Story research

[Lucius]

So this is the place to look for – and hopefully find! – resources or information to support a plot point, setting or character within your story.

Here one can:

• seek opinion on a wide range of topics; and
• get advice on whether a plot point is feasible in real life.

What this thread is not:

• a place to discuss a fantasy universe; or
• a place to seek feedback on story ideas.

Do some basic research first. This is not the place for generic and impersonal questions – expecting others to do a Google search for you might well lead to LMGTFY.

But from time to time you have to go the extra mile. Sometimes LMGTFY just isn’t enough, and AI can be deceptive.

Make sure your question is specific. The more specific you can be, the more likely you are to receive the answer you need.

Examples

• BAD: Tell me everything about how French people dress.
• BETTER: What kind of clothing would people wear in Paris in the 1920s?
• BEST: My story is set in 1927 in Paris. What kind of clothing would a male upper-class character wear to a nightclub? What would he wear every day? What would he wear to the Opera?

Check that you’ve been clear what information your plot needs. If you’re writing about the Paris criminal underworld, for example, you probably don’t need to know when Notre-Dame was restored in the 19th century.

Be polite. Politeness includes revisiting the thread to review the answers and thanking people for their help.

[RapeU]

Oh, this is actually an excellent solution for a writer's block. Awesome idea.

(edit: didn't realize this was a generic how to use this forum sorry!)

[Lucius]

Oh, this is actually an excellent solution for a writer's block. Awesome idea.

(edit: didn't realize this was a generic how to use this forum sorry!)

That's all right, thank you for your kind words!