How much should a writer focus on research?

Research is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, I like to pay attention to little details and leave them as little treats for my readers. On the other hand, it is a fantastic procrastination tool that doesn’t feel like procrastination. The trick is finding the right balance between the two.

How I use research

One of my current projects is set in 1890s Europe. I have found period maps to refer to for cities and countries, train routes and stations, and other details relevant to my work. I have thus far resisted the urge to dig for actual train schedule tables, which I’m sure are out there somewhere. At this point, I don’t think it’s a relevant detail. I could change my mind later, especially if I get stuck on a different fact for the project.

Another of my projects is a far-future novel in which the most dire of climate change predictions came true. I spent months reading textbooks on climate change modeling, running prediction models (which only went out 400 years at that point) and speculating on where things might be in a thousand years. I picked a model for my world state and am running with it. The urge to update my models based on current research is strong, and I’m resisting, choosing instead to go with the world I have built as it serves the story.

These are two examples of productive research that I feel will inform my writing and create a rich, immersive world for my readers. It’s research that’s relevant, intentional, focused, and serves my story.

How I try not to use research  

There are the hours spent researching the precise shade of color for a flower petal mentioned in precisely one sentence. The days spent researching how a syllable I wanted to use in a far-futures language is being used across multiple languages, past and present. 

Spoiler: I think every syllable is being used by every language. I focused on not using something too weird. Looking through my search history, I see deep dives into the colors of the aurora, airship designs, and cuttlefish bioluminescence. All of these were to find flavor for a scene I was describing or a world-building detail. And all of them led into deep rabbit holes of “research” when I was procrastinating. 

If it doesn’t serve your story, it’s probably not worth researching. All it will do is take you away from the important business of writing.

I’m a firm believer in research. It adds credibility to writing. The trick is to know when to come up for air. You can always make another deep dive into research if you find you need more details, just don’t let it distract you from actually doing the writing.