The Importance of Research: Making Your Fiction Ring True

In the realm of storytelling, fiction is a canvas where imagination knows no bounds. 

Writers weave intricate worlds, breathe life into characters, and craft narratives that transport readers to distant galaxies, ancient civilisations, or even alternate realities. 

Yet, amidst this creative freedom, lies a crucial element that serves as the bedrock of compelling fiction: research.

Research, often overlooked or undervalued, plays a genuinely pivotal role in lending authenticity and credibility to fictional works. Whether you're penning a historical epic, a science fiction saga, or a contemporary romance, the depth of your research can be the difference between a story that captivates and resonates with readers, and one that falls flat.

Here are some compelling reasons why research is indispensable in the craft of writing fiction:

Building Realistic Worlds: Whether you're creating a fictional universe or setting your story in a real-world location, thorough research is essential for building a believable backdrop. Understanding the geography, culture, customs, and socio-political dynamics of your world adds depth and richness to the narrative, immersing readers in an authentic experience.

Character Development: Characters are the heart and soul of any story. Conducting research into diverse backgrounds, professions, psychological traits, and personal experiences can breathe life into your characters, making them relatable and multidimensional. By grounding your characters in reality, you enable readers to empathise with their struggles, triumphs, and growth arcs.

Credibility and Plausibility: Even in the realm of fantasy or speculative fiction, there needs to be an underlying sense of logic and coherence. Research helps writers establish rules, principles, and systems within their fictional worlds that are consistent and plausible. Whether it's the workings of magic, the mechanics of futuristic technology, or the intricacies of a secret society, thorough research lends credibility to even the most fantastical elements of your story.

Authentic Dialogue and Language: Language is a powerful tool for characterisation and world-building. Researching the vernacular, slang, idioms, and speech patterns specific to different time periods, cultures, or subcultures can elevate the authenticity of dialogue in your narrative. Authentic dialogue not only adds realism but also enhances the reader's immersion in the story.

Avoiding Pitfalls and Stereotypes: Inaccurate or poorly researched portrayals of certain cultures, communities, or experiences can perpetuate harmful stereotypes and misconceptions. Researching diverse perspectives and consulting with sensitivity readers can help writers navigate potential pitfalls and portray characters and cultures with nuance, respect, and authenticity.

Enhancing Emotional Impact: Research can provide writers with insights into the human experience, helping them depict emotions, relationships, and personal struggles in a way that resonates deeply with readers. By drawing from real-life experiences, psychological studies, or historical accounts, writers can infuse their stories with emotional depth and authenticity, eliciting empathy and connection from their audience.

In essence, research is the cornerstone of crafting fiction that not only entertains but also enlightens, challenges, and inspires. It is the meticulous attention to detail, the quest for knowledge, and the dedication to truth that transform a mere story into a profound exploration of the human condition.

As writers, let us embrace the journey of research, for it is through the pursuit of understanding that we uncover the untold stories, unravel the mysteries of the past, and paint vivid tapestries of the imagination. Let us wield the power of research with reverence and humility, for it is the key to making our fiction ring true.

So, the next time you embark on a writing journey, remember the importance of research. Dive deep into the archives of history, explore the realms of science and culture, and let the wisdom of the ages be your guide. For in the pursuit of truth, lies the magic that breathes life into our stories and resonates in the hearts of readers for generations to come.

Research, how it can be applied

Research can find us some absolutely wonderful ideas.

Several years ago I was researching some microfilms of news papers from Victorian England. A story caught my attention. There had been some riots and an Irish labourer had been murdered by a rioting coal miner.

From the reports in the paper -and some other research of contemporary documents I was able to put together the following story:

A Victorian Murder

In January 1848, 150 years ago Francis “Frank” Cunningham, an Irishman living in Wellington, Shropshire, died from injuries received on Christmas Eve 1847. He had been attacked, beaten and stabbed by a gang of colliers from the nearby mining village of Ketley.

