Refined

After finishing a humongous writing project, I wondered which story to take on next. Oh yes, definitely, at least fifty ideas popped in my mind...BUT

Only one lingered.

The characters called to me from afar. Their voices barely audible. In fact, they sounded muffled. 

A character called out again, "Me. Help me. Please."

I recognized his voice. He lives in a story I'd shelved long ago. Buried beneath the dust in the drawer. Suffocating in the stifling air. "I can improve. I promise! Just please get me out of here." 

He did not deserved to be rescued. Why I bothered to let the ink fade instead of letting the trash man haul the measly creation not worthy of a binding, I didn't know before this moment.

There are and were rules to refinement. Rules meant to be followed and never broken. The story had been nurtured, given time to grow, and taught the proper acceptable ways, yet it waxed sentences with poor structure, repetition, inferior writing unworthy of the reading populace. Had it not been for the one or two redeeming components, the MC would have never graced a ray of light again.

But today the story called out. Begging for a second chance. 

Did it deserve a moment's glance? Schedules were made for a reason. Deviation is weak. Still, the voice called. 

1. Would the words conform to new teachings learned at conferences, from books, and critique partners and become refined? 
2. Would the audience intrigued by this genre long to welcome it's pages?
3. Is there enough of a foundation to rebuild a solid story or has the wind blown away too much declaring the substance to be nothing more than chaff?
4. Do the characters and their plight still tug at the heart robbing writer of sleep until the story finally becomes refined?

The answer is yes.

While this story babbled in infant stage, a writer I'd not personally met before, read chapters. She laughed, saw potential, and invited me to join a writing group and become a contributor.

A school teacher in another state read the story. She read it to her students for several years.

An editor took the story to her publishing house where, after a step or two, the manuscript was rejected. 

Face it, MC, the story is the ugly duckling's twin. 

"But I have redeeming qualities. I'm ready to tell the story to readers."

You're saying pride won't stand in the way of refinement?

"Yes. You'll see. I've changed and am ready and willing to stand the test of refining."

You realize all the words will be crushed. Reformed. No glue can repair what is needed. Pages will turn white and new ink will stain the paper. The story will change. You will change. You will be refined.

"Yes. I understand. I'm ready." He offered me a cup of tea and grinned. "I'm ready. Do your worst."

Mark my word, I will. 

I set the pathetic words on my writing palette and read, cringing at the sentences and the flow. What flow? Who was this supposed writer pretending to use my name and claiming this was a good story all those years ago?

I crushed the story, keeping only the core plot, main theme, and characters. The despicable skeletons shaming this story were pulverized into dust. 

No fear. 

Refine.

MC's story would no longer please my selfish spirit, but would grace the hearts of readers with poise, witticism, action, courage, and victory.

And become refined

So Alley friend, do you have a story shoved in the back of your drawer begging to be refined? You've learned a lot since then. Is this the next story waiting for your pen?

Photo Courtesy

I can't wait to read your comment(s)!

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Mary Vee -  Rock climbing, white-water rafting, zip lining, and hiking top Mary's list of great ways to enjoy a day. These activities require lots of traveling, which is also tops on her list. For some crazy reason, the characters in Mary’s young adult mystery/suspense fiction stories don’t always appreciate the dangerous and often scary side of her favorite activities. Unbelievable.

Mary studies marketing and writing skills, and pens missionary and retellings of Bible stories on her ministry blog, God Loves Kids. She has been a finalist in several writing contests.

Visit Mary at her website, blog, and her ministry blog to families: God Loves Kids. Or chat on Facebook or Twitter

Mary has a new release. A Virtual Tour of Italy. If you have ever gone to Italy, plan to go, or wish you could, this virtual tour will take you there. Color photos. Videos. And more! Click here to learn more

All subscribers to Mary's newsletter will receive her novella, an intriguing suspense/mystery. Come, read a good story. To get your free gift, sign up for the newsletter at Mary's website  Never Give Up Stories. Join the adventure!

