How to Research to Write a Romance Novel

Recently, I emailed Write with Harte members gushing about Google’s Notebook LM, a new note and information storage app. I’ve been excited about it because it not only provides a place to store research and make notes, but it has a chat integration that allows you find answers from your research simply by asking it a question.

After going on and on about the app, I realized that I’ve never talked about research in writing romance. So…here we go.

In this post, we’ll dive into the key areas of research every romance author should explore. From grounding your story in a realistic setting to mastering the intricacies of your characters’ careers, understanding historical or cultural contexts, and capturing authentic emotional dynamics, you’ll discover practical tips to create a romance novel your readers won’t want to put down.

Why Research Matters in Romance Writing

You can see an image in a sketch, but a painting draws viewers in, taps into sensory detail, and evokes emotions. Research allows you to achieve the same depth and texture as painting, pulling readers in and making them feel all the feels.

Whether it’s the bustling streets of Manhattan, a cozy seaside town, or a grand Regency-era ballroom, readers need to feel like they’re right there alongside your characters. Authentic details like how a chef preps for dinner service, the quirks of small-town life, or the historical customs of a bygone era, make your story believable and keep readers engaged.

The other reason to research is that readers are quick to point out inaccuracies. Sometimes they leave them in reviews.  An inaccuracy isn’t always a big of deal (except for the reader), but if a little research can get it right, it pays to do it.

Here are areas to research, including what to consider and where to find answers.

Setting Research

The setting of your romance novel is more than just a backdrop. It’s a character in its own right, shaping the story and influencing your characters’ lives. Whether your story takes place in a bustling metropolis, a quiet coastal town, or a historical castle, thoroughly researching your setting is essential for creating an immersive experience that draws readers in.

Travel (Virtually or In Person)

Nothing beats firsthand experience when it comes to understanding a place. If possible, visit your chosen setting to soak in its sights, sounds, and smells. Walk the streets, explore the landmarks, and observe the locals going about their lives. It is important to remember that a tourist experience isn’t the same as a local’s experience. If possible, stay away from the touristy areas. Try to connect and engage with locals where they live and eat and play.

If travel isn’t an option, don’t worry, there are plenty of ways to experience a location virtually:

• Travel Guides and Books: Look for detailed guides that focus on the culture, history, and attractions of your setting. I love memoirs from people who’ve gone to live in other countries that share the differences and what they learned by moving into a different culture.
• Google Maps and Street View: Wander virtually through neighborhoods, take in the views, and get a sense of the layout and scale of the location. I do this a great deal to identify locations for my characters to live, and to understand the architecture and landscape.
• YouTube Videos and Documentaries: Search for travel vlogs or videos showcasing the destination. These can provide valuable insights into how a place looks and feels.
• Blogs and Social Media: Look for blogs or Instagram accounts run by locals. They often highlight hidden gems, cultural quirks, and everyday life that you might not find in official guides.

Interview Locals

If your story is set in a place you’re not familiar with, reaching out to people who live there can be invaluable. Locals can provide insight into the vibe of a town or city, from its unwritten social rules to the best places to eat or relax. Conduct interviews via email or social media, or join forums and online communities where residents are active. Their personal experiences can add layers of authenticity to your story.

Immersive Details

Once you have a broad understanding of your setting, focus on the small details that bring it to life. Ask yourself:

• What’s the weather like? Does your location have rainy winters, scorching summers, or crisp, snowy mornings? If you have a garden in your story, what is blooming that time of year in that location?
• What do people eat? Highlight local cuisines or iconic dishes.
• What do people sound like? Research accents, dialects, and slang that reflect the local culture without overusing them in dialogue.
• What customs or traditions stand out? Festivals, holidays, or local habits can serve as memorable moments in your story.

Weaving  Setting into Story

Setting is something many readers skip if not done well. It’s important not to info dump about the location your character is in. Instead, using deep point-of-view, have readers learn about the setting through the character. If it’s a snowy New York City, your character can dress warm and notice how traffic is still busy. Whereas a snowy day in Virginia, nearly everything stops.