He lingered until 12 January when he eventually died, despite the best attentions of Mr Steedman, a respected and much-loved surgeon of the town.

The inquest was held in The Kings Head public house in High Street, Wellington on January 14th.

From the evidence presented it is clear that the attack and murder had what we would describe today as a racial motive. -Although, in truth, it must be remembered that some of the colliers of Ketley at that time had a rather unfortunate passion for attacking anybody in Wellington, so it is probable that the fact that Mr Cunningham was Irish might well have been merely an excuse for attacking him, rather than an actual reason.

The collier who struck the fatal blows was George Taylor who was arrested the next day, Christmas Day, 1847.

From the evidence given at the inquest it became clear that on that night there had been a major dispute between members of Wellington’s Irish community and some of the colliers. One collier, Enoch Pritchard, was seen lying on the street with wounds to his head. -He had appeared to have been struck with an instrument similar to a poker.

Meanwhile outside The Kings Head, Frank Cunningham was found by his landlady Honor Fynan and fellow lodgers Mr and Mrs. Owen, a Welsh couple. Mr Cunningham had been mortally wounded.

Evidence was given that Frank Cunningham had merely gone outside to get a can of water. Unfortunately, there was a dispute between colliers and Irish navies in the street outside at the same time.

Although Frank Cunningham had taken no part in the dispute, collier George Taylor had crossed the road to where Frank Cunningham had been standing under lamp outside The Kings Head and addressed him thus; “You are an Irish bastard, too.”

Taylor had then struck Mr Cunningham. The only response from Mr Cunningham had been; “I have done nothing to you boys.”

He had made an attempt to go back into his lodgings but Taylor and other colliers had grabbed him. The others colliers helped Taylor to attack him, holding him down on the road. They also turned on Edward Owen, Mr Cunningham’s fellow lodger and attacked him, too, when he intervened and tried to rescue Mr Cunningham.

At the same time there was another fight taking place at Parker’s Beer Shop, which was also in High Street.

Whilst fellow colliers were holding Mr Cunningham down and beating him, Taylor pulled a knife and stabbed him “a number” of times.

The other colliers were horrified by what they saw, and one of the other colliers, Thomas Murrill, had taken Taylor by the collar and dragged him off Mr Cunningham. But by then it was far too late. Taylor had already struck the fatal blows that had changed him from a street brawler to a street killer…

When Taylor was taken by Police Superintendent Baxter of Wellington police the next day, on Christmas morning, he found Taylor still had the knife on him, and noticed that it was covered by poor Mr Cunningham’s clotted blood, as Taylor had not even had the sense to wipe off the blood.

Normally the close-knit mining community would have been tight-lipped and have claimed to have known nothing. But this was different. For Taylor had gone beyond the pail. He had murdered someone. And worst of all, he had committed the murder on Christmas Eve.

John Onions of Ketley, made a statement that he had heard Taylor boast on Christmas morning that he had been involved in a fight with the Irish in Wellington on Christmas Eve and that he had stabbed one of them.

A deposition by Frank Cunningham was read out at the inquest. He stated that he had no quarrel with anyone on the night in question and took no part in any of the rows, having; “gone out of doors for a certain purpose”, but could not identify anyone who had attacked him.

The inquest jury, having heard all of the evidence, decided on a verdict of “wilful murder” against Taylor and of “aiding and abetting” against Thomas Murrill. On the Coroner’s warrant they were committed to Shrewsbury Gaol under the custody of Superintendent Baxter. According to press reports in The Wellington Journal Mr Baxter had been; “indefatigable in getting up the case against the prisoners.”

Writing. How to find your market

OK, you know might know what you want to write about (I have already touched on using your own specialism to write articles about). But where might you aim your articles?

Firstly, go and take a look at the magazine selection in your nearest large newsagents such as W. H. Smiths.

