Getting Started In Doing Research For Your Own Book...

[Fedora Chronicles]

Succinctly: How and where do you start doing your own research for your own book?

Inspired by Nick Redfern, Ryan Skinner and DL Lawrence and their participation here… I’ve been going through my own journals from the past 30 years going back as far as when I was 17 years old doing paranormal investigations with my dad and while there are many different things we pursued there’s a greater narrative – my relationship with my dad and coming to terms with his past and secrets. I want to go back and check on the validity of some of the claims other people made that we tried to follow up – and I would like to know what resources you folks use to get other people’s info on paranormal sighting.

How do you know you have a good topic and have any of you abandoned a topic that you thought was great but didn’t work out?

How do you separate the bunk from the true/accurate news items?

In short… how do you do your research for your books? What’s the process or procedure?

 

[Charlie Prime]

The first thing is to decide and clearly define is why you want to write a book.

Do you wish to author the best book ever written on a subject?

Do you want the book to earn you money.

Those are two very different goals.

 

[DL Wallace]

Succinctly: How and where do you start doing your own research for your own book?

Inspired by Nick Redfern, Ryan Skinner and DL Lawrence and their participation here… I’ve been going through my own journals from the past 30 years going back as far as when I was 17 years old doing paranormal investigations with my dad and while there are many different things we pursued there’s a greater narrative – my relationship with my dad and coming to terms with his past and secrets. I want to go back and check on the validity of some of the claims other people made that we tried to follow up – and I would like to know what resources you folks use to get other people’s info on paranormal sighting.

How do you know you have a good topic and have any of you abandoned a topic that you thought was great but didn’t work out?

How do you separate the bunk from the true/accurate news items?

In short… how do you do your research for your books? What’s the process or procedure?

This second book was the outgrowth of the reviews of Ryan's first book. Readers expressed a hunger to hear more stories. So I reached out to Ryan and asked if through his forum he had that kind of content and we moved on the second book. As I started going through Ryan's material, there were great stories but not enough of them to produce the amount of content I had in mind. However, Ryan had access to the documents, interviews, dialogue, logs and emails/texts that ultimately blossomed into the idea that were to shape the book. As I read through the material, I made a list of all the places, names, events, etc., and started researching links. One invariably leads to another, and along the line facts and claims are either supported or found to be contrary, and then the fun starts. In this case, we were not guided by the validity of claims, but instead worked to find corroborating or contrary information, also from first person, and if not third person, sources, and then simply leave it up to the reader to decide. It works for this type of topic. To make my point, read Muldoon's claims. They are outlandish to say the least, as is the story about the boy who became a Skinwalker. That said, both sources include claims that are historically consistent and consistent with the mythology. As for the actual structure, I tend to write separate manuscripts, individual sections, and then bring them together. As I was writing book one, I was simultaneously reading, editing and formatting the transcripts that make up the other sections. Through this process I was able to grow ideas for the first part and keep things moving forward theme-wise.

 

[Randall]

Succinctly: How and where do you start doing your own research for your own book?

Inspired by Nick Redfern, Ryan Skinner and DL Lawrence and their participation here… I’ve been going through my own journals from the past 30 years going back as far as when I was 17 years old doing paranormal investigations with my dad and while there are many different things we pursued there’s a greater narrative – my relationship with my dad and coming to terms with his past and secrets. I want to go back and check on the validity of some of the claims other people made that we tried to follow up – and I would like to know what resources you folks use to get other people’s info on paranormal sighting.

How do you know you have a good topic and have any of you abandoned a topic that you thought was great but didn’t work out?

How do you separate the bunk from the true/accurate news items?

In short… how do you do your research for your books? What’s the process or procedure?

To pass along some advice I've heard from various authors, the secret is to write something every day. Then organize, refine, re-write, and write some more. If you do that, apparently over time a book will emerge. But it's harder than it sounds. I get going on mine for a week or two and then slide into some other mode. I have about half of it done. Ironically I also have enough posts here on the forum to fill a small book. What I need is an agent and a publisher to whip me every day and help me organize it all into a coherent package.

One of the most frustrating things for me was getting the formatting set in MS Word so that the resulting content was laid out the way the published book would read. On the flipside, today's technology makes it easier than ever to do the job. It's just that it's not a platform where the result is instant gratification. It takes time, patience and persistence. Getting sidetracked is easy. Trust me.

 

[Pigsinzen]

Succinctly: How and where do you start doing your own research for your own book?

Inspired by Nick Redfern, Ryan Skinner and DL Lawrence and their participation here… I’ve been going through my own journals from the past 30 years going back as far as when I was 17 years old doing paranormal investigations with my dad and while there are many different things we pursued there’s a greater narrative – my relationship with my dad and coming to terms with his past and secrets. I want to go back and check on the validity of some of the claims other people made that we tried to follow up – and I would like to know what resources you folks use to get other people’s info on paranormal sighting.

How do you know you have a good topic and have any of you abandoned a topic that you thought was great but didn’t work out?

How do you separate the bunk from the true/accurate news items?

In short… how do you do your research for your books? What’s the process or procedure?

I'd like to piggy back on your great question & ask another. For awhile I've been interested in researching cases in my geographical area (Florida, USA). Not so much to write a book, rather for my own knowledge & curiosity, and to share with other like-minded individuals. Other than a trip to the library or simple google search, what methods are available for researching UFO & paranormal cases specific to a particular geographical area? I've made a brief attempt at accessing the archives of my local paper and I plan to make another attempt at this when time allows.

I've often wondered how researchers and investigators become aware of some of the little known cases and always imagined it took a little luck & good detective work. I'm willing to do the work but does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks in advance!

 

[DL Wallace]

I'd like to piggy back on your great question & ask another. For awhile I've been interested in researching cases in my geographical area (Florida, USA). Not so much to write a book, rather for my own knowledge & curiosity, and to share with other like-minded individuals. Other than a trip to the library or simple google search, what methods are available for researching UFO & paranormal cases specific to a particular geographical area? I've made a brief attempt at accessing the archives of my local paper and I plan to make another attempt at this when time allows.

I've often wondered how researchers and investigators become aware of some of the little known cases and always imagined it took a little luck & good detective work. I'm willing to do the work but does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks in advance!

I would recommend the MUFON website. They have up-to-date archives. I find once I start reading, all kinds of information comes up and points to different links and sources.

 

[Sentry]

How do you know you have a good topic and have any of you abandoned a topic that you thought was great but didn’t work out?

You have to have to start with your gut. Start work and see if what you gather justifies further effort. If it's not working out, don't toss it until you see if there is a better way to use or present the material.

How do you separate the bunk from the true/accurate news items?

That's difficult. Try to use primary sources, instead of news stories. Go in with the expectation that the articles you find will contain errors- they will.

In short… how do you do your research for your books? What’s the process or procedure?

Once you have your area of interest, treat the topic like a crime mystery. Establish a chronology and trace the players' movements and actions up to and through the events. Once this is done, you'll see where the holes are in the story and it'll lead you to the areas where you need to dig.

 

[Pigsinzen]

I would recommend the MUFON website. They have up-to-date archives. I find once I start reading, all kinds of information comes up and points to different links and sources.

I appreciate the suggestion and I'll check it out today.

Ironically I just queued up a random episode from the Paracast archives and get this, the guest is Jason Offut & the topic is investigating cases in your own backyard within 100 miles of your home. A strange synchronicity no doubt..