Encyclopedias

 

Welp, you can’t search on the internet without either Google or Wikipedia answering all your questions. In fact, here’s a link from Wikipedia for a bunch of online encyclopedias. I expect you are using the big two, so here are some “alternative” sources for research.

When I started as a romance writer, I had a hard time with tropes. I knew what a trope was, but I had no clue which ones to use in my novels. Recently, I found a site that could have saved me some embarrassing questions and serious homework. These are tropes used on TV, but they can apply to books easily. The romance section sports a lovely pic of Fabio, so you know the site is legit. Romance authors might also want to check out Love Tropes. This section has so many, it’s broken up by alphabet. Not only do these categories give you ideas for your stories, but also keywords when your book goes on sale.

For historical writers, check out the interactive history timeline at Hyper History. (Psst, the site does not have a https setting for security. Your browser might say the site is unsafe. Use at your own risk.) This digital timeline allows you to click on People, History, Events, or Maps. The hyperlink card t lets users click on topics and get a brief description of the person, place, or event. The side menu shows history segments to narrow your search. At the bottom of the page, you can shortcut to topics such as Science, Culture, Religion, and Politics. The site is perfect for some basic background information or as a jumping-off point for serious research.

The next one might not technically be an encyclopedia, but it will help with character development. This chart of logical fallacies will answer the question “What is my character’s false belief?” Click on any level of the chart to see a description of how the logical fallacy works and if your character fits. These work great for your villains.

Last, also not an encyclopedia, but useful information, nonetheless, is Word Spy. I should have included it with the dictionaries. The site highlights new and emerging English words and their definitions. I’m including it because it shows the history of the word and its earliest usage. It can help with your historical novels as well to ensure you’re using language that was around during your time period.

I hope these are helpful in your writing. Next week, Almanacs!