When researching articles for publication and the books I am writing, I always look for ways to maximize the research so that I can get as much bang for the buck as possible. Whenever I begin a new set of articles or a new book, my first thought is to look back at what I've already written in years past to see what I can reuse. It not only saves time in the research department, it makes the writing go faster too.
Each Topic has Sub-Topics
The first thing to remember when researching and writing on any topic is that every topic has sub-topics. I look to see how many ways a topic can be broken down, how much information is available with the current set of resources, and weather the topic can be combined with other topics. Then I break down the topic into as many sub-topics as I possibly can. Some will make it into the current story that I'm writing while others will be saved for later. sometimes I have later stories in mind, sometimes I don't. All those sub-topics make for great stories.
Researching Topics with an Eye for Multiple Stories
No research is ever wasted, even if it looks like you have got too much information for the current story. Save the website URLs, by creating a bibliography for each story you research. Even if you don't include with the story or article that you publish, keep it for your own records, attached to the story you used it for. When you write on similar topics in the future, you already have the research right at your fingertips.
When you research, and find information that intrigues you, but you can't use it right away, keep in mind that it has the potential for future stories. It may be on the same or a similar topic, or it may be combined with other topics for something entirely new.
Try doing research for several stories at one time - on purpose. Collect the information, do the basic outline and note-taking, and create the bibliography for each story (attaching the bibliography to the potential new story). You don't have to write them all at once. Just pick one of the stories and run with it now, saving the others for the near future. The other stories may need a bit of additional research, but because you've already done some of it in advance, the additional research and writing will go far more quickly.
Separating a Large Story into Multiple Smaller Stories
When researching some topics, I have found that I have far more information than I can use for one story. So I look for ways to break it all up into several smaller stories. This is where breaking it into sub-topics comes in handy. I don't always know, up front, that I will need to break it up into sub-topics, though so I play it by ear.
Updating a Dated Story
I have several older stories that have been published in the past that, I realize later, could do with a bit of updating. Some of them only need a little tweaking while others need a lot of work to make them more timely. Don't be afraid to use old material. You've already done some of the research, a little more research, a little more time, a little more effort, and you've got another story. Yeah, it's a remake, but hopefully it's a better remake. At any rate, you get to make money off the same story more than once.
Turning Sidebars into Separate Stories
Some of the stories I've written in the past included sidebars, those little pieces that accompany a bigger story, containing related material that doesn't quite fit into the main story. Why not reuse these little gems, by filling them out with additional material? Then you can sell them as a separate piece. Again, you get to make more money off material you have already sold once.
Telling the Same Story from Multiple Viewpoints
Some topics demand being told from different viewpoints. Hurricanes, for example can be discussed from these viewpoints:
- The weather prediction viewpoint.
- The weather conditions during a hurricane.
- The average Joe as he experiences/lives through a hurricane.
- The science viewpoint, discussing what goes into the making of a hurricane.
- The major hurricanes in recent history - like Katrina and Ike.
- The damage that hurricanes cause.
- The clean up.
A major crime case might be told from the following viewpoints:
- The victim's viewpoint.
- The family of the victim's viewpoint.
- The criminal's viewpoint.
- The family of the criminal's viewpoint.
- The viewpoint of onlookers or innocent bystanders.
- The viewpoint of law enforcement involved in the case.
- How one major crime case influences and informs other, similar cases.
There's no wrong way to research and write on any topic. But remember, that if a topic interests you, look for ways to reuse the material in different ways. It maximizes the research you've already done, it gives you plenty of material to work with, and after writing multiple articles, stories, and books on any topic your readers will begin seeing you as an expert on that topic. Being recognized as an expert will keep those audiences coming back for more and may even have those readers recommend you to others who are looking for expert material.
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