220 |
| Stories: | 8,147,656 |
Whistler Blowers, Insiders
