Research

I don't like doing research for stories. I wish I just knew everything, because tracking down reliable information can be tedious, and, well... I write thrillers. I can't just Google "how to poison someone without any trace." It makes life difficult.

But, there are some ways that can make research fun! Some of the things that have been the most beneficial to me are cop shows, and, yes, Tumblr!

1. Cop Shows
I watched Psych, Monk, Sherlock, and Awake. Psych and Monk are both full on information about how to effectively murder someone, which is great when you write thrillers! Awake was a very psychological show, and it got you inside the mind of someone who might be completely insane. Sherlock is a wonderfully crafted mystery series, absolutely perfect for anyone looking to write mysteries. If you write cop stories, thrillers, mysteries, or horror stories, I would highly recommend these four shows.

2. Tumblr
Thanks to Tumblr, I found this website: Havocscope. It's a great database for black market listings. It doesn't actually give you links to buy things on the black market, I promise. It's a compilation of news stories about the black market.

3. WebMD
WebMD has an entire article about autopsies.

4.  cdc.gov
Centers for Disease Control. Lists symptoms for various poisonings. I have found it very helpful in the latest thriller that I'm working on.

5. Movies
One of the benefits of writing novels, is that you can watch movies for research. I am currently working on a story about a girl in the foster system, and to research, I watched the movie Gimme Shelter, with Vanessa Hudgens. A beautiful touching movie, it totally deserves its own post. And it will get one. But right now, I'm mentioning it because it was another way I was able to make research more fun.

What are your favorite ways to research?