- Image via Wikipedia
Research is a hated word by many. Personally, I love it! I could do that and not write, believe it or not, and I’m sure that many of you are wondering why.
I’m a learner! I love to learn new things and will take on any topic to fill my brain. I’ve leiarned things I never wanted to know, like did you know that Tibetans put a tad of yak dung into their yak butter tea to keep the tea leaves together? They did, and I’m guessing the tradition is carried on in some rural places. But who can resist cool little gems like that? Or…
That the Dalai Lama lived in a room in the Potala where mice frequently peed on his head. Actually, it was on the canopy of his bed, but hey… Readers love cool little details like that in your writing.
And even if you’re writing fiction, you need to research.
If you’re writing about a real place and get a detail wrong, your readers will, know it. Or, how about if you’re writing about a sport like curling (which not too many people are really into in the south, but up north, oh boy…), and you get a piece of equipment wrong? Your curling readers won’t appreciate it, and I’m guessing that some of the real enthusiasts would read your book just because you’re writing about that alone.
So, don’t skimp. Do your resaerch! When I was working on a book, I researched six months before I ever started writing, to make sure I had the best details I could find. Believe me, facts, whether you’re writing ficiton or nonfiction, really bring your writing to life.
