Linda McHenry

Author: Linda McHenry

  • Tips for Creating Memorable Fictional Characters

    Tips for Creating Memorable Fictional Characters

    If we writers had crystal balls, we’d have no problem creating memorable fictional characters. Especially when writing short stories and flash fiction.

    But how do I, as a woman, actually know what a guy thinks or feels? Yes, men and women are both human and share many similarities … but, let’s face it, everyone knows they’re different, too.

    In this blog post, I share some of what I learned during the process of co-writing a mystery novel with my friend Herb, and from collecting the opinions of numerous writers over the years.

    Creating Memorable Fictional Characters
    Image by Omar Medina from Pixabay

    Creating Memorable Fictional Characters

    They say to write what you know. But what do I know about being a guy? Or what goes on in the minds of men?

    Another challenge I’ve faced throughout my writing career is to create characters who don’t sound just like me. That challenge is magnified when I’m writing male characters.

    Cowriting with my buddy Herb is, without a doubt, one of the best learning experiences of my writing career. During our collaboration co-authoring a mystery, and throughout the process of critiquing each other’s’ works-in-progress (WIPs), he’s given me insights I wouldn’t have had on my own.

    In short, each of us wrote from the point of view (POV) of specific characters in the book—both male and female. Because each of us has a different background (me with insurance and he with law enforcement and the military), we were able to provide further insight into how our characters would/should behave and talk.

    Quick Quiz

    Can you tell which character (Karl and Stephanie) spoke each of the following lines of dialogu?

    Line 1

    Ed’s boat went down in a storm three days ago. He’s–he’s–gone.”

    Line 2

    Gone? Ed? Three days ago?

    I’ll bet you could. Line 1 is Stephanie and Line 2 is Karl. Read on to learn some of the characteristics that set male and female characters apart.

    Image by 🌸♡💙♡🌸 Julita 🌸♡💙♡🌸 from Pixabay

    The Differences Between Men and Women

    In the controversial but fascinating book, Dangerous Men and Adventurous Women, more than a dozen best-selling romance writers spell out many of the differences they note between men and women. I agree with the perspectives of many of these writers. Specifically, with respect to the manner in which men and women speak, I’ve learned and observed the following generalizations:

    • Although everyone will tell you that women talk more than men do, this isn’t always the case. In fact, a study shows it’s only true in a certain age group.
    • Women ask more questions than men do.
    • Men interrupt more often than women do.
    • Women tend to be specific and men tend to be vague. Just ask a woman and a man what color that dress is. The woman will say mauve and the man will say pink. Or purple.
    • Men are more apt to give orders and women are more apt to make suggestions.

    So, you may be wondering, what does this have to do with creating memorable fictional characters? We need to focus on these differences and incorporate them into our characters’ dialogue and behavior.

    Photo by Susan Holt Simpson on Unsplash

    Devices for Creating Characters

    One tool I’ve found useful is to maintain a spreadsheet or chart of the characters in the story or book I’m writing. In it, I list unique manners of speaking and traits for each character while ensuring that no two characters share the same physical gestures, buzz words, etc.

    In the book I’m writing now, Allie is my lead character. She tends to use long, flowing sentences and think deeply. I don’t allow any other characters to use certain words and phrases that she does, such as:

    • Still, though, given, sure, ditto, yep, nope, nah
    • In fact, no kidding, then again

    Willa, a secondary character, speaks and thinks in shorter, more direct sentences. She’s the only character who uses the following words and phrases:

    • Yes!, despite, now, sweetie, however
    • On the other hand, bit my tongue

    I also make sure that when Allie describes people and objects, and just generally inside her head, she uses words and connections with sound and smell. (She’s auditory.) On the other hand, Willa’s awareness is primarily visual. However, they both have a connection with scent that runs through the story.

    Why Showing Differences is Important

    By using separate and distinct qualities and manners of speaking, it’s easier for the reader to (a) identify which character is speaking, and (b) identify with the character herself. By allowing the characters to share a similar trait, I’m able to subtly build the connection between the two women.