GUEST POST: Marie Benedict, Author of The Other Einstein

Excited to feature debut author Marie Benedict here! Rave reviews have come in for THE OTHER EINSTEIN from PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY, ROMANTIC TIMES BOOK REVIEWS, KIRKUS and BOOKLIST, among others. I was intrigued by the subject of this book, Einstein's brilliant wife, an acclaimed physicist in her own right and a contributor to the theory of relativity. Research is an important part of the writing process for all of us and  Marie's guest post is a fascinating look into her journey. -Julia

Research. Careworn, leather-bound books piled around me. Copies of letters and pictures too delicate for libraries to loan stacked around me. Arcane scholarly articles brightened with post-it notes. This image of getting knee-deep in research draws me to historical fiction. But I know it would give many people the shivers.

For me, falling into the rabbit-hole of the past is one of the primary lures of authoring books like THE OTHER EINSTEIN. In writing this book, I stepped into the academic world of nineteenth-century Switzerland, where Mileva Maric, Albert Einstein’s first wife, studied physics after making a heroic ascent from the far reaches of the Austro-Hungarian Empire where it was illegal for girls to attend high school. To make that transition, however, I had to immerse myself into the challenges faced by girls and women in this time period, the ever-changing science and politics of fin-de-siecle Europe, and most of all, the tumultuous scientific and romantic partnership of Albert Einstein and Mileva Maric.

But how to research a relationship, once very real but now long past? While still keeping in mind that I’m writing fiction?

While many biographies of Albert Einstein and his life exist (among them the wonderful EINSTEIN IN LOVE by Dennis Overbye), for all aspects of my research—especially for an aspect as intimate as a relationship—I seek out original source material. Not the words of a historian but the words of the historical person themselves, if I can find them. This was particularly important in researching THE OTHER EINSTEIN because, while the book is unequivocally Mileva’s story, her relationship with Albert figures prominently in it. I did not want to rely only on anecdotal stories nor did I want to base my story exclusively on another historian’s interpretation of what might have passed between them.

Fortunately, I came across ALBERT EINSTEIN/MILEVA MARIC: THE LOVE LETTERS by Jurgen Renn and Robert Schulman. This compilation of the letters between Albert and Mileva spans the beginning of their relationship in 1897—when they were classmates only—through the early years of their marriage in 1903, and it was discovered in 1986 with the assistance of Albert’s granddaughter Evelyn Einstein. The letters reveal the young lovers to be enamored of one another and with science—physics and mathematical developments figure prominently in their conversations—and uncover the rather challenging early years of their marriage. In reading the young couple’s own words, I could envision the youthful, mercurial Albert and simultaneously brilliant and insecure Mileva. And in my mind’s eye, I could see the unfolding of their relationship in a way that no secondary re-telling could ever convey.

Filling in the gaps in my understanding of Mileva during this time period and beyond were the letters compiled by Milan Popovic in IN ALBERT’S SHADOW: THE LIFE AND LETTERS OF MILEVA MARIC. The author had in his possession letters between Mileva and his ancestor Helene Kaufler, a dear friend of Mileva. These missives showed another side of Mileva, one that explained her willingness to stay with the relationship as it declined and that showed her sadness at the loss of her scientific ambitions.

Taken together, these original source materials—the letters of Mileva, her very words—helped me form her voice and understand her world. This research served as a critical piece in writing THE OTHER EINSTEIN and giving another life to a woman whose astonishing story deserves to be told.

Be sure to check out Marie's website.

Her facebook page.

Or pick up the book. There is currently a $2.99 deal on the ebook

Writing Hope-Filled Fiction for Trying Times

"I wish none of this had happened....So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us." -J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

Like many of you, I have found myself heavy with grief multiple times in the past week as I followed the news. Its not the first time I've been mopping my eyes with a tissue as events have left me reeling.

The world asks where is God? We cling to the hope laid up for us in heaven. As writers, we long to comfort those God has put in our paths, but sometimes words elude us.

Social media is noisy and drowns out the sorrowed world with the plethora of opinions and half-baked solutions. Sometimes silence is the "perfected herald" as the bard says.

Yet story can be a balm to an open wound, more than just a Band-Aid but provide a source of calm healing.

