Effective Research for Fiction

Alex has published three research-heavy books – two legal thrillers that incorporate existing law, precedents and legal practice – and a historical thriller set in German-occupied Paris. This session looks at how to strategically target your research and tie it to your novel's structure. It provides practical, usable tips so that you're using your time well and not falling down the rabbit hole of in-depth research or struck with "accuracy paralysis".

 

Topics include:

- Determining the scope of your research

- Assessing the needs of the novel

- Good and bad sources

- Structuring the novel and identifying research points

- Creating believable worlds through research

- The author's prerogative - when and how to break with accuracy