    One of the best strategies I use when writing from a male perspective is to ensure that much of the character’s conversation and internal thought is short and to the point. I’ve found that men tend to use less description in their talk, less reference to emotion, and fewer words.

    Here are some examples from Death Benefits, the book Herb and I wrote together. Note how the male and female characters speak differently. See if you can guess which of us wrote which excerpt.

    Excerpt 1

    “Glad to meet you, Mrs. Tito. Um, Stephanie. I’m Karl, Ed’s friend, and I’m in town now. Is Ed home?”

    “Karl?”

    “Yeah, Karl Stryker. Ed’s Army buddy. I want to come by and shoot the … meet up with Ed.”

    After a long pause, the woman wpoke very softly. “You haven’t heard.”

    “Heard what?”

    “Ed’s boat went down in a storm three days ago. He’s–he’s–gone.”

    “Gone? Ed? Three days ago?”

    Excerpt 2

    Manny pulled a notebook from his jacket pocket. “What does this guy look like?”

    She closed her eyes. “Late thirties? Longish blond hair, blue eyes, and clean-shaven. Moved like an athlete. Had a nice, open smile.”

    He could always count on Ann for the details. “How tall?”

    She opened her eyes and grinned. “Taller than me, shorter than you.”

    “Ann.”

    “My eyes were level with the crooked knot of his tie.”

    Creating Memorable Fictional Characters

    To sum up, here’s a chart that contrasts many of the ways in which men and women behave and speak differently. Of course, these are generalizations and each individual man and woman will behave uniquely.

    MENWOMEN
    Find life to be a competitionFind life to be a cooperative effort
    Socialize with other men to DO things togetherSocialze with other women to talk about their FEELINGS and thoughts
    Make decisions about what they plan to do; seldom offer explanationsSay what they want to do and offer the reasons why
    Make statements (they’re direct) *Ask questions and make suggestions (they’re indirect)
    Body language isn’t always congruent with what they’re thking and feeling (e.g., they’ll avoid eye contact or turn away when emotional)Body language usually congruent with how they’re thiking and feeling (e.g., they’ll cry or talk when emotional)
    Seldom initiate or choose to discuss their emotionsOften enjoy and invite emotional conversation
    Learn how they feel by thinkingLearn how they feel by talking
    Interrupt *Take turns
    Ask questions to obtain details and information *Ask questions to continue talking
    Vague (the color is blue)Specific (the color is indigo)
    Rarely use other people’s names in conversationOften use other people’s names in conversation.

    FYI, I inserted an asterisk [*] in the Male column above to show traits I share with most men. Also, FYI, all the Female traits apply to me!

    Share your thoughts below and/or feel free to add your suggestions for additions to the list!

  • Why Selling Based On Price is a Bad Idea

    Why Selling Based On Price is a Bad Idea

    Why Selling on Price is a Bad Idea

    Countless salespeople insist that selling based on price is the only way to go. They believe money is the primary basis upon which customers make purchases. And they believe that if they don’t offer the lowest price in the marketplace–or darned close to it–they’re never going to succeed.

    I don’t agree. And in this article I share not only why selling based on price is a bad idea but also what a better alternative is.

    Don’t feel you have to take my word for it, either. Read any of the books written by Jeffrey Gitomer, such as The Sales Bible, The Little Red Book of Selling, and The Little Red Book of Sales Answers. Or check out Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People.

    The Mindset

    When customers or prospects tell you they’re only interested in buying at the lowest, most competitive price, or if they state the maximum dollar amount they’ll consider spending, everyone’s focus zooms to money. The individual immediately takes control of the negotiation–but only if the salesperson buys into the mindset.

    Understanding that price without context has no value changes the dynamic and actually allows the salesperson to take control. So, what does this phrase mean? Let me explain your customer’s mindset. He tells you:

    • I need a refrigerator
    • I don’t want to (or can’t) spend more than $500

    On the surface, the customer’s focus is on his budget, which is fiscally sound behavior. But his focus doesn’t take into consideration anything else, such as how he values a refrigerator. And every customer, regardless of his budget limit, values the product or service being purchased to some degree.