"Someday you'll be old enough to read fairy tales again" says C.S. Lewis.

We long for days of men of honor like knights, who protect fair ladies from fearsome beasts and unwholesome cads...

Through story we remember that heroes exist. That nobility isn't just a name for royalty.

Stories are therapy.

In the world of fiction we find others have struggled through circumstances similar to those that make up our own lives. And we see the resilience of the human heart when we watch a heroine overcome an abusive past to find her happily ever after...

After escaping wartime London, we watch Lucy and her siblings arrive at a gray country house owned by a stodgy aunt and find the magic within an ordinary wardrobe that unlocks a new world. What ordinary treasures could we be missing even amidst our own trials? Can fear and terror give way to wonder in our own lives, just as it does for Lucy in The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe?

Stories give words that heal even when we doubt words can make any difference. Fiction filled with truth can be like a tight hug of comfort in tough times.

Stories give hope.

Frodo despairs and tells Gandalf he wishes the ring of power had never come to him. Likewise, earlier, Bilbo in The Hobbit let us know it can be a dangerous business going out our front door. Without the security of a loving creator,  Without the truth that sets us free embedded in our hearts, it is easy to get caught up in a million anxieties.

We don't wish to see hard times. Ephesians 6 tells us to take up the full armor of God. God calls us to stand firm. Like Frodo with his ring, we are called to guard the stewardship entrusted to us, the Gospel. Many dangers and snares await, until we are called home. We may not wish to go out our front door, but we are called to lives of action while we wait for our heavenly hope.

Happily ever after is only the beginning.

Hope-filled fiction is only a prequel. As believers in Christ, we have an eternity with our creator to await. Our heart yearns to see closure of a book, so we keep reading. We are giving our readers hope and we desire that they crave a closer relationship with their Father. As we long for heaven, fiction can provide a mini retreat in the midst of our own challenging lives. That doesn't mean we keep our fiction clear of conflict, on the contrary, beauty is intensified through contrast.

What are some tips for writing fiction in such times:

-Pursue hope yourself. The most important way to grow your fiction spiritually is through your own journey. Stay strong in the word. Keep time meditating on His promises and precepts as a formative part of your day. Ask his purposes for your writing life as you sit at the keyboard. As you live in obedience to his calling for you, growth happens and that will overflow into your writing.

-Don't neglect contrast in your stories. The darker and uglier the black moment, the more light-filled the HEA ending will be. Kick it up a notch, then again and again. Make your character squirm. Because all of us need to be uncomfortable in order to grow the most. So do our heroes and heroines.

-Make sure your HEA gives people true hope. The spiritual thread needs to be as strong as the romantic thread of the story. As much as readers sigh at the beautiful journey of the main hero and heroine who go through insurmountable odds, they also should be awed and amazed at the depth of love shown by a Savior on a cross at Calvary. Story itself brings wonder at the great Gospel of a God who pursues us in a way that puts any hero to shame.

True hope wasn't found in Narnia itself or the wardrobe which led to hidden treasures. Instead it was found in Aslan, the creator and sustainer of the worlds. Our true hope is only found in Jesus, our words can point a hurting world to the healer of their hearts.

We worship the God of all mystery, who knows the end from the beginning. Every fantasy holds its ultimate fulfillment in the promise of heaven and Jesus who is the source of all joy and beauty. The lover of our souls, Jesus holds the future and the past in his hands, and pursues us with an intense passion. God is the ultimate storyteller. Even in times such as these He can use story to bring hope to his people.

Julia is a Northern transplant, living in central Virginia with her husband and two children. She is owned by three ragdoll cats and enjoys writing for LIBRARY JOURNAL and the blog WONDERFULLY WOVEN.

Trust Your Gut

You ever write something and think... "Man, that's pretty good."

But--something just isn't right.

You can't put your finger on it. The writing is solid for a first draft, so it isn't that.

But there is no escaping that feeling in your gut that something isn't right.

That's how I've been lately with my work-in-progress.