Have a look at the magazines that re on sale. Computing, sailing, transport industry, cars, buses, writing, puzzles, communications, management, knitting, crafts, etc., etc. This will give you a good broad knowledge of what types of magazines are available for you to explore for potential targets for your articles.

Also, check your nearest main or reference library. It should have (budgetary restraints willing, of course!) a large collection of various magazines over a wide range of subject matter that it subscribes to. And don't forget to look on line, too. This research will serve a variety of functions. It will provide contact details and will also show you the kind of work that the magazine is currently publishing. You will be able to pick up valuable hints on house style, currently editorial requirements, etc.

Some magazines in the United Kingdom are now following the American trend and publish guidelines (send an SAE) which will let you know exactly the kind of articles they are interested in.

However, to properly establish the widest possible range of potential targets for your writing endeavours, you really do need the Writers’ Handbook, published by Macmillan. This book is a “must have” for the serious writer. It offers articles which offer guidance and hints on writing craft, how to work out what you can claim back against income tax (you’ll be surprised. I know I was!) and so forth.

It also contains a list of newspapers and magazines that are published within the United Kingdom. This is useful as the list not only gives full contact details for the magazine, including editorial contacts, but in some instances it also indicates what likely fees could be payable to the freelance writer or journalist.

There is also another similar publication called The Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook. Although the older of the two publications, I fear that, although still useful, the Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook is perhaps now not the better of the two.

The price for the Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook is approximately £10.00 and the price fro the Writer’s Handbook (edited by Barry Turner) is also about £10.00. Both books are available from Amazon UK.
You might not want to write for a magazine. Perhaps you have ambitions that are aimed at the regional press? In that case, it would be worthwhile looking at the website www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk This website contains listings of all the regional daily and weekly newspapers within the entire United Kingdom.

And do not forget www.google.com the resource of resources!

It also contains many useful sections including a database of useful contacts, lists of websites of potential use to journalists and writers for the regional press and many, many other extremely useful features. Including a section that offers the stuck staff reporter a whole host of new ideas for stories to present to the editor as your own! Yeah. Maybe it is cheating. And it certainly does help during a Monday morning editorial conference! It can also kick off some useful ideas for the freelance writer too, so do not be tempted to overlook this.

The website also contains lists of job opportunities throughout the regional press from court reporters to science correspondents and from junior reporters to editors.

There is also another website www.thepaperboy.com which lists newspapers all over the world, including in the UIK. This is useful if you are trying to establish which paper covers which town (for example you might have found out about a story that has happened in your town which involves someone from –say- Birmingham. It is useful to be able to know which papers cover Birmingham (Birmingham Post, a quality daily and the Birmingham Evening Mail) who might, conceivably, want to buy the story from you.

There are other ways of finding out about magazines that might be suitable targets for your writing. The Periodical Publishers Association has many magazines and magazine publishers as members. Visit the website at www.ppa.co.uk It contains a great deal of useful information, hints and tips and a host of useful links to other websites.

Also, go to www.yell.com and search on magazines, publishers, newspapers, etc. Do not use a location, allow it to default to a United Kingdom search, and see the variety of potential clients that come up. Some of then have websites listed. Visit them, see if they might require freelance writers. Or staff writers, as I have to admit that after several years of trying to sort out taxation for myself, that I decided to go to the dark side of the writing force and become a paid staffer. Much easier. I can still pretty much do my own thing, but get someone else to worry about PAYE and the like. There’s even a stationary cupboard from which I can obtain pens and reporters notebooks for work related activities!

There are also magazines for writers. The two best known examples are Writer’s Forum and Writer’s News, both available by subscription or over the counter at W. H. Smiths and a host of other leading newsagents.

There are some other things that you will need. The three Ps will help, tremendously. Persistence. Patience. Perception. Oh. And research. The same skills that help you research the subjects that you want to write about will also help you to find potential markets for your work.

There will be more from Be That Writer, soon.