The #1 Mistake That Novice Writers Make

What is the one thing that I have found sets successful, veteran writers apart from the rest?

They research well before they write. 

I have been a member of several writers groups in states and cities all over the U.S., including Colorado Springs, Indianapolis, and Albuquerque. As I became familiar with the various personalities and habits of my fellow writers, I wondered what really set those whom I saw as "successful" apart from those who seemed to be stuck in a holding pattern.

Part of my "research wall" for my historical fiction novel.

The answer wasn't that some had published more than others or that some wrote more than others or that some were more disciplined than others. These characteristics, I concluded, weren't measuring the quality of the writing. 

The writers that captured their audiences and left them wanting more, the writers who were excited to sit down and begin writing day after day, and the writers that seemed to have a much better time of making a living from their writing all had one thing in common.

They took the time to research their topic, subject, storyline in one way or another.

For example, two of my writer friends are science fiction authors. Writer A appears much more confident in discussing his projects, has very little difficulty sitting down and writing, is much more disciplined in his writing, and has a talent for making his science fiction believable. I'm not a science fiction person, but the detail and strength of what Writer A produces is enough to draw me in and keep me there.

Writer B, on the other hand, struggled for years to produce a book that could sell. He wrote all the time. But he appeared frustrated with the process, was often at a loss for where to take his stories, and his writing suffered from a lack of depth. While I liked the work that this writer produced, I didn't feel a need to keep reading, nor did I wait impatiently for the next installment.

During one of our meetings, Writer B finally asked Writer A what his secret was. Writer A asked how much research Writer B had done prior to writing. 

"As much as I needed to," was the answer from Writer B.

Writer A responded with, "Unless you're in the library or on a search engine, interviewing people, going to places and observing, unless you've collected a college course's worth of information, you may not be ready to write."

Then, Writer A pulled out a mechanic's book and a physics textbook from his bag.

"These," he said, "are references I always refer to when I write. Because so much of my storyline involves science and technology, I try to be as accurate as possible."

"But you write science fiction," Writer B replied.

"If you can't write science, you can't write fiction."

I believe this advice goes for writers of all genres. I'm a political scientist and a public health professional (not to mention a caped crusader by night), so I am well aware of the need for research in order to make writing rich and believable. But I had no idea how valuable my research skills would be until I started writing a full-length historical fiction novel.

Part of my own library - only three of the books on these shelves are fiction.

Subsequent posts will go through some of my processes of research for writing, but for now, remember these three tips for researching your story before you write.

Be organized.

Be thorough.

Be curious.

Now, get thee to the library!