I write a really solid first two chapters. They flowed well, they made me smile in places, but every time I opened up my computer to write, I just got that feeling that something was WRONG.

Was I not supposed to write this story?
Was I being over sensitive and need to just keep writing? (because that's what we say to do when we are stuck, right?)
Did I need to get others opinions?

I had one other person read it and they were like, "I mean, it's good..."

But I don't want my intro chapter to be "It's good."

I want it to be GREAT. To make a reader giddy to read more. To capture a moment of OH MY GOODNESS  so they will keep reading into the wee hours of the morning.

It's good is not good enough, especially for a first chapter.

So I edited and edited... but still, that nagging feeling of disquiet.

I finally chucked the whole thing and rethought a whole new angle for the story and rewrote a new first chapter.

I take that back, I didn't even make it through the first chapter. It wasn't right either.

So yesterday, I took time to read a book. Just to enjoy someone else's writing. Then I took a few minutes and read the first page of numerous books on my bookshelf.

It was there.

That magic of the first page.

What was missing from mine.

So I spent another while dreaming about that first page. What was the big BANG that starts this story of mine.

Finally... it hit me. I was starting in the TOTAL wrong place. And instead of cutting chapters, I actually backed my story up a few months.

Within an hour, I had the first chapter and a half and it was singing to me, that place in my heart that KNEW something was wrong was now dancing with glee.

The writing still needs work because it is super rough. But the story is there, and it is singing again.

Moral of the story:

Trust your gut.
And sometimes just "writing" doesn't cut it. Sometimes you need to step back, step out, and look at it from a different perspective. Sometimes you need to research. Sometimes you need to READ. It will be different for each of us.

Let's chat!

Have you ever been stuck or felt like something just wasn't right? What did you do to push through?

How to Make Conflict the Engine That Drives Your Story

There are two primary types of conflict. External and Internal.

External conflict pushes characters together
Internal conflict pushes characters apart.

Let's start the story. We open the cover to the first page and meet MC (main character). In the first page or so, something terrible happens to MC. We call this the inciting incident. This is NOT a conflict. This is the curtain that opens the reader to the story where the conflict takes place.

Once upon a time everything went well for MC, and then the inciting incident happened. Now MC has been tossed into a horrible EXTERNAL conflict. 

Inciting incident: The house is on fire.
EXTERNAL Conflict: MC must wake up, find her way out of the house. She can't see. She is groggy. She can't breathe.

All of the conflicts listed above are dramatic, powerful, imposing on what MC once could do but struggles with at this moment. 
*She never had trouble waking up before. 
*She'd always known the way out of the house. 
*She could see fine before going to bed last night. 
*She never had problems being alert in the past
*She never thought about needing to breathe. It was second nature.

The house fire is the opening to this scene, perhaps the novel. The impact on MC's life forevermore will be powerful. At the most unexpected moment, a memory from the fire and the external conflicts could alter a dream, a conversation, driving, a meal (burnt toast), and etc. This does not go away. It and other external conflicts will become the engine that drives the story to the last page.


What we didn't know in MC's once upon a time was her INTERNAL conflict. She'd worked so hard to bury it--until the day of the fire. Now it has oozed out of her being. It shows on her face, is heard in her words and the tone, is prevalent in her body language and choices. 

It's true!! No matter how hard she'd tried, she'd never been accepted by the popular kids at school. She looked in the mirror every morning, convinced her clothes, hair, and makeup would fit in--but when she saw those kids, the flick of their eyes, and the twist of their heads to keep from seeing her ... confirmed she'd failed again.

INTERNAL Conflict: Poor MC. Her Dad let her know--years ago--that she was a failure. No matter what she did, it was wrong in his eyes and he felt the importance of communicating it with her. Most importantly, when MC managed to succeed, Dad felt it his duty to keep her from having a "big head." Long after his untimely death his harsh comments plagued her...like when she became convinced she could have saved the house or got out of the house before emergency crew's lives were put on the line for her. Yeah. This was her fault. Dad was right.

This internal conflict ebbs and flows inside MC depending on what happens in a given moment. She needs help to overcome or at least cope, and even with the helper, she will occasionally backslide. In the end though, MC will know this helper is dependable and present.


