If you have ever seriously considered writing any creative writing project with the hopes of one day publishing, you likely realized that a tremendous amount of discipline and motivation is required in this process. However, in order to construct a piece of creative writing worthy of publication, you will need much more that determination and a strict writing schedule, you must research the topic of your writing.
The word research has the connotation of long hours spent hunched over library books, but creative research does not necessarily fit into this mold of traditional research. In fact, creative research is one of the most fun and exciting aspects of the brainstorming process. Creative research is an adventure that has the potential to challenge your preconceived notions and allows you to see your topic in a new light. Creative research is an exercise of empathy and a journey into the unknown.
These simple steps are here to help you delve into your topic and incorporate them into your final manuscript.
📖 Knowing What You Need to Learn
The first question you must ask yourself is what is my topic? The topic of your story is the focus of the entire piece of your creative writing. Once you have considered your topic, write it down in a neat one-sentence description. This short description will help you visualize where you must start your research, and will help you organize your research plan.
Here is an example of a short description I have written out:
The topic of my novel is over how totalitarian governments have and will use propaganda to motivate and govern entire societies.
Once you have your unique topic fleshed out on to paper, you can begin to ask questions regarding your topic. Remember, to ask yourself the Who, what, where, when, and most importantly why. These questions will lead you to find resources.
📖 Question Driven Resources
📘 Who could help you with your research?
- Interviews, recordings, primary sources
📘 What information to I already know about this topic?
-Personal experience, photos, academic/non-academic articles you have already read about your topic
📘 Where is the setting of my creative writing?
-Maps, movies, even take a trip and walk the geography of where your story takes place
📘 When does this story or article take place?
- If your story is set in the past, use the Library of Congress to access historical documents, photos, and works of art to inspire your prose
-Here is the link to that resource https://www.loc.gov/
- If your story is set in the future, it is important to study scientific advancements that are currently being undertaken to get a sense of what the future will be like. You can locate scientific journals via your local library or via google scholar for the most up to date information.
📘 Why do I want my audience to know more about this topic?
- Researching the demographic of your target audience will ensure that your writing is tailored to fit your intended reader. The knowledge you assume your reader has on the topic will influence the type of research and the level of research you must conduct.
📖 Know It's Credibility
Although creative writing sources do not necessarily have to be academic, they still must be credible. Using reliable source will not only bolster your writing it will also make you look like a professional writer.
This checklist is a great litmus test to see if the source is credible or not:
📘 Is the source timely (meaning published within the last five years)?
📘 Is the website, author, and/or publisher reputable?
📘 Does the information found in this source logically flow with other sources in this area of research. In other words, are there related sources that tell similar accounts?
📘 Is the source written professionally with proper grammar and appropriate language?
If your source checks these four boxes, there is a good chance it is a credible resource to use in your creative writing project.
📖 Incorporating Your Research
Please do not put in-text Chicago-style citations into the final manuscript of your fiction novel. In creative writing, research is incorporated in the details. The point of research in a fiction piece of writing is to make the sights, the characters, and the scenes of a novel more accurate. Doing a good amount of research will also help to prevent writer's block because it will provide you with enough information for inspiration.
📖 Helpful Resources
This is a quick-list of helpful resources to use for your research journey
📘A website the generates citations: https://www.easybib.com/
📘Your schools online library: this is a great resource for reliable information
📘Encyclopedias are a great place to start your research journey. Although, Wikipedia is not seen as a scholarly source, it can be used to start your research. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
I wish you all happy research. May the knowledge you learn inspire the prose you write!
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