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One of the most important tools a writer can use is research. There are essentially two kinds of research: research that you do in order to become more acquainted with a particular subject, and research you do in order to check facts and/or validate your speculations. The first is done before writing begins, in order to create a feel for a topic and to generate ideas concerning it; the second is done during or after writing to make sure all speculations are factually accurate.
With a character like Lindsey, research can be very important. Lindsey is a complex character, and one that is characterized largely through his interactions with others. The only real direct characterizations are very brief glimpses of his personal life: we see the inside of his apartment; we see an average morning; we see his truck and his hands on the guitar. He tells Angel briefly about his life, his beginnings, in Blind Date. But many of these things just touch upon something; much of what makes up the character is outside the realm of the show, the realm in which we are familiar. You do not need all the information on Lindsey to write him, but in order to write him well, you will have to understand a great deal. Much of this understanding can come through research. What kind of things interest Lindsey? What is his job like? What does he do in his spare time? What is his life like? You don’t have to know everything about all of these things in order to write the character well; however, you should know something about some of them. The more you know about the character’s world, the realer the character will be, and the more effortlessly you will be able to empathize with him.
When beginning your research, it’s important to keep several things in mind, or else you’ll freak yourself out and feel more like a grad student doing arduous work than an author expanding their horizons. First, you live in the Communication Age. The Internet is an invaluable tool for research; that’s what it’s built for. You didn’t *really* think the Internet was around for the Frisky Watchers’ Chat Room, did you? As a writer, you’re exceptionally lucky; you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your own home to research. You don’t have to drag yourself down to the library and pour through dusty tomes of dull stuff; you don’t even have to put on pants. All you have to do is dial up. Secondly, you’re not writing a paper on any of the things you’re researching; you’re just trying to get a brief overview so you have a firmer grasp on the world your characters inhabit. And, hopefully, so you can write them better. When you’re doing your pre-writing research, you’re doing one of two things: either you’re looking for inspiration for a story, or you’re trying to flesh out an idea you already have. My advice to you is to focus only on things that you think you’ll need; also, for this stage of the research process, vague is good. Taking Lindsey as an example again: you don’t have to know how to draft a will – unless something in your story dictates that you do – but it is probably wise to know some general information about law: what is a lawsuit, what are the different aspects of a lawyer’s job, etc. Also, it is always best to start with what you know and to go on from there; a comfort zone is a good jumping off place because then you will be more sure of yourself when you start into unfamiliar territory.
As for the second kind of research, there is a saying: God is in the details. This thought is especially important to consider when writing, because you – as the writer – become, in essence, God. Everything you write becomes part of a universe that you control, and therefore, it is especially important that your details are as true and as well portrayed as possible.
However, you must also find the correct balance between being a writer and being God. A firm knowledge of your subject matter is good, but too much knowledge can stunt the story. What you have to decide is: which is more important? Describing the intricacies of a process, or getting on with the story?
Says author Christopher Moore, “Don’t stop writing to research detail that no one cares about. Specific detail that’s vivid, but spare, will allow your reader to fill in the reality you’ve created with his imagination better than pointillist detail that isn’t germane to the story. Tell the story now. Go back and fix the facts later.”
Researching is, as I’ve stated, a very important part of writing fiction. However, there is an added level of research needed when you write fanfiction.
The added level is canon. Since you’re writing fanfiction, it’s pretty much a cinch that your audience will be familiar with the characters and stories you are manipulating. They’ll also be familiar with canon, which makes your job even harder. Your readers, unlike readers of original fiction in which you control every aspect of your universe, will expect your stories to be an extension of the universe they’re already familiar with. It is much easier for your readers to trip over clumsy facts in fanfiction, because they already know all about what should be going on.
But not to worry; there are weapons at your disposal. For instance, when you’re writing around a specific episode, it might be a good idea to go back and rewatch it, just to refresh the happenings, scenery, etc., in your memory. In addition to this, the Internet and certain gods of the fandom have provided you with priceless tools: there are episode transcripts online. If you’re unsure about a certain fact – something someone said, or the name of a demon, or whatever – you can just zip on over to your neighborhood transcript archive and validate your hunches.
Now, it is important that you have a story that is as close to factually accurate as possible – whether your facts are from canon or from the real world. An error in your facts can draw attention away from your story; for example, I had someone comment on one of my stories once, saying, “It’s a great story; the mood is really good, but you have one mistake here, and it really just threw me off.” However – and I can’t stress this enough – the most important thing, in the end, is the writing. You don’t want a stupid mistake to stop the mood – like I did in my story – but if a quibble over some minute detail is going to stop you from writing, then don’t worry about it. “Tell the story now.” If need be, make stuff up when you’re writing your first draft; there’s always time later to go back in and figure out the average salary of an attorney or the hand positions for E flat diminished ninth.
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