Two important questions

Never underestimate the ability of writers to put too much time and effort into research. When the information is overwhelming, the writer may become stuck because he or she doesn't know where or how to begin writing. Many writers develop a thesis (or the main idea they want to support). But often, writers don’t know exactly what is the most important idea.

Anyone can develop a thesis and main points in two easy steps.

Step 1: After reviewing their research, writers should ask themselves what they believe to be true. The answer to that question may be their thesis. If, after researching cars, I find that the 1968 Charger is the best muscle car ever made because that’s what all the experts told me, and I believe them, then that can be my thesis. Use a declarative statement (what you believe to be true). Use one idea or thought to keep it simple. Here are some other examples:

GiGi’s café makes the best pies in town.

(Your home town) is the best (or worst) place to live.

Daniel Boone was a great frontiersman.

Getting an education is essential to getting ahead.

Honesty IS the best policy.

Florida beaches are the best.

The economy is improving.

Step 2: The next question is: Why do I believe that? Why is GiGi’s pie the best? Flakiest crust? Sweetest filling and lots of it? Biggest slices? Why do I believe getting an education is important? Why IS honesty the best policy? These are opinions that can be backed up with research.

Asking two questions (what do I believe to be true, and why do I believe it?) can serve as the basis for developing a chapter, article or nonfiction book.

Write soon,

Mary

When do I write?

Write your book when your research is finished.

Dr. John McManus, assistant professor of U.S. military history at Missouri S&T, shared an easy method for determining when to begin writing during his presentation at the Missouri Writer's Guild. It's a question he asks writers, and one that writers need to ask themselves: "How do you know what themes will be developed from a scholarly POV (or any other POV) if you aren’t finished (researching)?"

He said it’s hard to juggle all the research and writing at the same time. He believes the work is more distracted and doesn't provide the same coherence when writers try to research and write at the same time. The finished product is better when the research is complete before the writing begins.

Next question - How will you write it?

If there were only one way to write a book or article, then writing would be easy. But there are many ways, and McManus covered several points to consider as you begin.

- First, figure out your writing times. Do you have to work a 12-hour day and squeeze it in? If so, figure out time to work and stick to it like it’s a job. "All good writers are self starters, and all good historians are self starters" he said.

- Next, consider the point of view (POV). Writing from a distance, as an observer, provides readers with the big picture of an event, while writing from the POV of someone close to, or in the middle of, the action can bring a human perspective to that event. When we see everything through one person's eyes, we can relate to the actions and feel the emotions.

- Develop a chapter-by-chapter outline – it forces you to think and bring coherence to what relates and what doesn’t, forces you to make hard decisions about what to cut and what to keep. Also consider how your book will look. This outline forces unity and coherence. Each chapter that follows makes your point. By the time you’ve done the proper research, you should have these ideas. Outlines help.

- Organize material chronologically. Most good history is written chronologically. There are some exceptions in biography and other types of nonfiction. 

- Consider pacing, context, and sequencing to figure out how best to tell your story. How will the reader want to read this story, what will work best for him or her? If you are talking about the evening before, don’t give it away. Let the story unfold.

- Determine the format. What is tone? How will you refer to people - formally or informally? Will you use official titles like The Duke of So and So, or first names? Make these decisions beforehand for consistency, and you won't need to go back and change them later.

And finally, after writing your book or article:

- Proofread after giving yourself a little time and distance so you can look at the writing with fresh eyes.

Write soon, and let me know about YOUR process,

Mary

(Next week, a little more on organizing your writing)

I just decided there is a Research Part 2!

Just like every writing project, research is unique. I didn't feel like I covered everything I wanted to say in the last post, so I'm adding more information from the Women On Writing website article I did several years ago. Here's the link: http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/31-How2-Research.html

Write soon,

Mary

Research the Market, Research the Topic

(Part two of a four-part series on writing nonfiction)

For many writers, coming up with ideas is not the problem. But many ideas or topics die on the vine if there is no plan to proceed. So once you have an idea or a topic, what's the next step? Or, how do you turn this idea into a book?

