Readers Aren't Stupid ... So Get it Right!

Nothing pisses me off more than curling up with a good book and reading certain bits of information, knowing that it's incorrect. In layman's terms, you've just read a book written by a lazy author. Writers...do your homework and never assume your readers are stupid. It is the ultimate insult to them. Yes, research is vital; it can be frustrating, time consuming, but more times than not, I guarantee that you will learn something new.

I had recently read a reader's blog wherein she was quite miffed about this novel she had just read. She'd recently bought a romance which had depicted certain medical terms, medications, procedures, etc. The author, unfortunately, hadn't taken the time to research her subject, and in the end, this reader, who worked in the medical profession, wrote off any future books from this particular author. One reader may not seem important to lose, but in the long run, who's to say how many others she'd share this information with.

When writing the first novel to The First series called Diary of Daniella Rolfe, I invented a city very similar to Seattle, so imagination fueled the information, giving truth to my words. The second book, however, my characters land in England, and some parts of the story moves to Scotland. I knew I could NOT (and would not) fool my readers into believing that I knew what I was writing about unless I researched it. Pouring over local maps of areas leading between London and Scotland, I researched roadways, names of towns and highways, etc. The third novel takes my characters to Seville, Spain. Again, more time consuming research to ensure I had the facts and "lay of the land" straight. Nightstalker takes place in New York. I've never been there, although I dream of visiting the city one day, but I knew I had to get these facts very right, especially the Burroughs of New York.

Words of wisdom to all authors: Research! It's the old adage...know what you are writing about. Readers ARE NOT dumb.