Most of my stories take place in Virginia. It’s hot and humid here. Iced tea is sweet unless you specifically ask for unsweetened. And yes, people really do say “Bless your heart.”

Also consider your character’s beliefs and attitudes around setting. Do they hate the traffic in the city or love the energy of it?

Researching Professions and Hobbies

One of the most compelling ways to bring your characters to life is by authentically portraying their professions and hobbies. Whether your heroine is a pastry chef or your hero is a marine biologist, understanding the details of their work or passions adds depth to your story and makes your characters more relatable.

Use Credible Resources

While some authors go directly to experts (see below), I like to do a little research first to gain a basic understanding and determine what questions I need answered from an expert.

• Books and Documentaries: Look for biographies, industry guides, or documentaries about the profession or hobby you’re researching. These often provide detailed, real-world insights.
• Career Profiles: Websites like the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or professional association sites often outline job descriptions, required skills, and career paths.
• Social Media Accounts: Many experts, chefs, artists, or hobbyists share their work and experiences on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube. Watching their posts can help you understand the nuances of their day-to-day activities.

Talk to Experts

The best way to understand a profession or hobby is by speaking directly with someone who knows it inside and out. Experts can offer real-life anecdotes, technical details, and insider knowledge that you won’t find in books or online.

• Interviews: Reach out to professionals in your characters’ fields, such as firefighters, doctors, or architects. Ask about their daily routines, common challenges, and what they love most about their work.
• Online Communities: Many professionals and hobbyists are active on forums, LinkedIn, or Reddit. Joining these communities can help you observe discussions and even connect with individuals willing to answer questions.
• Workplace Observations: If possible, visit a workplace or environment where the profession takes place. Watching people in action can spark new ideas for scenes or conflicts. Many mystery writers go on ride-alongs with police just for this purpose.

Personal Experience

If your characters’ hobbies or skills are accessible to you, give them a try yourself! Experiencing what they do firsthand can help you understand the physical and emotional aspects of their activities.

• Workshops or Classes: Sign up for a cooking class if your heroine is a chef, or try an art workshop to better understand your hero’s love for painting.
• DIY Projects: Experiment with hobbies like gardening, baking, or woodworking at home. You’ll gain insight into the small details, from the tools used to the challenges faced.
• Volunteer Opportunities: If your character works in a caregiving role, volunteering at a related organization could provide valuable perspective.

Weaving Professions/Hobbies into Story

Like setting, you don’t just want to dump a lot of narrative about the requirements or daily duties of a job. Sometimes your character’s job is a significant part of the story, such as a detective in a romantic suspense, in which case nearly everything they do in the story is their job.

Other times, the job is part of the character’s world, but not necessarily a driving component of the story. In that case, you want to have enough info about the job or hobby to include bits of it to add depth, without overdoing it.

For example, I wrote a character who was an Army Ranger, so in one scene he gets ready for his monthly parachute jump. Nothing significant happens on this jump. We don’t even see the jump. But it’s there to add interest and reality to his life.

I have a character who owns a lingerie boutique, where she unpacks inventory or runs sales reports. It’s usually only a line or two to orient readers to the setting and character’s normal life.

A Note About Certified or Licensed Professions

I used to be an adoption social worker. I knew a lot about adoption, first in California and later in Virginia. But I didn’t know anything about adoption in any other state. While most adoption laws are similar in states (e.g. the need for a family to have a home study), there are variations. This is also an area if in which an author (or TV show or movie) gets it wrong, which is OFTEN, I fuss. Readers will fuss too if you get information about a profession or hobby wrong.

What jobs are regulated vary in states. So if you have a character with a profession that is regulated by the state, you need to research any rules or policies that impact how that job is done.

Regulated jobs include professions such as:

• Law enforcement
• Lawyer
• Medical professionals: Doctors, nurses, veterinarians, etc.
• Mental Health Professionals: Psychologists, psychiatrists, therapists, social workers, etc.
• Real Estate Professionals
• Financial Professionals
• Cosmetology
• Food and Beverage industry

There’s a ton more. You can so a search for professional and occupational regulations for the state your character lives in. For example, here is a list from the Commonwealth of Virginia, where many of my stories take place.