Even though the conflicts will pop to the surface, MC and the one who has helped her will live happily ever after.

The end ;)

*Research for today's post came from Elizabeth Mazer's class at Mt. Hermon Writer's Conference. 
AND FROM Amy Leigh Simpson (one of our Alley Cats) soon to be released: From Winter's Ashes

I can't wait to read your comment(s)!

Help others--tweet or FB share this post

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Rock climbing, white-water rafting, zip lining, and hiking top Mary's list of great ways to enjoy a day. Such adventures can be found in her stories as well.

Mary writes young adult mystery/suspense, is honing marketing and writing skills, and loves to pen missionary and tell Bible event stories on her ministry blog, God Loves Kids. She has finaled in several writing contests.

Visit Mary at her website, blog, and her ministry blog to families: God Loves Kids. Or chat on Facebook or Twitter

All subscribers to Mary's newsletter will receive her new short story an intriguing suspense/mystery. Come, read a good story. To get your free gift, sign up for the newsletter at Mary's website or:  Join the adventure!

Subscribe to Mary Vee's Never Give Up Stories 

Writing Back[words]: Pulling Tight that Saggy Middle

I used to be a pantster. Writing a book would be a real-time discovery. I'd have an idea of the end, I mean, I knew what I wanted to accomplish for the character, but all the in between would be found along the way.

When I wrote like this, I had to write chronologically. If I skipped ahead to write a later scene, it would be as difficult to know my character's thoughts as it is to tell the future. My character was developed as I went.

Over the years though, I've begun to write my synopses first, either for contests, proposals, or just to hash out my story to see if I have something solid to maintain a whole novel.

What I've found is, because I have a general idea of character arc and plot after forming a synopsis, I lose less steam in writing since I can write backward. Generally, the black moment to the "the end" is my closest thing to speed writing. Once I get to this point in a story, the characters have been hashed out, the story is reaching its climax and all I have to do is wrap this baby up. 

Do you ever come up on a scene, and struggle to have the drive to write it? Well, that usually happens for me more toward the sagging middle, but hardly ever from the black moment on. With my current WIP, I skipped about ten chapters and decided to write what I longed to get out--the black moment and "the end". Instead of just fleshing out the bare bones structure and pumping out word count, I discovered that it actually stretches out the story strings and lifts that unwritten sagging middle UP! 

How? 

When I get to the last chapters of a story, I begin to stumble upon character's follow-up thoughts to past experiences (that I hadn't written and are too specific for a synopsis) that benefit a satisfying end. 

Basically, I begin to develop an underlying patchwork of sentimentality, life lessons, and richer character history by finding their impacts on the character at the end. The sagging middle isn't so frightening anymore when I discover the beautiful quilt before the actual work of the stitches.

After a great writing session wrapping up my story, I know sit on the brink of the middle. And I can't wait to jump in. My characters have some great growing pains on the horizon, and I know exactly why they are there and what my characters grow into ahead!

Are you a pantster that does this? Would love to know how! Are you a plotter who likes to skip around and hash out scenes as they come to you? And, what other techniques have you used to tackle the inevitable slump in those middle chapters?

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Angie Dicken is a full-time mom and lives in the Midwest with her Texas Aggie sweetheart. An ACFW member since 2010, she has written six historical novels and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of The Steve Laube Agency. Angie also spends her time designing one-sheets and drinking good coffee with great friends. Check her personal blog at angiedicken.blogspot.com and connect at:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/dicken.angie, 

Twitter: @angiedicken

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/agdicken/

Oh, Yeah, This is How to Write a REAL Character

Writing a unique character is difficult. 

The problem/setting/time combination may be unique, but overall, the character sometimes lacks a genuine/unique feel. His or her responses and actions may seem right...but then again...maybe just a little off at times. Maybe more canned like a hundred other characters.

As authors/writers, we can talk ourselves into believing our characters are well portrayed then become bothered when a crit person, an agent, beta reader, editor says...um...no. 

