Researching The Contemporary Novel

Question: What kinds of research do you do for your contemporary novels?

Research is part of every novel. Clearly historical, complex thrillers and mysteries, and medical novels need much research, but as an author of contemporary fiction, I do a tremendous amount of research as well while using a variety of techniques.

Setting is one place I research. I prefer to visit the location, because I like to include real streets and real places if possible. Sometimes I give them fictional names, but I leave enough elements in place for the reader who lives in the area to know a store or restaurant. If I can’t visit an area, I interview people who live there. I contact the Chamber of Commerce for brochures and information about the community. I use travel books that provide details that I've gathered from travel agents or borrow them from the library. I also use the Internet to learn about the flora and fauna, birds, weather, business/employment opportunities, special community events, the local newspaper’s name, and anything else that comes to mind.

I'm not shy about calling strangers to ask for information. I've called stores in various locations to learn if they sell clothes for teenagers. I've called specific hospitals to learn if they have double rooms or only single or to find out if the birthing rooms have the mothers and babies together for the full day. I've called cities to learn where there Fourth of July parade begins and ends.

I've found people excited to share information and I try to include the names of those who've helped me in the acknowledgements of the book and I also send them a complimentary autographed copy when the book is released.

When I give my characters a specific career, I speak with people who are employed in those positions. I want to know the lingo, the idiosyncrasies of the job, names of the tools or equipment they use, hours they work, peculiarities about their positions, and anything else that will help me make the novel realistic and to avoid errors. For example, if you've been to a hospital in the last few year, you'll know that the staff works twelve hour shifts in many cases and then have extra days off. Often careers align to certain personality types so learn all you can about the attributes of the person you interview to give them to your character. Engineers want clear, precise details and facts. They want to see timelines and therefore tend to chart and graph their lives.

When characters are involved in interests or you need details beyond your experience, it is necessary to research this information. In my first two Loving Series novels, many scenes included sailboats and sailing. I had only sailed once, so I read books about sailing. On the Internet, I researched real life experiences written by people who sail, and I interviewed individuals who are knowledgeable in sailing. I even asked these people to critique the chapters that included scenes on a sailboat to make sure I used the proper lingo.

When I wrote a medical suspense story, I contacted two doctors—one an ER physician and the other a surgeon—to provide me with the facts and jargon of doctors. I also had three nurses provide me with nursing information—what things are called, kinds of medication used, and a host of other questions.

In some of my suspense novels, I interviewed detectives and police officers to learn about phone taping, crime investigations, procedures, and any other information I needed to make the novel accurate and real.

Interviewing and experience are two of the best forms of research, but the Internet can also provide information as well as books written for writers on the topics you need. You'll be wise when using the Internet or books to make sure you find the same information at least three times to assume it's accurate. Where ever you travel, keep good notes, take photographs and collect brochures. You never know when you’ll be able to use the information in a novel.