This research isn’t just for U.S. states. If your story takes place in another country, you should understand that country’s rules and regulations around careers as well.

Laws…

While I’m at it, I’ll mention laws in general. I’ve had do to several stories that involved child custody or other legal entanglements. For each, I’d research the laws in those states.

Same with the accidentally-married-in-Vegas trope. Did you know you can’t get married there without a marriage license? Granted, the clerk’s office is open until midnight, but you can’t just stumble into Chapel O’Love and get married.

Finally, I wrote a fish out of water, and when I asked some writer friends about southern activities that I could put my New Yorker in that would make him feel out of sorts, one idea was hunting. It was a good idea, except that the story takes place in summer, and there is no legal hunting in Virginia during the summer, except maybe squirrel. That could have been fun, but I went with four-wheeling.

Understanding Human Emotional Dynamics

I feel fortunate to have a degree in psychology and a master’s in social work in that I have a fairly good understanding of human behavior and mental health. It’s a huge help in developing characters and making them interact.

But you don’t need a degree to gain an understanding of psychology or relationships.

Psychology of Relationships

Understanding how relationships work, or don’t work, can add depth and authenticity to your love story.

• Attachment Styles: Research the different attachment styles (secure, anxious, avoidant) to shape your characters’ behavior and how they interact with one another. How might a character with an avoidant attachment style struggle with intimacy?
• Conflict Resolution: Learn about common relationship conflicts and how couples resolve (or fail to resolve) them. What triggers your characters, and how do they handle disagreements?
• Emotional Growth: Romance novels often revolve around personal transformation. Study the stages of emotional growth, so your characters’ journey toward love feels organic and believable.

Character-Specific Challenges

If your characters have specific emotional or psychological challenges, delving into these areas is key to portraying them sensitively and accurately.

• Trauma and Healing: If one of your characters is dealing with past trauma, research the effects it might have on their relationships and how they might cope. What are their triggers? How does their past influence their behavior and choices in the present?
• Cultural Norms: Cultural expectations can shape how characters view love, relationships, and family. Explore the cultural norms relevant to your characters, especially if they come from diverse backgrounds.
• Disability or Chronic Illness: If your character has a disability or chronic illness, take time to understand the day-to-day realities they face. How does their condition impact their life and relationships? What strengths do they bring to the story as a result of their experiences?

Even a basic understanding of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs can give you ideas for and insight to your characters.

• 16Personalities.com: Learn the various Meyers-Briggs personalities of analysts, diplomats, sentinels, and adventurers.
• Myers-Briggs Personality Chart: See the 16 personalities along with descriptions of each trait.

Diverse Representation

Accurate and respectful representation is crucial, especially when your characters’ experiences differ from your own.

• Read Firsthand Accounts: Memoirs, blogs, or social media posts written by people who have lived experiences similar to your characters’ can provide invaluable insights. Pay attention to the language they use, their emotions, and how they view their experiences.
• Consult Sensitivity Readers: Sensitivity readers are experts in specific areas (e.g., mental health, disability, cultural backgrounds) and can help ensure your portrayal is both accurate and respectful. They offer feedback on character development, dialogue, and any potential pitfalls to avoid.
• Avoid Stereotypes: Take care to avoid reducing characters to stereotypes or clichés. Research deeply to ensure your characters are fully realized individuals with unique traits and motivations.

Be Honest Yet Respectful

I recently watch an episode of Alice Nevers, a French crime drama. In it, our victim had asperger syndrome (this was filmed when the term was still used. It’s now part of Autism Spectrum Disorder). One of the reviews of this episode was someone who was appalled and offended by how the victim was depicted.

