Blog

Story Research: The Power of Authentication

February 28, 2024

All fiction comes entirely from the author’s imagination, right?

Wrong!

Most authors need to fact-check or carry out some in-depth research during their writing process. Writing should flow. That’s why the recommendation to novice writers to write what you know about is such time-proven sage advice. Think of John Grisham. He practised law before becoming a fabulously successful novelist, focusing mainly on books in that genre. You don’t have to have to possess his background to write stories on this theme, but it helps.

It’s not necessarily the case that some genres are research light. We tend to think of sci-fi, fantasy, dystopian novels and parallel universe literature this way. Yet, it depends on the story and the author. Isaac Asimov, considered one of “the big three” founders of sci-fi, was formerly a research-based biochemist. He was known in his early days for spending countless hours in the Brooklyn Public Library.

Beginning writers sometimes fall into the trap of overdoing their basic research. Again, there’s no hard and fast rule. Some very successful authors recommend, and I would agree: Do your research . . . but not so much that it overwhelms your creative instincts. As a writer, you need enough to be able to carry your readers through the story, so that it’s believable and authentic.

Establishing authenticity is vital, and becomes paramount when writing true crime or historically-based novels. The settings themselves must be realistic and convincing, and the plot line should be true to the era. Crime writers frequently spend hours focused on police procedures. Those who are good at it attract a large following. Unless you’re an ex-cop or retired secret agent, don’t venture into the reality fiction genre until you’ve gained a good understanding of their respective trade crafts.

I’m a strong believer in writing stories based on a solid foundation of research. I feel that personal experience of the settings is important—and, if possible, being at the scene of current events. My recent trilogy starting with The Girl From Barcelona is a case in point. I spent time in the field, and like any good investigative reporter, I was present for key episodes in my story—for example, the October 1^st 2017 Catalan Independence Referendum and street riots in Barcelona. I’ve driven back to familiar settings in the manuscript to authenticate what my memory told me, and talked to eyewitnesses of events I’d missed.

Like most writers, I will sift through numerous online sources to fact-check for credibility and reliability. It takes a lot of work. Even when I travel in order to revisit important settings that I write about in my books, preparing the groundwork online is helped by modern online tools such as Google Earth. If you’re writing, for example, about an assassin at a specific setting, you’d better be closely familiar with the terrain. Your characters have to be convincing, as well as memorable and fascinating. In espionage thrillers, their behaviour has to be true to the realities of the setting.

If you’re a novice writer, give full rein to your creativity. It’s the uniqueness of your storyline that counts most—at least initially. The editing process will give you opportunities to revise your text. So long as you haven’t got structural weaknesses in your plot, you can go back and fine-tune until you have a manuscript that’s both entertaining and authentic. Of course, it’s preferable to get it right the first time. Until you’ve mastered that, place creativity at the forefront.

Meanwhile, keep writing!