    Let’s say you only have two refrigerators for sale under $1,000. The older, used fridge has a price tag of $250. It’s in good shape mechanically but it’s old and faded and a bit beat up. You also have a brand-new fridge that normally has a price tag of $1,200. However, because of serious exterior scratching and an ice-maker that doesn’t function, you’re offering it at half-price, or $600.

    If you’re just an order-taker, you offer your customer the “cheaper” product. But if you’re a true salesperson, you know that’s a bad idea. Why? Because you don’t know what the customer expects any refrigerator to do for him or why he wants to buy one.

    Determining Value

    Why did the customer come to your appliance store? He could have shopped online and made a purchase without the interaction of a salesperson. Yet he came to you.

    Why?

    Because he wants your help. The first way you can provide assistance is to ask questions that show you find the customer important (i.e., he’s valued). Questions like:

    • Why are you in the market for a fridge?
    • Aside from having a budget of $500, what are your requirements and needs:
      • What size does the refrigerator need to be? There’s no point in considering fridges that won’t fit in the space at home.
      • Do you want a new or used refrigerator?
      • What particular features do you want, or not want?
    • What else should I know?

    Then, when you listen to the answers, you reinforce your concern for the customer and his needs. When he gives you his answers (in other words, he states his needs and wishes), you restate them and explain about supply and demand. How appliances in his price range are few and far between in the current economy. However, you do have two refrigerators that cost less than $1,000.

    You then describe both items and let him determine the value he finds in each appliance.

    • If the older, less expensive fridge is too large for the customer’s space, it holds $0 value regardless of the price tag. Ditto for the the new, more costly appliance.
    • Is the customer bothered by the condition of the older, smaller fridge or the scratches, dents, and broken ice maker on the new one? Some people find no value in secondhand items. Other people find no value in “damaged goods.” What value does your customer find in each of these two refrigerators?
    • Although the brand-new fridge costs $100 more than the man’s stated budget, the customer may find that a brand-new refrigerator, even with scratches, dents, and an inoperative ice maker, justifies spending $100 more than he’d originally intended. On the other hand, the $250 fridge must just be what he’s looking for. (Not to mention the $250 cash in his pocket after he buys it!)

    Context is Everything

    Remember: Price untethered to value has no context.

    Said a different way: Price alone is just a number. It holds no meaning and no value … unless it’s associated with something else. That’s why selling based on price is a bad idea.

    Over the years, many people met with me to discuss buying insurance. Some stated a budget upfront; most didn’t. For either type of customer, I could easily have picked random coverages out of thin air, along with random amounts of insurance, and then shown them a quote. Which would have illustrated price untethered to value.

    Instead, I showed them a quote with all the coverages that were available at the highest amounts of insurance. Again, price untethered to value.

    Yes, some people choked. And yes, others were stunned speechless. Which worked fine for me. I filled the silence by explaining that I knew nothing about them. Not about who they were, why they wanted to buy insurance, or what they wanted their policy to do for them. But I wanted to know.

    I also explained that because my goal was to do the best job I could, I was offering them the most comprehensive insurance policy at the highest amount of coverage available. I showed them they were important to me.

    Then, I asked them to give me a few minutes to tell me what they didn’t want and we removed the coverages and features that held no value to them. At the end of the process, my customers arrived at a price that met their needs because they determined the price themselves–and it was always based on value THEY identified THEMSELVES.

    This very same process can be applied to all sales, in all industries, by all salespeople.

    During any negotiation, customers prefer seeing the cost of any purchase go down rather than up. They also prefer having control.

    I say: give it to them! Give them all the information that’s available and let them toss away what they decide isn’t worth their money.

    Why Selling Based on Price is a Bad Idea

    In a negotiation, the first person who mentions price loses.Why? Because that individual isn’t focused on the what or the why or the how. In other words, what the product can do for the buyer, why the buyer needs it, and how everything works.

