Ready for Research

I love doing research for mywriting. Especially the kind where you get to travel to a new city or country to explore its streets and absorb the atmosphere. It’s even better when there’s a person to person connection and you’reable to speak with someone first hand to share their thoughts and experiences. I could talk to these folks for hours and have on many occassions. Their generosity in sharing is only exceeded by my desire to know everything they know.

So far, I’ve used our trips to Italy and visits to Pennsylvania and Las Vegas in my writing. I’ve wandered through Florence’s Uffiizi and the Tuscan hillside, explored Dowlestown, PA and its shops and restaurants and hit the tables in those glittery Vegas casinos. And, of course, Manhattan, where I live is fair game. I’ve also intreviewed a number of detectives, several FBI agents, an upscale art gallery expert and a few folks who know a thing or two about illegal internet gambling. Next, I’d like to travle to South Africa and speak with an expert on International diamond trading and maybe take home a sample or two. Well, that’s probably not going to happen.

Of course, with Google Earth you can gain geographic knowledge with just a click or two for a lot less money and without leaving home. And Wikipedia and other online sources have loads of information on thousands of topics, which I use all the time, as well.

What about you? How do you approach your reasearch? Do you really get into it, or merely tolerate the process? And do you, like me, sometimes use it as a stalling tactic to postpone your actual writing?

Let us know.


Visit me at www.cathistoler.com to read an excerpt of my novel, TELLING LIES and check in on my latest news and events.