How to be a Better Writer (For Beginners)

Research in Writing... What Is It?

Yeah, I know it sounds like a history project and you are researching historical events online and citing your sources yet, in writing, that is only partly true.

Research in writing is when you think of a question that may be a plot hole in your story. Research is making sure you are realistic and logical when it comes to making a shocking yet believable story... because, let's be honest, have you ever had a character survive 25 stab wounds to the heart?

If the answer is yes, then I'm sorry to break it to you, but your story may be flawed and seem ridiculous to your readers if a normal human being can survive that. Your reader wouldn't be able to take you seriously. (This survival is only okay if your character is immortal, able to heal quickly, etc).

My point, however, is that your reader will not enjoy your story if it is completely silly and lazy. Make sure your facts are right. You may need to research into Google if someone can actually survive 25 stab wounds before you go and write it and maybe the wounds are only minor and not life threatening.

Whatever the case may be, it will never hurt to look something up for a question you have for a story or just to get more research for a certain subject that you need to learn more about before you write about it. For instance, I have had to research lobotomy before writing about one of my characters who is trapped in an asylum.

Here are some more searches from my history for story researching:

"Can someone survive a fall from 3 stories?" - Yes, it is possible, but it can go half and half. There is a reported 50/50 chance of victims falling and surviving/dying. Another thing I have kept in mind is the ground by which my character will be landing on. My character will be falling out of a window and landing onto grass from below, which will be a somewhat soft landing, boosting the chances of his survival. This means my character will be able to walk away, limping and maybe grasping his shoulder in pain, but surviving.

"Boy names for angels" - I have had an angel but not had a name for him so I looked up good angelic names. I ended up naming him Noah.

"Why would a lawyer object in court?" - There are many reasons why a lawyer may object in court, though a judge can object as well as the witnesses, only if the objection is because they see the question being asked is unfair or a repeat question. There are many more reasons as to why someone may object in court, though I have found my court trial scene for my story, Ascension, will be messy and complicated to pick apart. Not only am I dealing with my character wanting to ascend to the Above and become an angel, he faces charges of aggravated manslaughter and many more murders from his past which may interfere with his hopes to ascend. I found myself needing to research a lot more on court to understand how it works and my special case for my story.

"What are the different degrees of murder?" - There are 3 different types of murder: first degree murder is a planned murder, a psychopathic murder; second degree murder and third degree murder are the more complicated kinds of murders. They are often mistaken for one another because they are somewhat similar. Second degree murder is killing someone with no plan to kill them beforehand. It is like coming in on someone you find is cheating on you and grabbing the kitchen knife to get rid of your boyfriend's other girlfriend. Third degree murder is no intent of killing from start to finish. This could mean you hit someone with your car and end up killing them even though you didn't see them coming and you tried to slam on the breaks to avoid them but ended up hitting them anyway. I've got to say, I actually enjoyed learning about the different kinds of murder and in no way am I going to be a serial killer for my search history looking like I was actually trying to get away with murder.

"What is a mistrial in court?" - A mistrial in court can be called when someone may be charged with the murder that they have been framed for and the judge finds this out during the trial and calls off the trial because the person is proven innocent and the real culprit is found. A mistrial can also happen if an important person who is part of the trial, like a judge or lawyer, unexpectedly dies and has to be replaced. They will call a mistrial and a new trial will replace the first.

"What are different types of amnesia?" - Just like the degrees of murder, amnesia also comes in different forms. Depending on if you lose short-term or long-term memories and if you are injured badly enough in your skull or brain, you can forget what you ate for lunch the other day or, in the most dire cases, your own name. There are multiple types of amnesia and I suggest you look them up if you are curious. This makes it more complicated for me as a writer however since my character in my story has been put under a spell to forget everything about his life, losing both his short-term and long-term memories and gaining a new, fake life as a demon. The effects are not from an injury to the brain or a mental illness, yet from magic. Thus, I am left not knowing my own chatacter's diagnosis.

"How long does it take for someone to drown?" - It can take from a few minutes to up to an hour for someone to completely drown. But, by looking up this too, I have discovered that in the few seconds/minutes of hitting the water and not being able to swim yourself above the water, you can start drowning pretty quickly. When you can't breathe air, your brain shuts down and you can become unconscious. With your lungs filled with water and your brain not awake to help your body react, your situation can plummet from there unless someone pulls you out and starts CPR. This was actually pretty unsettling and scary to find out for me. I didn't know drowning could have such drastic consequences.

"Style of ancient Greek architecture" - For my story Ascension, I needed a picture in my head. The Above was the heavens, above the clouds and the place of the angels. I needed to get the feel for it for myself. Looking up images of old Greek structures helped me create the picture in my head easier to write out the scenery. Also, if you haven't ever read Greek mythologies in your English class, then you may not know that in their time, they took their gods and goddesses pretty seriously. This is why I wanted the Above to represent the Greek structures. (If you're like me though, I personally hated reading Greek mythologies in my English class, haha.)

"How to manipulate someone" - No, I am not actually going to manipulate someone... well, not in the real world at least. In one of my own stories, I am having someone manipulate and psychologically play with someone's mind. (Since I am far from a manipulator myself, I looked this up). Ways to control someone are pretty simple and easy to do, believe it or not. First off, you've got to isolate the victim, which can be in a bathroom, apartment room, elevator, basically anywhere you can get them alone and away from outside influences like other people who may intrude. After this, you can try a variety of techniques to get someone to abide by what you want. Create fear within them then bring relief. This is like saying that your victim of the manipulation is in trouble and then following it up with a "But don't worry. I will protect you. I am here to help you." Make them believe you are the relief of a situation that they fear.

Also, make them feel guilty. A feeling of guilt will make anyone do what it takes to make it better. This can be followed by the favor you want them to do.

Bribery also has been proven to be a useful tactic to induce manipulation. Paying someone to go through with a difficult job for you can often get them to do it. Bribery can not also be money related. It's like saying to someone, "If you do what I say, no one gets hurt."

Use logic. Eventually, they will see your reasoning and give in to your demands. (Thinking of a ransom or risky trade helps me understand how  manipulation works.) It's like saying, "You wouldn't want to see your own daughter die would you? Of course not. Give us the money!"

Lastly, don't break character. If you break your confidence for even a second, the victim will know. They will see the flaws in your attempt to manipulate and turn the tables, calling you out for toying with them or could possibly make you the victim. If they see the vulnerable, soft side in you, they will know you are faking to get your way.

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Hopefully this helps you feel more motivated to research now. In fact, researching for your stories can be exciting and fun. Bringing your stories to life and knowing and understanding your imagination better by researching different questions can give you countless interesting results, I guarantee it! So go research!