    • Customers seek out salespeople because they need help. They lack the product knowledge we have, the technical skill we’ve acquired, and certain abilities that only professionals in our field possess.
    • During the negitiation process, customers are at a disadvantage … and they know it. Whether consciously or unconsciously, when they toss out a price requirement they do so in an attempt to control both the narrative and the outcome.
    • Acknowledging a customer’s price requirements and then setting them aside temporarily to discuss value reinforces a salesperson’s ability and desire to help. Especially when the salesperson shows ALL the products/services that are available and encourages the customer to make ALL the decisions.
    • When salespeople hop on board with only discussing price, they dismiss value … and genuine conversations about value.

    Will you run across customers who simply won’t budge from a stated price-point? Absolutely. When that happens, you need to decide if you’ll sell to them based solely on price … or not.

    I won’t … because those customers aren’t interested in how I can help them. They’re not interested in context or value–the what, why, and how. They’re only interested in placing an order.

    Unfortunately for them, I’m not an order-taker; I’m a professional who offers value.

    Which are you?

  • Love is Blind … Yes or No?

    Love is Blind … Yes or No?

    I’ve heard the phrase, “Love is blind,” ever since I was a child. For the novel I’m currently writing, I’m exploring the concept because one of my characters believes that if you really love someone, you’ll do anything for that person.

    When I began crafting my characters and plot, I conducted research on the topic. As always, my research had me recognizing some facts about myself … and feeling much better about some of the dumber relationship mistakes I’ve made.

    So, here’s what a handful of scientists and mental health professionals have to say about whether love is blind.

    It’s All About Brain Chemistry

    When we fall in love (or in lust), our bodies go nuts. Especially our brains. Hormones and brain chemicals conspire to interfere with our common sense. They camouflage what really exists and sometimes prompt us to behave in ways we wouldn’t in the absence of all that romance (or lust).

    Thomas Sherman, a noted biochemist and professor at Georgetown University, has said that romantic love subdues the “neural activity associated with critical social assessment of others.” In other words, love makes us believe our lovers are more virtuous and less weak than other people might believe. Love makes us view our lovers through the lens of positivity rather than negativity.

    And it’s not that we twist negative reality or refuse to see weaknesses. It’s simply that when we see them, we don’t think they’re meaningful. I don’t remember who used the phrase but somewhere in my research one of the authors explained the phenomenon as us wearing rose-colored glasses during the early stages of love instead of magnifying glasses.

    A great example involves how we actually see our lovers. How our minds process the tangibles (cognition) and how reach final conclusions (evaluation). Let’s say Jane is greatly attracted to and loves her boyfriend John. When asked to “rate” his handsomeness in both appearance and attractiveness, she says:

    • His appearance, on a scale of 1 to 10, is a 6
    • His attractiveness, on a scale of 1 to 5, is a 4

    Because Jane loves John more for his intelligence and sense of humor than his looks, she rates him higher than an objective observer would. Others, those who like but are not in love with John, would rate him a 3 or 4 in appearance and 2 in attractiveness.

    Our brains actually shut down their logic receptors when we’re in love, which allows us to focus more on our lovers’ positive qualities than on their negative characteristics. In effect, we’re anesthetized to the behaviors that will drive us nuts later on in the relationship.

    Brain Chemicals Behind the “Love is Blind” Phenomenon

    Brain chemicals affect lust, attraction, and attachment. We’ve all felt lust. It’s our estrogen and testosterone that get that ball rolling.

    Attraction is all about enthusiasm, energy, craving and—sometimes—obsession. Three brain chemicals are responsible for these responses:

    • Dopamine regulates our reward centers, motivation, sense of novelty, and directs our goals.
    • Norepinephrine increases our energy, decreases our appetite, races our hearts, and reduces our need for sleep.
    • Serotonin regulates our mood, sleep, appetite, and cognitive functions. It has a tendency to depress and decrease and is responsible for love-related obsession.

    Scientists and psychologists say that, on average, commitment becomes very important in true love relationships about four years in. Commitment can include monogamy, cohabitation, and/or marriage. At this time, the level of dopamine in the brain drops and is replaced by either oxytocin (in women) or vasopressin (in men).

