By Allison Brennan
There are several different types of writerly research, and I used all of them in my latest book, You’ll Never Find Me, the first in a new series set in Phoenix, Arizona about a family of private investigators. Even after forty-five books, research remains one of the most important tools in my toolbox.
Online research
It’s only a half-joke that the FBI probably has files on all crime fiction writers because of our search histories. But the first stop for most writers is the Internet. That’s just fine.
Do basic research about any subject you need to learn about before tackling the other research steps.
If you’re going on a ride-along with your local PD, be prepared. Know the easy answers ahead of time. (How long is the training academy? How are cops ranked or promoted?) Use your valuable time with the officer to ask more personal or subjective questions, like why they became a cop, what was their most difficult crime scene, or their funniest case.
For You’ll Never Find Me, I used the Internet for several research points;
- Google maps. Very important to know how far it takes to get from point A to point B so locals don’t call you out. I love the satellite option so I can zoom into the neighborhoods I’m writing about—it’s how I picked my main character’s residence.
- “How to become a private investigator in Arizona.” Every state is different, so I googled this and found multiple websites with basic info. I didn’t use any of the “facts” I learned; they weren’t relevant to my book’s plot, but I needed to make sure there wasn’t an educational requirement for a PI license because my character never went to college.
- Making sure my titles are correct. A common mistake in books is that the author doesn’t know what she doesn’t know. Case in point: in Maricopa County, Arizona, there’s no District Attorney. The position is called “County Attorney.” I’ve made mistakes like this—Is it “concealed carry” or “concealed weapon?” Is it a DUI or DWI?—which is why I’ll look these facts up, usually after the first draft is done.
And if you need specific information and can’t find it, reach out to people and businesses online. In my book Seven Girls Gone, I needed to know how big a barrel was needed to stuff in a body, and how much that barrel weighed. I went to a website that sold barrels but couldn’t decipher their industry shorthand. Then I emailed their customer service representative, who was happy to give me the information I needed.
Hit the books
Not everything can be found on the Internet, and sometimes you want to take a deeper dive into a subject. For this reason, books can be more valuable than online research. I’ve collected dozens of research books over the years, from DSM-IV Made Easy to Practical Homicide Investigation to the Book of Poisons to The Mammoth Book of Special Ops.
Building your own research library is a great idea. At the same time, you support fellow writers by purchasing their books.
Interview experts
I love interviewing, easier now that I’m an established writer. Before I was published, it was a lot harder — though I could usually find a friend of a friend who was willing to chat about whatever topic I was researching. In online writing groups, you might ask if others know anyone who is an expert in your topic.
Search and rescue? Flying small planes? Entomology? These are all subjects I’ve explored after being hooked up with someone who knows.
Many of my go-to experts are in law enforcement, and over the years I’ve developed contacts in a variety of agencies. But I started out the hard way: calling and emailing the public information officers if I could not find the information I wanted online. Because I know next to nothing about medical issues, I am thankful to have nurses and a doctor I can email with questions.
For You’ll Never Find Me, I interviewed my daughter, a Phoenix PD officer. It’s nice having a cop in the family! She helped me learn how law enforcement runs license plates, the information they have available, and how that search gets logged in the system. These were critical plot points for my book, so I needed to get them right.
The second person I spoke with for this book was Father Camou, a priest in a local Catholic parish. He had married my daughter and son-on-law and fit the demographic of the priest in my book. (My own priest is older and Irish, and I wanted to talk to a young Mexican priest.)
I read Father Camou’s bio before I spoke to him. Then I could expand on his past rather than ask questions I could easily get answers to on the parish website. Father Camou sat down with me and fielded questions on his background and his calling. I also had ethical questions for him; basically, what he would do in a certain situation.
Random encounters
Don’t be afraid to approach people and ask if they’d be willing to be interviewed. Tell them you’re writing a book and what you hope to learn. Not everyone will talk, but you’ll find many folks love to provide facts and details about what they do.
Be curious all day long—and take notes! Chat with the barista. Find out what your dental hygienist did before this job. You never know what you might learn. You might discover new ideas or characterization details. Or the information may be fascinating but not right for your current WIP. Store it away for your next project.
Take field trips
I’ve participated in the FBI Citizens Academy, shot at a gun range with SWAT teams, witnessed an autopsy, been on cop ride-alongs, and was a victim, bad guy, and witness during training scenarios,
Nothing’s better than hands-on experience. If I can go on a field trip, as I call it, I will. Not only because it’s fun, but I invariably learn something. As above, the key to getting the most out of a field trip experience is preparation. Make a goal of what you want to learn.
You’ll Never Find Me takes place in Phoenix, Arizona, where I live. But I wanted to immerse myself in the Sunnyslope neighborhood that I’d studied on Google Maps. So my daughter, who patrols that area, drove me around for hours and showed me everything I needed. It was great fun to explore the neighborhood where my character Margo lives. Now I saw it through her eyes.
Group brainstorms
While it might not always be thought of as research, brainstorming with others can be key to your creative process. When writing You’ll Never Find Me, I couldn’t figure out how a thief knocks out characters Logan and Jennifer at a house. I brought the set-up to my husband, who came up with a brilliant solution. Online I researched the idea to make sure my thief would be able to pull it off. And yes he could!
I have a select few brilliant people I regularly brainstorm with, which include my husband, my kids, and two writer friends I absolutely trust.
Develop your own braintrust!
You’re the expert
Many writers are experts in their field. This is great… but it can also be a problem.
Experts can be overly eager to share their expertise with their readers on the page. Be doubly careful not to over-do it. Too many details and equivocations can distract and detract from the story, or they can mess up the pacing.
Fortunately, I’m not an expert in anything so this isn’t a problem for me!
Show don’t tell
Research is important, but it should never detract from the story. It should not be obvious on the page. A friend of mine posted the acronym RUE on her computer: Resist the Urge to Explain.
As an author, you may need to know how to make a widget, but don’t explain how to make a widget to your readers.
You’re writing fiction; if you need to, you can make things up. But unless you’re writing science fiction, you probably shouldn’t suspend the laws of gravity.
My rule of thumb is that if an issue is plot-critical, I’ll do my best to make sure my research is accurate. And if the matter is not plot-critical? I may bend reality just a bit to make the story work.
Enjoy your research. It’s definitely one of my favorite things to do. After all, who doesn’t love to learn about the rate of decomposition in the summer, the average day of a Marine in basic training, or how to field strip a semi-automatic handgun?
Share your own research adventures (and helpful tips, please) with us on Facebook.
Allison Brennan is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of forty-five books and numerous short stories. Her newest book, You’ll Never Find Me, is on sale now. For more information, visit www.allisonbrennan.com.
