Avoiding the Rabbit Hole: Story Research Tips

I’ve talked about research before, offering some general tips on how to approach the process effectively. But when I asked in the Stage 32 lounges recently what writing problem you’d solve if you could wave a magic wand, one of the responses was “going down the rabbit hole” on research.

I’d break this concern down into two parts:

1. Letting research swallow up too much time in the creative process.
2. Getting sidetracked into very interesting but potentially not very useful topics (which brings us back to #1).

So, how can you do effective story research that gets your creative juices flowing, and builds a compelling and believable world with compelling and believable characters – all without losing focus and jeopardizing your project timeline?

Let’s dive into some targeted tips that will hopefully help you avoid these research pitfalls on your current or next WIP.

Tip #1: Know Your MVP

Nope. Not your Most Valuable Player. We’re talking about Minimum Viable Product.

The International Institute of Business analysis defines the Minimal Viable Product (MVP) as one that “identifies the smallest set of features or requirements to deliver value to stakeholders and satisfy early adopters in the shortest time possible.”

What does this mean for us as storytellers?

This is actually an incredibly useful framework. It can help us avoid endlessly agonizing over details that don’t move the needle while focusing on putting together a draft that delivers on the promise of its premise.

And this framework is specifically useful when we think about the research process.

I was working on a pilot script recently that required some intensive research on certain skill sets and locations. I had a general idea of the kinds of details I needed to shore up with research because they are outside my immediate experience (or I needed to verify correct terminology, etc.).

But I also told myself that, for the purposes of this project at this stage of its life cycle, there was absolutely an MVP. I needed the details that would make the story believable and compelling, and I needed a certain comfort level with the arena of this world. I needed accuracy and clarity, but I also knew that I didn’t need to be the world’s foremost expert on these things in order to deliver a satisfying read.

Tip #2: Ask The Right Questions

Asking the right questions allows you to search effectively for the information you really need. For example, let’s say I’m writing a script about rock climbers, so I enter the search term “rock climbing” in my Google search bar, and I get the following top results:

1. A Wikipedia entry
2. Ads for local climbing gyms
3. A NatGeo article about the history of rock climbing
4. An article from REI on getting started with rock climbing

Some of these might be helpful for general reference. But what I really need for the scene I’m writing is a specific detail, so I search “What are the most common types of rock climbing knots?”

When I plug that in, the very first entry is an article titled “Essential Climbing Knots – The Complete Guide.” Exactly what I’m looking for. Research for that scene: check.

Being precise in your search terms requires you to think through the information you really need for your project. As a general rule, the more specific you can be, the faster you will get to the information you actually want and need.

I’m not discouraging you to use general search terms. Sometimes you need some background info on a specific arena so that you can get comfortable spending time in that world. But even that is a tailored search geared for a specific purpose.

The point is, to know what you need and ask the right questions so that you get to the best resources right away.

Also, I’ve found that quality is far more important than quantity when it comes to research. A few strategic and precise details are far more effective in evoking a sense of the world and establishing believability than details that are vague or too broad.

Tip #3: Recognize Resistance

You need to know your own creative process and your particular pitfalls. Are you the kind of writer who historically has used research as a kind of procrastination?

If so, think back to the MVP guideline above and apply it to the process. Ask: “What is the minimum amount of research that I need to get started?”

You might surprise yourself and discover that, if you’re really being honest, you actually need very little.

Getting to the writing process before we feel like we’re entirely ready also helps us avoid the problem of info-dumping. Info-dumping isn’t just inelegant storytelling. It’s also a way of hiding behind someone else’s work.

In my other life as a literature and humanities professor, I see this with students in their research papers. Some students understand that their voice needs to be the dominant one in an essay. They assert an argument and use the research to back them up, not the other way around. Other students give me essays that are essentially summaries of other people’s findings. Their voices and their own unique arguments get lost.

I think the same thing can happen in storytelling. Info-dumping obscures the story and your own voice as the writer, and it can telegraph a lack of confidence.

Tell your story first, then back it up with the research – and empower yourself to edit if you find that you’ve colored too far outside the lines for believability.

In Conclusion

Remember that research is a tool – a means to an end. Your goal is a compelling, believable story. It’s not a Ph.D.

If you’re waiting to write because you’re telling yourself, “I’m not qualified” or “I’m not an expert” – recognize that those statements are probably lies that Resistance is telling you. You decide how much research you need to feel confident and comfortable in your story world. You decide what is necessary for a compelling and believable story.

Should you do your due diligence? Yes. Absolutely. But always keep the end in mind. You’re pursuing a great story. Not an advanced degree.

So, as you consider your research plan, keep these questions either in the back of your mind or on a sticky note next to your computer:

1. What details do I absolutely have to get right for this story to be believable?
2. What knowledge do I need to feel comfortable “living” in this story world for a while?
3. What is the shortest possible route to satisfying #1 and #2?

Asking these questions will hopefully help to keep you on track.

Happy creating!

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