My latest epiphany: When it comes to research, talking to an actual person can be good for your blood pressure.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the world wide web as much as the next guy. It definitely has it’s place when it comes to research. But it also has its drawbacks.
The biggest one?
Online research can be a giant time-suck and there’s no guarantee you’ll come out on the other side with a solid answer.
My latest research mission? Life as a reporter in a big city and what would happen when this reporter becomes the focal point of a huge news story. I needed to make sure the plot points I had in store for this reporter were realistic and believable. But I kept getting vague or contradictory information. Even via email.
I was stuck. I was overwhelmed. I was ready to right click and delete the entire file.
Until I shut my laptop and went to a local news station to shadow a reporter for the morning. Not only did I meet a very lovely woman (Chris Minor from WQAD, Channel 8), I got all kinds of answers. Solid, reliable, wonderful answers.
She took me around the newsroom, the studio, and even let me tag along as she covered a story out in the field. I sat face-to-face with this woman, told her about my story, and brainstormed ways to work out the kinks. The whole experience felt like one huge sigh of relief.
Once I got over the awkwardness of, “Um, yeah, so I’m writing this novel. Can I ask you some weird questions?” it was 100% completely worth it.
Thanks to Chris, my story will be that much more accurate, that much more believable, and that much more nuanced. I don’t have to second-guess everything I write anymore. I can proceed with confidence.
3 Signs that it’s Time to Shut Your Laptop and Find a Real Person:
- You’re getting contradictory information.
- The more time you spend researching, the more confused you get.
- Even though you think the story could be great, you’re about to throw in the towel.
5 Benefits of Talking to a Real Person:
- You won’t end up on a wild goose chase
- You can trust the professional. You might not be able trust the Internet
- You can engage in a back-and-forth dialog which leads to new, exciting ideas
- You can ask personal questions you probably won’t find online
- You get to meet somebody new and get them involved (If you’re wondering why that’s a benefit, check out this post, Are You Getting Others Involved?)
Let’s Talk: Does talking to a real person make you nervous? If you’ve done it, can you share your experience? Which do you prefer – getting your information online or from real people? Why?