When creating characters outside your field of knowledge or experience, you want to be realistic, but also respectful. It’s easy to fall into cliches or stereotypes because its easy for readers to recognize them. However, narrowing a character down to their stereotype is not only disrespectful, but it makes them one-dimensional. What is the quote by Jessica Rabbit? “I’m not bad, I’m just drawn that way?” How often is the promiscuous woman depicted with red hair in a tight red dress? Or the bully boy with red hair. Or the frumpy girl, with red hair and freckles and glasses. And that’s just red hair!

When you writing about people, go beyond the stereotype to the deeper elements that make up the person. For example, I’ve written a few former military men suffering from PTSD. They’re often depicted in media works as paranoid and prone to violence, but that’s not always the case. In fact, many former military men who have PTSD aren’t violent. And they’re not their behaviors. I really wanted to get this right, so I spent a lot of time reading about PTSD from those who suffer from it. What is going on inside them physically and emotionally, especially if writing from that point of view.

It’s important to recognize that in any community or group of people, diversity exists. Work to get a deeper understanding of people to infuse life into them beyond the basic list of common traits or behaviors.

Researching Historical and Cultural Contexts

It’s important to understand that history and culture can be a part of a contemporary romance. I’m writing a romance now that involved an island settled by pirates. There are no pirates there today, but the history and lore does impact the people who live there, so understanding pirate history is important for my story.

Of course, if your romance is set in past era or features characters from diverse cultural backgrounds, thorough research is essential to create an authentic and engaging story. Readers want to feel transported, whether to a glittering Regency ballroom or a vibrant multicultural celebration. Here’s how to approach historical and cultural research with care and precision:

History and Timelines

If you’re writing a historical romance, understanding the period’s norms, events, and lifestyle is non-negotiable. Your characters should feel like they belong in their time, and their world should be richly detailed.

• Study the Big Picture: Research the major events, social structures, and political climates of your chosen era. These elements can provide opportunities for external conflicts or influence your characters’ motivations and challenges.
• Delve into Daily Life: Learn about the small details that shape your characters’ lives, such as fashion, food, transportation, communication, and entertainment. For instance, what materials were common for clothing, and how were meals prepared in that period?
• Societal Expectations: Romance often revolves around breaking or navigating societal rules. Understand the norms and taboos of your era, such as marriage customs, gender roles, or class distinctions. I’ve seen people today describe regency women as gold diggers, clearly not understanding that woman didn’t have jobs or their own money during that time. Their survival relied upon marrying a man who could support them.
• Timelines and Accuracy: Ensure historical accuracy in the events and innovations referenced in your story. Use reliable sources, and double-check dates to avoid anachronisms that might distract readers.
• Language: I’ve heard more than a few people indicate how taken aback they were when reading a historical romance and a character uses a word or phrase that didn’t exist in that time or place. KJ Charles has an interesting blog post on this in which she talks about how the use of “Okay” shouldn’t occur in stories set before WWI (or how prior to the late Victorian age, people didn’t swim, unless there was a good reason, which has nothing to do with language but is an interesting fact.)

Cultural Nuances

For multicultural romances, it’s crucial to depict traditions, language, and rituals authentically. These cultural elements can enrich your story and provide opportunities for unique conflicts, celebrations, and character growth.

• Traditions and Rituals: Research cultural ceremonies, holidays, or family dynamics that might influence your characters’ lives. For example, how might a traditional wedding ceremony differ from a modern one in their culture?
• Language and Communication: If your characters speak another language or use dialects, ensure they’re represented accurately. Use translation tools or consult native speakers to avoid errors. Even small phrases or terms of endearment can add authenticity.
• Cuisine and Food Culture: Food often plays a central role in cultural identity. What dishes might your characters cook, eat, or bond over? A shared meal could be the perfect backdrop for deepening their relationship.
• Values and Beliefs: Explore how cultural norms and values might shape your characters’ views on love, family, and personal freedom. These elements can add depth to their motivations and conflicts.

WARNING: See my section above about being honest and respectful. Research multiple resources or talk with experts to make sure you’re getting accurate info. This is an area that it can be easy to get wrong in a way that comes off offensive or insensitive. Or sometimes it’s just wrong. For example, did you know that traditionally people in the mafia don’t use the term “mafia?” It’s important to distinguish between fact and folklore or stereotypes.

