Research brings writing to life. Whatever the genre, be it fiction or non-fiction, it is one of the most powerful tools any author can have at their disposal – and those who use it well create mesmerising work.

This practical seminar will show you how to harness, direct and exploit research to its best advantage for your writing, using everything from the basic tools of investigative journalism to the subtle nuances of critical, evocative detail. It will guide you through a series of easy-to-follow techniques that will enable you to mount a meaningful search on any subject. Using real-life examples to demonstrate the dos and don’ts, award-winning author Helen O’Neill will clarify how, why and when to dive into research. She’ll also cover ethics and crucially, how to recognise when the time has come for your research to stop.

This is an interactive seminar with an emphasis on take-home strategies. It will show you how best to use public and private information resources. Covering everything from online archives and libraries to the potential of interviews and observation, this will hone your research techniques. It will also give you the confidence to fully exploit the information and tactics you have gathered in a way that will powerfully enrich your written work.

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Expected Learning Outcomes

Participants will:

1. Discover how to direct and organise your research;
2. receive hands-on guide to resources and learn how to use them; and
3. gain confidence in research: when to start, stop, and how to exploit your findings.

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Participant Requirements

Pen and paper, or fully charged device.