A long time ago, I wrote a children’s manuscript called Peculiar Plants. It was all about weird little shrubberies that did things that other plants don’t do. Most of them were rare, growing only in a small patch somewhere on the far side of the planet, so they were hard to research. And not being a botanist myself, I needed credible sources to vet my work and offer quotes. Back then, the Internet wasn’t what it is now, and it was really hard to find experts in the field, much less approach them with questions.
Luckily, the process is a lot easier now—if you know where to look. Kathy Klopp Cohen is here today to explain how, with just a few quick steps, one social media network can supply you with a whole list of experts in whatever field you need.
I opened a Twitter account some months back and had reservations about it. I already had Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon, and email accounts, so was it worth my while to also add Twitter to my day? In a very short period of time, I realized that YES, it was worth the time and effort—but not in the way I had expected.
While researching my new mystery, I ran into a dead end on one question: If investigators find a dog at a murder scene in someone’s house, what do they do with the dog? Nowhere on the Internet could I find out what would be done in this scenario. I employed Google, Facebook, and emailed friends but came up with nothing. Then I thought of Twitter.
I got on my account, searched for someone listed as a policeman/woman, and found one in my old hometown who seemed to be fairly active on Twitter—in other words, he seemed to get on his account at least daily. So I tweeted my question to him.
Two minutes later I had my reply. Just like that! In TWO minutes, I was able to consult an expert in the field who gave me the answer I needed to write my scene authentically.
I’m sold on using Twitter now as a research tool. And since research is necessary for all authors, I’d like to share the process with you.
Let’s say that you’re looking for the answer to the following question: “When a surgeon is performing a long operation—for twelve hours or more—does he take breaks to eat, and if so, where and how?”
1. On your Twitter account homepage, go to the “Search Twitter” box at the top right. Enter surgeon there.
2. That search will take you to a page called Surgeon. Click on the search box, and a drop box will appear with a fairly long list. Click on the very last option that says “search all people for surgeon.”
3. And voilà! You now have a long list of bona fide surgeons with Twitter accounts who can be approached to answer your question.
4. As with any potential source, it’s important to verify that your new contact is who he/she claims to be. As you search your list, take the time to read the individual biographies under their names. The information they provide should include their full names, the cities in which they live, and their places of employment. In addition they should include links directing you to credentialed web sites, along with contact numbers you can use to verify their authenticity. Read some of their back-and-forth tweets to get a feel for their knowledgeability in the subject area and their potential willingness to answer your questions.
5. Settle on a few that seem to Tweet fairly regularly, since you’ll need your questions to be answered in a timely manner. Then politely message or tweet them with your question.
6.When you get a response from someone, be sure to say, “Thank you!”
If you’ve been looking for answers to questions for your story, try Twitter. It’s very likely that you’ll find an expert who’s willing to answer not only your immediate queries but also any others that come up down the road.
Kathy Klopp Cohen is the author of three mystery novels and several articles covering topics of linguistic interest. All of her writing has required research, and she’s very happy to share how Twitter has enlarged her research sources. She has lived in Omaha, Nebraska, Germany, and the Washington D.C. area and currently resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota. You can check out all of her published works at her Amazon author page.
Becca Puglisi is an international speaker, writing coach, and bestselling author of The Emotion Thesaurus and its sequels. Her books are available in five languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. She is passionate about learning and sharing her knowledge with others through her Writers Helping Writers blog and via One Stop For Writers—a powerhouse online library created to help writers elevate their storytelling.
So what’s the answer about the dog? Now you’ve got me curious!
This is one of those obvious ideas where you think to yourself: dammit, why didn’t I think of this?! Absolutely brilliant –– thank you!
Great idea! Thanks for sharing.
Very helpful, Becca, thanks. Never thought of doing this.
This is AMAZINGLY helpful!! Thank you!!
I’m glad you find it helpful. Thanks for the thanks!
What a clear and cogent Twitter research process Kathy Klopp Cohen has outlined for us! I’m not a writer but love to do research. Thank you, Ms. Cohen, for giving me another venue for research.
You are welcome. Thanks!
This is really interesting. I’ve heard people mention Twitter as a good resource for research but never figured out how to get there (other that to throw my question into the ether and see if someone answers). Looking forward to giving this a try. I have so many unanswered questions!
I’m glad you’re going to give it a try. (I have many unanswered questions, too.)
This is one of the best ideas I’ve read. I do like Twitter and am active. The next time I need some help that’s where I’m going to first. Thanks for the ‘how to’ steps.
You’re welcome, and I’m glad you’re going to try it.
I’ve set up lists for the contacts I want to remember. For instance, I have a “police” list and a “forensic experts” list. You can’t beat Twitter for quick answers. Thanks for the tips!
What a good idea. I think I’ll set up lists, too! Thank you.
Thanks, the question is so great, I asked it on Quora.
I hope you got a good answer!
Interesting. I’d not considered using Twitter in this fashion. Might have to try this next time I’ve got a something tricky to research. Thank you!
You’re so welcome. I hope you do try it!
I love this! I never thought to use twitter for research. Thanks. 🙂
Thanks, Kimberly. I never thought I’d use it either.
Best idea I have come across in years. I need historical and technical help in vintage ice skating, carnival, lion training, and Detroit from 1920 -1960. This could be massive time saver. Thanks so much.
You’ve got some interesting topics to research! I hope this tip proves a massive time saver for you!
What a great idea. Never thought of this! Thanks for the steps too. Going to use your suggestion for sure!
I’m glad you plan to try it! I think you’ll find it useful.