Using Primary Sources
Even when writing fiction, I find myself needing to do research. Whether including some historic events or figures, real places, or processes that other people might now, there is an element of fact in my fiction. Not to mention trying to stay true to Harry Potter when writing Girl in Red. When research is necessary, it’s critical to use primary sources.
A primary source is original research. This might be textbooks, encyclopedias, or their electronic equivalents. This is opposed to secondary sources, sources of information that may have been edited due to creative licensing.
One of the best examples of why it’s important is Hamilton. Even though Lin-Manuel Miranda did his research, the facts aren’t perfect. One example is in the play, Hamilton is confronted by Burr, Jefferson, and Madison about his correspondence with Reynolds. In reality, James Monroe, along with congressmen Muhlenberg and Venable, were the ones that confronted him. However, this would’ve involved introducing three new characters for this scene, which wouldn’t have been good storytelling.
And that’s the problem with secondary sources. When other authors use information, they have to tweak it for their work. Learning from stories isn’t always a good way to learn. Which is why when I began working on Skwyr Court, I didn’t rely on what I’d seen of blacksmithing, I looked it up. I found a series of videos of professional blacksmiths going over the basics. Thus, I was able to gleam enough to make it believable enough for the common reader.
In the end, the goal isn’t to get it perfect. Most people aren’t experts on history or blacksmithing, so it doesn’t have to be perfect. I only know that bit about Hamilton because I researched him (after seeing the play). But if you can get the big things right, people will trust you on the little things.
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