While being a full time student is many things, among them sleepless and half there while clinging to coffee cups, the most important thing is doing the research and putting in the work. I never realized how much I carried my research process over into my writing until the other day. My process is very much mirroring how I get through school. I never noticed it or thought about it until looking between two notebooks while sitting on my floor.

I was sitting on my floor (because as mentioned in my previous post I have no writing worthy chairs) looking at all of my homework,for my abnormal psychology course, and the work I am doing for my novels, it hit me. The pile I have for research and for helping me advance my writing is larger than all of my school work.

The notebooks under my desk are not just filled with stories. They are filled with hours and hours of research to build the correct characters and worlds. They are filled with an obscene amount of notes on how to write each section to the best of my ability.

I have more books on the writing process than I realized. I also have more books for keeping my mind going with prompts to keep me creative. Not only is research getting me through school, but it is helping advance my writing outside of school as well.

I love finding new ways to experience writing and all of my research has allowed me to do just that.

Now looking past the books filled with tips and advice I have another pile. This pile is growing and changing constantly. This pile takes my mind to other worlds where creatures live and what makes them, well, them. I research all types of creatures and beings to make sure I am doing whatever creatures I create justice. I want to create new worlds with new creatures, but I always want a classic twist or a classic being that stand out. Again I say, “Research is the key.”

I wonder if anyone else has a research pile some days. I don’t know if anyone researches as obsessively as I do, but if anyone does I would love to hear about some of your processes as writers. Is research as much of a key component for you or are you a by the seat of your pants writer?