    • Oxytocin is released during childbirth and breastfeeding. It supports the mother-child bonding, pair bonding, and empathy in women.
    • Vasopressin makes a male want to bond with a mate and is responsible for territorial aggression. It’s what makes many men so protective of their girlfriends, wives, and families. However, in most males who are not interested in or capable of pair bonding, it’s been found they have lower than normal levels of vasopressin.

    Other Factors that Support the Love is Blind Concept

    Sherman has also said that “love begins as a stressor then becomes a buffer against the stress.” Love activates the brain’s reward centers. Cortisol increases one’s awareness which, in turn, offsets the stress response. And, of course, dopamine heightens pleasure.

    We’ve all heard the phrases, “love at first sight,” “the One,” and the “halo effect.” Pesky brain chemicals are the culprits here, as well. Love at first sight is most likely a combination of lust/physical attraction and projection—seeing in others what we’re feeling/thinking ourselves. When we’re looking for our soulmate, that’s who we think we’re seeing in this gorgeous, wonderful person. Voilá: The One. The halo effect, what my mother used to call my rose-colored glasses, is believing someone is wonderful simply because we find them attractive. (Don’t we expect the murderer to be ugly and the leading man to be gorgeous?)

    A Final Word

    In short, it’s biology–nature’s attempt to propagate the species–that set our hormones and brain chemicals in motion when we fall in lust. The emotions of true love are an entirely different matter. Few creatures in the wild mate for life.

    It’s shared experiences that help build love after the brain chemicals fade. And keep in mind: communication and communication styles can either make or break a relationship. The signs of true love and a healthy romantic relationship include:

    • Deep emotional intimacy
    • Trust
    • Mutual support and respect
    • Self-awareness
    • Choosing to love the entire, flawed person
    • A balance between individuality and togetherness
    • Belief that love is a journey and not a destination

    Resources

    Here are links to a couple of articles to get you thinking:

    When I consider the above list, I now know why those past relationships of mine didn’t work. What are your thoughts?

  • Social Media isn’t Social Anymore

    Social Media isn’t Social Anymore

    I don’t know about you, but when I signed up for my first social media account (Linked In), it was at the suggestion of my daughter. As a recruiter, she suggested I get my name out there and network with other business professionals. Not only could I keep up with business associates all across the country, she informed me, I’d be able to solicit writing contracts. Sounded like a plan…

    How I Used to View Social Media

    Linked In has always been a great resource. Professionally, many of the initial contacts past clients made with me were a result of viewing my Linked In profile. Currently, students attending my webinars and reading my books reach out to me via the site.

    Of course, there’s always the guys purporting to be high-ranking members of the military or physicians who are blown away by my beauty. My nearly 70-year-old, chubby, gray-haired beauty. These guys invariably apologize for seeking a personal relationship on a business site. Then again, given my beauty…

    After Linked In, I gravitated to Facebook to keep in touch with my family on the east coast when I lived in Montana. Then, when I moved back east, I created a business Facebook page and a Twitter (now X) page to keep in touch with business associates in the west.

    More recently, I created an Instagram profile so I could follow artists and watch their watercolor painting reels. (I started painting a year ago and am fascinated by how artists handle their water, paint, and brushes.)

    Here’s the thing: I joined each social media site for a specfic purpose. And that purpose was being social. Social as in keeping up with what’s happening in the lives of my family, friends, and business associates who aren’t within going-out-to-dinner distance.

    How I View Social Media Now

    When I log into my accounts now, I’m still able to engage in all the same social interactions I’ve always enjoyed. Unfortunately, my feeds and timelines have become infested with an unpleasant amount of UNsocial and ANTIsocial commentary.

    It’s probably not as much, quantity-wise, as it seems. And it’s probably just the negativity bias at work that’s upsetting me. But it still gets me down. Actually, it’s starting to make me angry.

    Not because I have a problem with people voicing their opinions. After all, I’m a writer and a 100% proponent of free speech. I believe people should be able to say whatever they want, whether it’s verbally or in writing.

