As fiction readers and writers know, it’s important to keep things as
accurate as possible in a book. Nothing throws a mystery fan off more when an
author clearly knows little about firearms. The same is true for readers of
historical fiction. They despise it when the author don’t know enough about the
time period they’re writing in to get things right.
Of course, when you’re writing fantasy and creating different worlds, you set
up your own rules and timelines, although even these still require a certain
amount of logic and consistency. While writing my first urban fantasy, I’m
learning that blending magical elements and religion into real settings and
lifestyles are still important.
I’ve read a lot of fiction involving witches, werewolves, vampires, and so
forth. Many of these stories incorporate a different twist on commonly held
beliefs about rites, habits, needs, etc, which I imagine drives the purists
nuts. As my Wicca instructor says, so many TV, movies, and books get it wrong about Wicca and witches, that it makes her cringe.
In my attempt to get things right, I signed up for a Wicca 101
course, which is being taught by a high priestess of the Wicca religion. I want
to better understand what I’ll be writing about. The course won’t make me an
expert, but it is a good foundation for further readings, meetings, and
interviews down the road.
At this point in my first draft, I have no idea how much of what I learn
will be incorporated into the book. Some writers write their story and then
research what they need to know. But for me, to move this story along, I need
to understand the basics so I can incorporate beliefs and practices from the
get-go.
Research is not only important for credibility but there can be big
benefits for authors personally. The most obvious is that your knowledge
increases—never a bad thing, right? If you research thoroughly enough you could
become an expert in a certain area and begin writing and speaking on that
topic. This could lead to more networking, more publication credits, and more
income.
The benefits of networking, interviewing experts, and volunteering in order
to learn—not to mention helping others—could also garner interest in your book,
adding names to your mailing list, and possibly gain new and unique outlets to
sell your work.
Embrace the research and see where it takes you. The rewards could be more
than you ever imagined.