I've searched for the answer to writing a real character in so many places. Attended many classes. Basically two methods in varying forms had been presented to help writers find the unique components and traits of their character.

1. The list method. Writers can complete a list of questions to help them understand their main character (MC). The lists provided in writing classes vary from ten to one hundred questions. Writers can determine eye color, hair color, favorite color, birthday, preferred clothes, sport, restaurant, movie, book, etc. 

Can I just say that this is tedious for me? I look at the list and say....uh...I don't know. Who am I to tell this character if they like fresh broccoli instead of cooked broccoli like I do? BTW I dip mine in Ranch dressing. :)

2. The interview method. Writers can write a list of questions then meet with their character.  Some writers go to a coffee shop to give a sense of realness to the idea. They may go shopping and look at clothing, food, etc, and all the while ask their character questions. The answers are recorded and kept for when needed in the story. 

This method is better for me...but not epic. I feel like I am putting the main character in a box. Basically, they are only allowed to answer the questions I had written. At first I felt like I was giving them choices, but then I realized my next question fired before the character even had a chance to change subjects.


THEN I LEARNED THIS METHOD AT MT. HERMON THIS YEAR:

3. The journal method. WAIT!  Don't blow this off. Hear me out!!!

This is the golden egg. The grand takeaway for me from the Mt. Hermon conference this year. Nancy Rue was the instructor (yeah, Nancy Rue!!! Famous writer with a gazillion published books. She is fun, expressive, helpful...downright a-mazing). Here is the method she taught us in a nutshell:
 

A. Buy the perfect journal that describes your MC. I have a female teen who likes purple.

B. Write a short note to your MC and let them respond. I chose to color code the conversation. Black ink for me, purple ink for my MC. I chatted a bit with her then asked a question to get the ball rolling. Just like we do when meeting new people. 

The more we share. The more we know. The deeper the friendship. 

   

C. My MC responded in a deeper way than I expected. I think she saw that this was not an interview, instead, this was an informal time to share whatever happened to cross our minds. I wrote a few words, left the journal out for her. She wrote what she wanted, sometimes asking me a question back, then left the journal sitting on my desk. I found that the answers were much deeper than when using the list or interview method. 

This is open ended. The MC has as long as she wants to respond and may write as much as she wants. After a while the MC asked a question back that required at least a paragraph answer on my part. This, to me was the real breakthrough. True conversation. Two sided. Deepening relationship and understanding.

Jocelyn's Journal:

D. Author Nancy Rue recommended doing this journal method early on in a story. If possible, before writing. This helped her plan out the story. Find the direction. See issues and problems which led to more discussions with her MC in the journal. The conversation deepened every aspect of the story. She used portions from the journal--directly quoting them in her manuscript. Then marked which chapter she used the quote on the corresponding page in the MC's journal. 


My manuscript is finished, but I felt my MC needed to be developed more. 
       **Maybe I didn't know her as well as I thought.
       **Maybe she was nothing more than a cookie cutter character.
       **Maybe her unique personality needed to come across more to help readers truly identify with her.

I spent days chatting with my MC in the journal. Oh my...I cannot believe what I discovered. The more we talked, the more she trusted me and spilled her heart. The more she wanted to know me and ask questions. I went back to my MS, starting with chapter one, to deepen every aspect of her. The difference has transformed cookie cutter to genuine.

Nancy Rue showed us the different journals for each book she'd written. The cover of each journal really did match the character. Colorful. Plain. Dark. Bright. She'd kept them all this time! What was amusing was the expression on her face as she picked up each journal. A unique expression flashed on her face, for some she even laughed before showing us the journal.

This tool works for any character. Are you having trouble stepping into the shoes of your villain? Your hero? Is he manning up? Is she really and truly unique? The journal doesn't have to be just for the MC. Write one for the character you would like to know better.

I can't wait to read your comment(s)!

Help others--tweet or FB share this post

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Rock climbing, white-water rafting, zip lining, and hiking top Mary's list of great ways to enjoy a day. Such adventures can be found in her stories as well.