    What I have a problem with is people verbalizing their opinions everywhere, regardless of the forum, 24 hours a day–without exercising common sense or consideration for others.

    I don’t want to see posts about politics, religion, abused animals, murdered women, and all kinds of negative things when I visit my social media. That stuff isn’t exactly social.

    Why can’t we have networks dedicated to conversation about ONLY politics? Or ONLY religion? Or ONLY the awful, nasty, crap that’s going on in the world? And when I want to read about that stuff, I can visit those sites? And when I want to chat with my grandkids, or watch dog videos, or keep up with my buddies in Missoula I can do JUST those things?

    Sure, I can filter what I see in my feeds and timelines. And I’ve done that. However, the fact that I’ve snoozed for 30 days the feeds of nearly one-third of my Facebook friends troubles me. And has prompted me to reconsider logging in. Maybe even cancelling my accounts.

    News, Opinion, and Social media

    Once upon a time, when I watched the news on TV or read a newspaper I believed I was watching individuals report what had happened, without bias. If bias existed (and let’s face it, it had to at some level–reporters are humans), it was frowned upon, kept to a minimum, or we didn’t know about it.

    Now, wherever we go, we’re bombarded with other people’s opinions and their biases. And often, these judgments are stated as facts. An opinion is a perspective or a judgment. A fact is something that exists. It’s real, it doesn’t just exist in someone’s mind.

    Opinions aren’t facts!

    We need to remember this.

    We should also respect the fact that not everyone cares to hear our opinions. Just because another person doesn’t share our opinion, it doesn’t automatically make that person wrong, bad, stupid, or the enemy. I suspect that if you were to share all your opinions with any one person and in exchange receive all that person’s opinions, you’d find far more you agree with than you disagree with.

    Regardless, different opinions don’t automatically make one of them right and the other wrong. Or one good and the other bad.

    If I were dating again (and let’s hope that never happens), I’d act on several biases I have. One with respect to hair color and another with repsect to certain recreational activities. Are they fair? No. Am I sharing them with you now or would I in the future tell a guy Hell, no! I won’t date you because of your disgusting X hair color or awful preference to XX in your spare time!? No, I am not and would not. Why? Because I care about your feelings and those of the (fictional) guy with the X hair and fondness for XX.

    I guess I’m concerned with what seems to be some people’s total lack of empathy for those whose opinions differ from their own.

    What’s your take on social media?

    How do you feel about social media? Is it doing what you want it to do? Are you still finding it “social?” I’m not. I’m seriously considering throwing in my towel.

    I’m so very disappointed with people I used to admire. My disappointment isn’t with their views. It’s with their intolerance. It’s with people from all walks of life, with all kinds of opinions on all sides of every issue, turning nasty, intolerant, and downright abusive.

    These people have a right to say whatever they want, whenever they want, and wherever they want. I get it. I just wish they were more considerate.

    Perhaps sharing my perspective will help them view their own from a different angle…

  • 3 Research Tips for Writers

    3 Research Tips for Writers

    We’ve all heard that “knowledge is power” and I’m all in when anyone provides research tips for writers. Before the use of technology and the Internet became my primary assistant when conducting research, I spent a LOT of time:

    • In libraries
    • Purchasing and thumbing through books and magazines
    • Conducting face-to-face interviews

    Now, I do the majority of my research online and I’m happy to share 3 research tips for writers:

    Fiction writers: naming characters

    When I create my characters’ names, I prefer them to have meaning tied to the individual character. For example, I know the name Blanche (or Blanca) is entirely inappropriate for a dark-haired woman but perfect for a blonde (or white-haired senior). But that’s only if I’m thinking about her appearance. If I’m thinking about the condition of her soul (as in pure), it would also work … and if I chose it for that reason, I’d probably spell out that her name represented her internal qualities rather than her looks.

    Being an auditory person, I like first and last names to “go” together. To sound right. Alliterative names appeal to me, but sometimes they can be too cutesy or over-the-top (e.g., Debbie Downer, Joan Bone). I like my characters’ first and last names to share at least one consonant (e.g., LiNda McHeNry–which is my real name, by the way) or one obvious vowel sound (e.g., AmY GradY). I also want the number of syllables to sound right. Bartholomew Mountbatten is alliterative but it’s a mouthful. IMO, Bartholomew Bing sounds better.

