By Valerie Routhieaux

Day 9 – Resources

Welcome to day nine where I talk about resources. When working on your writing project, resources are key to getting the work done. It works hand and glove to research. In order to do the research, you need the resources to make it happen.

What are you writing about? What does it cover? There’s a resource for it. I have a bookcase full of resource books on many subjects. I have the third shelf of another bookcase, and the five-shelf bookcase has all the oversized resource books. If I don’t have a book to help me research my topic, I buy it, find it at the library, or I go online and search it out as much as I can. Having books at my fingertips is imperative to me. Sometimes it’s easier to use a book than it is to look online. Online you need to know the correct keywords to find everything you need to know on your subject.

My goal as a writer and author is to be as authentic as possible, and resource books make that happen. In my research, I’ve needed books on pirates. I have one on how pirates speak. That was invaluable with the Colonial America series. I have books on editing, grammar, writing scripts, fashions, the monarchs of the UK, a guide to courtrooms and law, horses, ships, architecture, colonial food, and everyday life in the colonies.

I know people will look up the information online as well, and it is also a valuable resource. Beware of the factual accuracy of the source. Any place you find your information is a resource. Without resources, you couldn’t research your novel or other works.

Do you have a library of resource information or do you rely on the Internet for all your resource and research information?

Tomorrow’s Perspective: Plotting