Tips for Authenticity

• Primary Sources: When researching history or culture, prioritize firsthand accounts such as letters, diaries, or oral histories. These offer rich, personal insights.
• Visual References: Old photographs, paintings, or films set in the era can help you visualize the world your characters inhabit.
• Sensitivity and Respect: Approach cultural research with humility and a genuine desire to learn. If you’re writing about a culture that isn’t your own, seek feedback from people within that culture to ensure your representation is accurate and respectful.

Weaving History and Culture Into Story

Like other research, you want to use history and culture to add depth and texture. You want to orient readers and help them understand, but within the context of the story or your character. I just watched a fascinating video from Dr. Kate Lister where she discusses iconic female characters in historical movies. One movie is Marie Antoinette, in which she helps us understand what a difficult situation the young queen was in. It wasn’t just that she was foreign. Much of her struggles was due to the fact that she didn’t have a child for a long, long time. She was blamed for that, except that the problem was her husband wasn’t sleeping with her. Of course, if that was known, she’d be blamed for that too.

This video helps give a deeper sense of life at Versailles, the challenges she faced as a woman, and how she might have coped through a lavish lifestyle that ultimately led to her demise. (And no, she didn’t say, “Let them eat cake.”) The point being, what we know in general about Marie Antoinette doesn’t factor in being a 14-year-old girl married to man who won’t sleep with her and enduring gossip all day at court for not having a child. But knowing more details, a writer can take the queen from being a rich, entitled woman stuck in a time and place she had no control in, and give her more depth, turning her into a woman we can empathise with.  You want to do the same with your writing, not by telling, but by having us experience what it must feel like to be in that situation through the character.

The video also covers Little Women (Greta Gerwig version), Memoirs of a Geisha, and Remains of the Day.

Organizing Your Research

Once you’ve gathered a wealth of information for your romance novel, the next step is to organize it in a way that’s easy to access and keeps you focused. A well-organized research system not only saves time but also prevents overwhelm when you’re deep in the writing process.

Tools for Writers

Okay, so here is where I gush again about LM Notebook.

First, you can save links including Youtube video URLs, upload docs, or create your own notes to store in a “notebook.”

Second, it has a chat feature in which you can ask a question, the platform will go through your source data (you can select all sources or specific ones), and you’ll get your question answered, with the sources for the answer included.

Three, you can save that answer as a separate note, for easy access in the future.

Here are a few screen shots of my research on National Park Service Investigators (I’ve wanted to write a mystery in which my detective works for the National Park Service.)

On the left, you’ll see my Sources of data that include website URLs, a URL to a PDF, and a copy/paste text note (you can include videos and audio MP3s as well).

By the way, I’m not being paid for all this gushing. I just feel this tool is freaking awesome.

However, it’s not your only tool for research storage and organization.

• Digital Apps and Software:
  • Evernote: Great for storing notes, clipping articles, and organizing your research into notebooks and tags.
  • Scrivener: Designed for writers, Scrivener allows you to store research alongside your manuscript, making it easy to reference without leaving the app.
  • OneNote: A user-friendly tool for creating and organizing sections of research, complete with multimedia attachments.
  • Notion:  A robust app that helps users organize research, mange projects, collect and organize date, and more. It has an AI integration, however I haven’t tried to know if it delivers the same sort of assistance in accessing your data as Notebook LM does.
• Physical Notebooks:
  Sometimes, nothing beats pen and paper. Use a dedicated notebook or binder for jotting down ideas, timelines, and character details. You can even use index cards for tracking scenes or key research points. Don’t forget The Romance Author Novel Organizer has a section to store research notes!

Keep it Focused

Research is a powerful tool, but it’s easy to fall into the trap of gathering too much information. At the same time, you want to gather enough to get ideas and provide authenticity to your story. For example, I added the bit about the Army Ranger’s monthly parachute jump because I read that’s what they do and it sounded interesting. But there’s a tone of other bits of info I learned about Rangers that I never used. So how do you find the sweet spot for doing enough research?

