Researching can be fun!
Yes, information is another one of my weak points. I used to ask myself this very question: do you have to research everything for a novel? Well, the direct answer is yes, and no. It all depends on where you want your novel to take place.
Learning about different landscapes can be easy and tricky at the same time. Climate and landmarks; these nasty bugs are always trying to rip the rug right out from under us. Medieval? Cottages? Castles? Or do you want it to be more modern, with neighborhoods and schools with transportation? Research is vital for both, especially if you want to place your story somewhere you've never been. I suggest reading books more than researching on the internet. The internet is just a black hole waiting to suck you in. Trust me...I've gotten lost on Tumblr and Twitter so many times.
What you don't have to research is the rules for your fantasy world. I admire this the most. Sitting here my computer, I can blab all day on what you can do to create your rules, but there really is only a few things to say. Your rules are your own. There must be consequences with everything your world can do, but there must also be positive outcomes. For example, if you apply the quote "for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction", you will find that the rules of the world you create are much richer in substance. With my own projects, I am dealing with working out the levels of magick in my world and what will happen if magick is used. The ranks of the races throughout the story are important as well. Everything must counteract each other.
I am currently researching multiple types of cultures that I can use to influence the paranormal creatures of my Shadows Series' first book, His Mate, and I am finding out that I was never really prepared to fully go through with this. I didn't have the fae detailed down into every single category I could think of. For the races...I really have to think about how they are made, to even their religion. Even though I have it all mapped out now, I still have to work on the other races in the book. The different types of cultures are going to be brought up in His Mate several times.
The history of the world you create is the most important, though. Without a history, your world cannot come to life. It will feel like it was just thrown onto the page. The history in your books needs to be full of life and interesting plot twists, leading up to why things have happened in your novel.
And most importantly, have fun! Writing stories is the most fun anyone can have! Sure, research may sound boring, but when you get to the writing stage, things can change for the better. You will fly through everything that's happening and be thankful you don't have to stop and research something every couple of minutes.
If anyone is interested, I can post a blog dedicated to what you must research.
Learning about different landscapes can be easy and tricky at the same time. Climate and landmarks; these nasty bugs are always trying to rip the rug right out from under us. Medieval? Cottages? Castles? Or do you want it to be more modern, with neighborhoods and schools with transportation? Research is vital for both, especially if you want to place your story somewhere you've never been. I suggest reading books more than researching on the internet. The internet is just a black hole waiting to suck you in. Trust me...I've gotten lost on Tumblr and Twitter so many times.
What you don't have to research is the rules for your fantasy world. I admire this the most. Sitting here my computer, I can blab all day on what you can do to create your rules, but there really is only a few things to say. Your rules are your own. There must be consequences with everything your world can do, but there must also be positive outcomes. For example, if you apply the quote "for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction", you will find that the rules of the world you create are much richer in substance. With my own projects, I am dealing with working out the levels of magick in my world and what will happen if magick is used. The ranks of the races throughout the story are important as well. Everything must counteract each other.
I am currently researching multiple types of cultures that I can use to influence the paranormal creatures of my Shadows Series' first book, His Mate, and I am finding out that I was never really prepared to fully go through with this. I didn't have the fae detailed down into every single category I could think of. For the races...I really have to think about how they are made, to even their religion. Even though I have it all mapped out now, I still have to work on the other races in the book. The different types of cultures are going to be brought up in His Mate several times.
The history of the world you create is the most important, though. Without a history, your world cannot come to life. It will feel like it was just thrown onto the page. The history in your books needs to be full of life and interesting plot twists, leading up to why things have happened in your novel.
And most importantly, have fun! Writing stories is the most fun anyone can have! Sure, research may sound boring, but when you get to the writing stage, things can change for the better. You will fly through everything that's happening and be thankful you don't have to stop and research something every couple of minutes.
If anyone is interested, I can post a blog dedicated to what you must research.
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