Do you research before you start writing?

[bryanzz1]

Yes, research is crucial before starting any writing project. It helps gather accurate information, understand the topic deeply, and ensure credibility in your content. Proper research allows you to structure your ideas more clearly and provide value to the reader. It also helps in discovering fresh perspectives and supporting your arguments with facts, making your writing more insightful and authoritative.

 

[Henrywrites]

I can't be very good at writing and confident about it unless I have done some research on the topic. That is what is going to give me an idea of how I am going to write. Trust me, that has been the way that I've been getting better for years now.

 

[Kennysplash]

I don’t think any writing can be done without doing adequate research. If one is not able to make research then one cannot be a prolific writer.

 

[fdk]

Research is important sure - but myself, a lot of the time I simply won't write on a topic that I know absolutely nothing about.

Absolutely, if I have some knowledge on the topic but want to check my facts or figures before posting about something, that's a valid form of research - but I don't think I'd go out of my way to research a particular topic just in order to write about it, whether that be on a forum or some other medium... unless it was a topic that interested me already, of course.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

Something I have gotten myself into the habit of doing is always researching the topic I will be writing about before I start writing. I find if I research the topic first, I can provide more detail that is right in a quicker time than I would if I researched whilst writing.

When you write, do you prefer to research first or during?

Oh yeah.

I have a strategy when it comes to getting on page one of search engines.

Part of it requires research otherwise what's the point?

 

[Scorpion (Girl)]

When I write, I like to research first. It helps me collect important information and understand the topic well.

 

[Cpvr]

It depends what I’m writing about and if the subject requires further research.

However, a lot of times I like to read books and come up with different ideas & concepts.

Oh yeah.

I have a strategy when it comes to getting on page one of search engines.

Part of it requires research otherwise what's the point?

Competitor research is vital, especially when it comes to understanding how they’re ranking, from backlink analysis to keyword structure. It’s also important to identify which keywords have the highest search volume and which ones are likely to drive the most monthly traffic.

 

[Senkusha]

Yes! I'm in the process of creating a new fan fiction, and although I've got a great idea, I know that the characters really need to be spot on for this to work. I'm involving a character I'm somewhat unfamiliar with, Sasami from Tenchi Muyo, specifically the Magical Girl variant from Pretty Sammy/Magical Project S. Now while I don't mind sitting down to watch the anime involved, and dig out my Japanese dictionaries, I'd prefer to just sit down and begin writing, but I'd be doing a disservice to the fan base of the characters, genre, and to the overall story itself.

I've looked at using AI to help me summarize the characters, but AI just isn't there yet, and I've already found several flaws with it's "research" that have the character's personality flat out wrong, and this is only after watching five episodes. However, I will keep using the AI to help with outlining and general brainstorming whenever I run into Writers Block.

Granted, this is within a fictional environment, so I could just argue that I don't need to research anything and just make everything up as I go, but, as I pointed out above, that's doing a disservice. Research is even more important when writing non-fictional works. You need facts to back up what you're talking about. And nobody enjoys misinformation being spouted to them.