Research the market

In order to ensure there's a market for your book, make sure you are offering something readers haven't seen before. Dr. John C. McManus, assistant professor of U.S. military history at Missouri S&T, said once you get the topic, figure out the feasibility about what you have, and ask yourself if it is new. He said publishers emphasize originality, and "the buff readers who have read all about this topic want to know what’s in here that they haven’t seen before. They want a different take, a different story. Publishers will also want to know what's original about your book."

After deciding if the topic is feasible, what is the take (the thesis, or central idea), what is the take-away (what insight do we gain from this work), and where does this fit in the literature that's already been published? Do enough research to get a proposal together. McManus suggested researching what's been done, and ask yourself what you think was done wrong, what was done right, and the kind of publishers who would be interested in this book.

He said history is for everyone. (I would add that writing any type of nonfiction is for everyone.) "Just because someone has a Ph.D. doesn’t mean they can write well about it," he said. "And just because you don’t have a Ph.D. doesn’t mean you can’t write it. Anyone can investigate a topic and write about it."

Your experiences may draw you to a topic. McManus gave the example of the history of Katrina, perhaps, if you have something interesting to add. Are you going to give your perspective on a topic that's been done before, or write about something that hasn't been published.  Military historian Robert Leckie wrote dozens of books, and he wrote using historical narrative. He told stories about a solider named Lucky, which was him, and his own experiences. "Most of us figure out the best way to write," McManus said. "There is no perfect way to do that. It’s up to you as to how to present it."

Research the topic

The first step in research may be to determine what will be required for travel, research, transcription, and writing. McManus suggested preparing a research schedule to determine the timetable. He said the timetable will help make the chaos manageable. He also suggested being honest with yourself. Only you know your personal work style, so give yourself enough time to finish the work. "Don’t skimp on any detail, but understand what it will cost you in terms of logistics, time, travel, etc., and know that if you plan for four months of research, and it turns into four years, that it may feel like a big mountain to climb."

He divided history research into three parts, which includes locations/events/artifacts, museums/libraries/archives and personal interviews. Because writers should have primary and secondary sources when creating something original, not just a summary, research is necessary. According to the Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University, "primary research is any type of research that you go out and collect yourself. Examples include surveys, interviews, observations and ethnographic research."

Secondary research would include journals, magazines or books. These works have already been published, and you may want to cite them to support your ideas or theories. Check with the publisher to determine the process for citing someone else's research.

McManus said the discovery process can determine which direction it takes you. "This can be the fun part. Be sure to have a broad umbrella. Maybe go to two or three places to find aids you need, like archives, libraries, etc.," he said.

Writers need to determine what’s in these places that you can check out. Which libraries are relevant to your topic, local or otherwise. Figure out where you need to go so you understand how the research will work and how long it will take. Also include research librarians. They know how to navigate the research process to reveal information you may not have been able to find.

He also said the plan goes out the window when you find something you didn’t know about. "(If) you find Civil War letters, or other things that are relevant that you need to know about, it may change your direction," he said. "But you may also decide that maybe this is something for the next project."

Personal interviews also might be an option. McManus said writers need to decide if they can interview in person or by phone, and if so, can they take good notes and transcribe? "If you don't have someone else do your transcribing, factor that in for time."

Research can be a major part of the publishing process. Don't skimp on research, and be open to new ideas or people. And finally, don't underestimate the word-of-mouth process. You would be surprised who might be able to help you when you let everyone know the topic you are researching.

Write soon,

Mary

John C. McManus is Curators’ Professor of U.S. military history at the Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T). This professorship is bestowed by the University of Missouri Board of Curators on the most outstanding scholars in the University of Missouri system. McManus is the first ever Missouri S&T faculty member in the humanities to be named Curators’ Professor. As one of the nation’s leading military historians, and the author of eleven well received books on the topic, he is in frequent demand as a speaker and expert commentator.