How I Research a Novel Without Drowning

How I Research a Novel Without Drowning

Research is seductive. It is warm and factual and never argues back. Left unchecked, it consumes whole writing seasons.

Three Rules That Keep Me Afloat

Rule one: research only what the next scene needs. If a lighthouse keeper is fixing a lantern, I do not need the full engineering history of coastal buoys — yet.

Rule two: keep a running question list. When curiosity swerves sideways, write it down and keep drafting.

Rule three: let the story tell you what it needs. The best research is often the piece you never knew you were missing until a character asks for it.