Research

I've just recently started contacting people for research, rather than looking it up online or in a book.

So far, I've gotten really, really lucky. First, most of the people I've contacted have been university professors...who are just getting back to work after the summer. #UnintentionalTimingWin

Second, two of the people I've contacted have sent me EXACTLY what I need. Like, one of them said, oh, contact Professor Studies-Exactly-What-You're-Asking-About, who wrote the book Exactly What You're Looking For.

And the other (who I contacted partly because I remembered my mom had designed his website a few years ago and said how awesome he is. And that his area of study falls within one of the things I'm researching. And he is, in fact, awesome. I have a bit of a brain crush *squee*) Anyway, he sent me the link to a free PDF book of...Exactly What I Need. 

This is ideal for me, because I tend to get so caught up in my research that I go off on a million side tangents aaaaaand...the story never gets finished. Getting direct, specific information without a lot of slogging around greatly increases the chances that I'll actually do the writing I'm researching for!

The third person I contacted told me I should contact the group of people I'm interested in directly, which makes good sense...but I'm shy!

And the fourth one...I thought I was emailing a library, but apparently it was a museum and they said I should email the library...which I thought I had!