I have a bit of a personal conflict going on. I have a story that I think I might actually be able to see through to the end, but to write it I need to research a particular profession. Unfortunately most of what I need to know doesn’t seem to be readily available on the internet (it’s there, but it’s pretty vague). I have been toying with the idea of simply asking someone in this profession for information, but the annoying bit of my brain that insists I am not actually a writer is telling me that this project is going to come to nothing and that I would just be wasting people’s time. To combat this, I was thinking about ploughing ahead with my first draft anyway and then asking for help afterwards. This way, when I approach people for information, I can at least say that I have the basis of my story down. My question is, is this a good idea, or should I have all my research done before I begin writing? Any advice would be much appreciated.
Tricky one... research is part of being a writer. Mark Twain famously stated "write what you know", but that could be turned round to be "know more before you write" (c: If the intricacies of your plot absolutely depend on the inner workings of a specific profession, then you owe it to your readers to find that out, on the other hand (and IMHO) what makes a story interesting is more likely to be the characters and their interactions than something like "how many years must an architect practise before (s)he can become a member of RIBA" (or the equivalent in your country), so - personally - I would say get writing and write the best story you can. If you want to add details that make it sound like an inside job, keep them in your notes and work them into the edits. ETA - and welcome, by the way (c:
My question to you would be: Could the research in question possibly alter the trajectory of the story? For example: A while back I was working on a story for which the plot included a leg at sea on an analogue of a tall ship. I had the choice of either leaving all the maritime data to the "extras" on set, since the central characters wouldn't be engaging in the actual sailing of said ship - or I could research the jinkies out of a subject about which I knew nothing and that I quickly discovered was massively complex and a whole world unto itself. You'll find supporters for both directions, but the question was which direction did I want to take. This is an example where the research would not have affected the unfolding of the plot or the characters. Its presence would have answered more to setting than to plot. What does your research answer to? Setting, plot, character? With that answer, I think perhaps you'll get more useful responses.
I would always say, see where your writing takes you. Always nice to get a project finished, even if that is the first draft (that is a huge achievement for most). I find that my writing inspires me to write more which is generally a big positive. I personally try to avoid anything that is a big distraction. If after a time writing your draft you feel the research is still necessary then go for that, but let your writing run free first, you need to see if it has legs!
I wrote a historical fiction novel, and I did an extensive research after the first draft. Surprisingly, the research helped fill out the scene. I struggled with every word to see if it was used in the 19th century. I’m a fan of James Michener and I read that he had a team of researchers for The Source. I would love to have a team but it's only me, the internet, and this forum
If you have access to somebody in the profession, I suggest interviewing one or two folks in the field before you write. Most people don't mind answering questions about what they do. You never know--something you learn from them might give you more ideas for where the story should go. If it turns into a major research project, then it's time to cut it off and get to writing.
The best time to start writing is now. You could start by writing sections which don't require specialist knowledge. I do my planning by writing a list of section titles. With such a list you could derive a series of questions for your professional contacts which are specifically relevant to the plot.
I research in the middle, cause it is easier to spend a few minutes getting your fictional facts straight, but I suppose I can see the edge to making it for the 2nd draft so you can fill-out the doc. Good luck.