Mary writes young adult mystery/suspense, is honing marketing and writing skills, and loves to pen missionary and tell Bible event stories on her ministry blog, God Loves Kids. She has finaled in several writing contests.

Visit Mary at her website, blog, and her ministry blog to families: God Loves Kids. Or chat on Facebook or Twitter

All subscribers to Mary's newsletter will receive her new short story an intriguing suspense/mystery. Come, read a good story. To get your free gift, sign up for the newsletter at Mary's website or:  Join the adventure!

Subscribe to Mary Vee's Never Give Up Stories 

Facebook as a Research Tool

Do you use Facebook to help you write your books? Social media is a great tool for connecting and building relationships with readers, but you knew that. Though it has its limitations, Facebook can be a great tool in your research tool belt.

Here are a few examples:

1) Facebook groups: Does your character struggle with panic attacks? Does your villain have crippling fibromyalgia? What are the things that worry him? What are the motives that drive her to decide to move across the country? What fears hold him hostage? These and a million other questions...there's a group for that.

I have joined a batch of groups as I've researched books. Most often I've left these groups later, but there are a few I have kept on my roster. For instance I found a gathering of those who have left toxic churches. Although not direct research, reading the posts and comments on a monthly basis helped me to better enter my character's mind.

Instead of basing my research on one particular person I was able to understand the emotional landscape of a character in a toxic cult by noticing commonalities among others who went through similar difficulties.

Other sources for groups: those who live in the setting of your story, an interest or hobby of your character, professional groups, health conditions, ethnicity or nationality...the possibilities are endless.

Tips:

• Write a brainstorming list of possible groups, then join one for a month and see what you can learn about your character's world.
• Be honest with those in the group. Let them know you're writing a book, many people are happy to help with some thoughts on the biggest struggles they face with alcoholism or their favorite places in Batavia.
• As you research, be an active member of the group. If you find out great information about a possible cure for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, share it. Found a link or a good book, let others know.
• Never use information anyone has shared in the group directly in any way.
• Be respectful of the group, their privacy and any rules they might have.

Limitations:

• Remember that your character's experience isn't "everyman's" experience.
• Also, don't forget that what others share online isn't necessarily the only perspective.
• Look to case studies, and other sources to check all your information.

2) As an aid to find other helpful web pages: Sometimes you know a key name or place but need to know where to go next for more information. Facebook pages can be helpful as they often provide links to similar sites. For instance if I go to the Platelet Disorders Support Association facebook page I can find out about blood disorders. I also use it to find similar sites which often pop up toward the top of the page. I also go and see which pages that page has liked. I find Lupus Awareness Friends, a website that contains even more specific information on the struggles of those with the illness. My research web has expanded in a matter of minutes.

3) As a general shout-out tool: Most of us have probably used social media in this way at least on occasion.

Examples:

Are there any gastroenterologists online?

Does anyone know if this is the correct usage for an oxford comma?

I'm looking for someone who lives in the San Diego area to share their favorite California style pizza joint?

Limitations:

• Is the person really who they say they are online?
• Is the information they are giving me valid?
• Are they truly an expert source or not?
• Can I verify this information through multiple sources?

Tips:

• Use sparingly as a research tool.
• Verify all information gained through reputable websites and resources.
• When in a time bind, seek more than one opinion online...then check it all later.
• Ask: Is this my best use of research time?

4) People finder: Though random fielding of questions often isn't the best research option, Facebook can also lead you to the true experts in an area. Everyone has a page these days. On nutritionist Josh Axe's page I find a link to his newest release, Eat Dirt. It also links me to about a dozen other pages of nutritionists. I am able to find further information on what foods someone with GERD might have to see a doctor after eating. This helps me better understand the journey of my main character. Facebook is a great way to connect with experts, sometimes they are even friendly and willing to help with your questions through messaging.

What about you? Have you used Facebook as a research tool? Share in the comments your favorite ways to use social media.

Julia Reffner is a Northern transplant who makes her home in central Virginia along with her husband, two homeschooled children, and three adorable ragdolls. She writes both fiction and nonfiction and is a reviewer for Library Journal. You can find her devotionals at Wonderfully Woven