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Importance of Creative writing research

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Learn about the Importance of Creative writing research. Read this blog, you will find all the essential information that you require. 

Importance of Creative writing research in Academic Writing

I started writing this blog post partially because I was planning to write a novel on a historical event. I hope you find it enjoyable. I had no notion what kind of research I would require for my creative writing assignment at the time, save from a casual knowledge of museum and newspaper archives.

I met with my friend Liz Walker, who wrote a mystery thriller set during WWII (which was nominated for an award!) to discover more about her research technique. What struck me as strange was how similar it was to the research I’d done for most of my writing projects at the time.

That statement should be tempered in some way… While background research is essential for any works of creative writing to ensure authenticity and specificity, historical fiction demands far more research.

For example, Liz had no idea that Londoners don’t refer to addresses by their block numbers. After all, the bar isn’t three blocks away… The cathedral is only a few blocks away. As a result, almost 30 references to blocks were eliminated from her work.

For creative writing, there are many various forms of research that can be done.

If you’ve never written anything before, you should be aware that producing a high-quality piece of writing necessitates a large amount of research.

First. Learning the craft: First and foremost, you must learn to write. It’s vital to learn the vocabulary and skills of writing, especially if you’re planning to publish your work in a specific genre. This meant learning about the process of generating a mystery for Liz. She read a lot of Agatha Christie novels as well as more modern mysteries, which she really appreciated.

Second, practically every theme, from a sci-fi adventure to a fairytale set in another country, necessitates historical and cultural knowledge. Investigate pertinent literature, documentaries, archives, and other resources.

Third. Personal interviews: Interviews are a great way to get a better understanding of your topic matter. This first-hand expertise will infuse your work with the feeling of having actually been thereby supplying you with information about the region that only a local would know.

There are numerous minor details that can be incorporated into your writing to make it feel more genuine. You should, for example, ensure that your characters are clothed suitably and using acceptable equipment. This is how you’ll get the tone and voice you want for your story.

THE PROCESS OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

For many people, writing is a deeply personal activity. Each person’s research approach will be unique, and each genre will have its own set of study requirements. Most creative writing projects include a three-stage background research procedure, which is outlined here.

1. GENERAL RESEARCH

You may have a general idea of what you’re interested in when you begin a project, but you may not know which specific aspect of that topic you want to investigate further. Liz was particularly interested in how women fared throughout WWII. On the other hand, that is a pretty broad topic. Starting with broad research allows you to zero in on the specific features of your issue that you want to write about.

To help you start, here are some general research methods:

 Use a keyword search to find the topic in your local library’s catalog, then read as many books as you can on the subject.

If at all possible, try to interview persons who have first-hand knowledge of the subject; you might learn something new from their experiences.

 Attend documentaries, visit museums, and become completely immersed in the subject matter.

2. INDIVIDUALIZED RESEARCH

You’ll be able to perform more focused research on your issue once you’ve narrowed it down. Liz, on the other hand, chose to focus her research on the Dieppe Raid of 1942. Here are some suggestions to help you focus on your study.

 Read every book on the subject you can find, including personal accounts and collections.

 Look up previous news stories about the incident.

 Look for national and regional archives on the internet, as well as visit them in person if possible.

3. DESCRIPTION OF DOUBLE-CHECKING

When you start writing, you’ll almost probably need help creating realistic scenarios and providing facts. It’s normally best to keep writing whenever inspiration strikes, so just jot down any details you want to double-check later and you’ll be able to finish the study later.

When it comes to researching specific information, the internet is a tremendous resource.

Maps: Google Maps is an excellent resource. You can practically “walk” down the street to check out the shops and other businesses in the area. If your story isn’t set in the present, on the other hand, you’ll need to delve a little deeper into the past. The National Library of Scotland, for example, offers trench maps from World War I online. Other cities and locations have historical maps as well.

There are a plethora of websites dedicated to a specific time period or item of culture on the internet. • Clothes and technology: You should have access to all of the information you need about fashion, culture, and technology.

 Language: For historical authors working in a foreign language, the Google Ngram Viewer is a terrific tool. It looks through books to see how popular and widely used a particular word is. You can also examine and contrast the differences in slang and usage between the United Kingdom and the United States. Even if you don’t think you need to double-check a word’s spelling… To be honest, it’s still a highly amusing tool.

Google Alerts: If you set up Google Alerts for your topic, you’ll be notified whenever new information is released. Even after you’ve started writing your work, you can keep up with the latest news.

Keep track of all your sources so that you can double-check them later if required. Any books that you may find yourself referring to on a frequent basis should be purchased. Even if you’re working on a website, it’s a good idea to snap a screenshot in case the page goes down. It is also vital to keep a list of sources so that you can properly credit them in your acknowledgments section.

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