    Finally, getting ethnicity right is very important. I’ll never forget reading an article written by a bestselling author about this topic (although I can’t remember the writer’s name!). She chose a last name for her Chinese protagonist based on a number of considerations. Problem was: the name she chose was Japanese. None of her beta readers, nor her editor and agent, ever noted this inconsistency. Worse: MANY of her readers did, as evidenced by her [non-]fan mail!

    Here are two websites I find helpful when namng characters:

    • Looking for an age-appropriate name for Grandma or a teenager? The Social Security Administration has tracked the most popular baby names by year of birth. You can find it here (be sure to scroll down far enough): https://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/
    • Looking for a site that lists BOTH first and last names alphabetically AND by ethnicity? This is your new go-to site: https://www.behindthename.com/

    online research tips for writers

    In no special order, here are important considerations when conducting online research:

    • NEVER rely on a single resource. Why? Because none of us is perfect and none of us knows everything. When relying on sources I find on the Internet, I don’t cite information as a fact unless I’ve verified it by at least 3 sources. My go-to number of sources is usually 5.
    • ALWAYS choose unbiased sources. For example, if I were looking to buy antivirus software for my computer and smartphone, I wouldn’t go to the websites of McAfee or Norton. Why? While each company certainly knows more about its own product than anyone else does, each company is also prejudiced in favor of its own product. When researching anything to do with technology, I rely on sites such as PCMag.com, CNET.com, and TechRadar.com. Why? They’re in the business of writing about and reviewing technology, not manufacturing or selling it.
    • NEVER rely on Wikipedia for facts. On its website, Wikipedia clearly states that just about anyone can write and edit content on the site. I’ve personally researched insurance topics on this website and, in each article I ever read, noted incorrect information. Depending upon the subject matter you’re researching, seek out sources that are unbiased and qualified. If you’re not sure how to do that, simply enter a search phrase such as: best online resources for XXX. In the case of finding an alternative to Wikipedia, you might want to type: best alternative to Wikipedia.

    for all writers: Validating sources

    Here’s a list of cautionary advice–make sure that any source you use–online or in person–is reputable and credible.

    • Verify the source’s background and history in connection with the subject at-hand. Most websites contain this information. If a site doesn’t, be wary.
    • Search for reviews and online pieces ABOUT your source.
    • Determine if the source has any bias or personal interest in the subject at-hand. If so, I recommend either disregarding the source or using at least half a dozen sources you know are impartial. Why? It’ll help you see how this one lines up in the scheme of things.
    • If the source provides evidence, facts, or supporting opinions, check them out to be sure they truly exist and are verifiable.
    • Avoid statements presented as facts without any supporting evidence or sources. Do you believe everything you read in a resume, online dating profile, or social media feed? I hope not.
    • Make sure the information you’re using is current. I can’t tell you how many articles I’ve read about the subject of insurance that appear to be current … and were written 10 or 20 years ago. Sure, the content doesn’t use dates, but references to what was going on in the world (like the September 2011 attacks) clearly date the piece and spotlight that the economy referred to in the article has changed.
    • Here’s a Forbes article that offers additional insight: https://www.forbes.com/sites/averyblank/2021/01/19/5-ways-to-identify-reliable-sources-and-maintain-your-credibility/

    Bonus: a Few writerly resources

    In addition to the resources I’ve provided above, here are a few more that you writers might find helpful:

    Keep in mind, I am not related to any of these people/businesses/sites, I’m not paid by them, don’t make payments to them, and I’m simply offering this info out of the kindess of my heart.

    I do subscribe to Writer’s Digest and am a member of The Author’s Guild, Mystery Writers of America, and Romance Writers of America because I benefit from membership in each of them. You may … or may not. Check out the list of major writer’s organizations above if you think one of them might benefit you.

    Feel free to share your favorite resources. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any special questions about how I conduct research.