How to Research Like a Novelist: A Fiction Writer’s Guide

Writing Tips
Written By Elizabeth Mack

Contrary to popular belief, fiction writers do not just make everything up. Writing compelling stories requires research! Research sharpens accuracy, helps craft believable worlds, and creates authentic characters and stronger plots. In this blog, I will cover how to determine what to research, find quality sources, evaluate credibility, incorporate research, and provide additional resources for continued learning for fiction writers who are just getting started or more seasoned writers who are new to incorporating research into their writing workflow.

How to Know What to Research

Knowing what you need to research starts with knowing your story. Make sure you have an idea of the setting, characters, and basic plot points for your story. Once you have this basic foundation established, ask yourself, “What parts of my story require research for it to be believable?” Depending on what genre of fiction you write, this can and should vary! For instance, if you are writing a historical fiction story about a Jewish girl living in Ancient Persia, you will want to research the time period your story is set in, as well as ancient Jewish and Persian culture, so that you can accurately portray your character’s lived experiences and the setting of Ancient Persia. Once you have established what you need to research, I suggest assigning a journal or notebook to use as you begin collecting your research notes. This will help you track your ideas in one place and keep your research organized. 

Where to Locate Sources 

Here is a list of scholarly databases that are invaluable for fiction writers’ research, and the best part is that they are free:

  • CORE

  • Google Scholar

  • Directory of Open Access Books (DOAB)

Here is a list of non-traditional sources that can also be of great value to fiction writers:

  • Documentaries

  • Memoirs

  • Interviews and podcasts

  • Museums

  • News and blogs

When searching within a database, use Boolean Operators with keywords to get better results. I have provided some examples of how to use Boolean Operators, based on the information provided on EBSCO Connect. 

  • Use “And” when you need both search terms to be present in the search results

  • Narrows search

  • Example: Politics AND media.

    • This will ensure that all search results contain both terms.

  • Use “Or” when you need EITHER search term to be in the search results

  • Broadens search

  • Example: Adolescents OR Children. 

    • This will include sources that feature Children or Adolescents in their titles. 

  • Use “Not”  when you need to exclude a term from the search results 

  • Narrows search 

  • Example: Civil War NOT American

    • This will exclude sources that focus solely on the American Civil War. 

    How to Know if a Source is Credible

After you have found your scholarly sources, the next step is evaluating whether they are credible.  Having a checklist to reference can come in handy. Consider asking yourself these questions when deciding if a source is credible or appropriate. If you are using non-traditional sources, not all of these will apply, but you should still keep in mind if the source is going to enhance your writing and reader immersion.

  • Author: What are the author's credentials, expertise, and experience related to the topic? 

  • Publication: Is this source a peer-reviewed journal? Do they have academic publishers? Is it published by government agencies or educational institutions? 

  • Evidence: Are data, citations, and references present? 

  • Publication date: Is the publication date current?

  • Bias: Does this source present a strong opinion? Are there conflicts of interest? 

  • Writing quality: Is the writing clear, professional, and free of major spelling or grammatical errors? 

  • Transparency: Are the research methods used disclosed to readers? 

How to Incorporate Sources into Your Writing 

When incorporating research into your novel, it is important not to force your story, characters, setting, etc., to fit the research. The research should fit the story instead. Before adding research elements into your story, ask, “Is this essential for my readers to better understand the plot/characters/setting?” If the answer is no, then it is probably extra fluff that does not need to be included. Readers want to feel immersed in the world, but they don't want to feel like they're reading a textbook. Instead of explaining everything, let your research appear naturally through the characters and setting. Once you have incorporated your research, you are ready for the final step- acknowledging your research sources. According to Gotham Writers Workshop, citation rules that normally apply to academic and research papers do not apply in the same way to novels. There is no bibliography or footnotes section required at the end of a novel. Instead, writers can include their sources by mentioning them in the acknowledgement section, which usually appears in the backmatter.

 More Information 

Now you are ready to start researching! For more information about researching fiction novels, check out the helpful links below. Happy researching! 

Sources used in this blog:

Elizabeth Mack
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