A post on Writers Write shares six research tips from Lisa Genova, an American neuroscientist and author of Still Alice.
- Do your homework before you involve other people. You don’t want to waste your time or theirs, especially if a professional or expert has kindly agreed to spend some time with you. Don’t ask questions when you can find the answers online.
- Don’t be afraid to ask. Asking a complicated question of a famous person might feel intimidating or greedy, but if you don’t ask, you’ll never receive. Genova says that most people will say yes.
- Create an interview guide. “Begin your interview with a planned set of well-conceived questions,” Genova says. You can deviate from your list as answers to your early questions raise new topics. Always end the interview by asking your expert if there’s anything you haven’t thought to ask.
- Do your interviews in person whenever possible. In-person conversations will let you pick up on details you won’t get over the phone or email, such as setting, body language, and atmosphere.
- Research is not your new career. You can research forever, but you only need to know enough for your story. Eventually, you have to stop researching and start writing.
- Do not show your readers any of this. “Resist any urge you have to show off how much you know, any guilty obligation you might feel to not waste all that good stuff,” Genova says. “Only use what’s relevant to STORY and in such a way that makes sense given the story’s voice and point of view.”