• Stay Relevant: Focus on details that are directly tied to your story. If your novel centers around a chef, for instance, there’s no need to delve deeply into unrelated culinary history unless it plays a key role.
• Use Placeholders: If you’re stuck on a minor detail, use a placeholder (e.g., [Insert Local Custom Here]) and come back to it later. This prevents getting bogged down mid-writing.
• Create Categories: Organize your research by topic, such as setting, character backstories, professions, and plot points. This structure will make it easier to find specific details when you need them.

Review and Revise

Periodically review your research to ensure everything is still relevant to your story. Sometimes, as your plot evolves, certain details may no longer be necessary, while others might need further exploration.

Critique or Knowledgeable Alpha Readers

I’ve decided I’m going to kill a chef in my next mystery. He’s going to die of Tetrodotoxin  poising found in puffer fish. The thing is, my chef will be certified to serve puffer fish, which makes his ingesting of the poison odd. At critique group, one member asked if it was legal for him to serve puffer fish. Yes, because I research it already.

But then he went on and on asking about how and where he’d get certified. Can you do it in this location? Do you have to go to Japan? I didn’t have the answer, and wasn’t sure I needed it. Isn’t it enough that he is certified? But I was curious. Turns out yes, he had to go to Japan for a multi-year internship and pass a test. Will this be in the book? Probably, but it will likely be a single line or two, unless I decide someone he met in Japan is a suspect in his murder…hmmm…

This little anecdote shows how having fresh eyes on your story can identify areas you need more research, which could possibly help you plot new ideas.

In another example, this person had written a pregnant person but clearly had forgotten when his wife was pregnant. So I was able to share the reality of pregnancy with him having been pregnant twice.

If you want expert feedback, you can send them just the section of the story to insure accuracy.

When Research Ends and Writing Begins

Research is an essential part of crafting a romance novel, but it’s important to recognize when it’s time to shift gears and start writing. It’s easy to get caught up in the endless pursuit of more information, but at some point, you need to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). Here’s how to find that balance and transition smoothly from research to writing:

Avoid Research Paralysis

One of the biggest pitfalls for writers is getting stuck in the research phase. While it’s tempting to keep digging for more details or perfecting every aspect of your story’s world, excessive research can delay the actual writing process.

• Set a Research Deadline: Give yourself a clear timeframe for completing your research. Once that deadline passes, commit to focusing on writing.
• Identify Must-Know Details: Separate essential research (e.g., accurate depictions of a historical event) from minor details that can wait until revisions. This will help you prioritize your efforts.
• Trust Your Story: Remember that your primary job is to tell a compelling story. Research is a tool, not the end goal.

Fill in Gaps Later

No matter how much research you do, there will always be details you’ll need to fact-check or refine as you write. Instead of letting these gaps slow you down, use placeholders and revisit them during revisions.

• Use Brackets or Notes: When you encounter a detail you’re unsure about, add a placeholder like [Research Local Wedding Traditions] or [Verify Medical Procedure]. This allows you to keep writing without breaking your flow.
• Use Comment Feature: Word and Google Docs both have comment features where you can leave yourself a note that’s stored in the margin of your document. This is the method I use as it’s easier to work through them without messing up the manuscript.
• Draft First, Perfect Later: Focus on capturing the essence of your story in the first draft. You can always go back and layer in more precise details during edits. The risk of course is getting a fact wrong and messing up the story if it relies too much on the inaccurate fact.
• Leverage Your Resources: Use tools like LM Notebook, Scrivener, or OneNote to quickly revisit your research while revising. These platforms make it easy to access your notes without disrupting your creative momentum. A good routine is to look over what you plan to write first, check your research if needed, and then write.

Embrace the Writing Process

At the end of the day, your readers care more about the emotional depth of your story than the technical accuracy of every small detail. While research enhances authenticity, it’s your characters, their journey, and the romance at the heart of the story that will truly resonate. We’ve all read a book that has a lot of interesting factoids, but they ended up taking away from the story. Don’t do that.

Remember, research is a tool to enhance your storytelling and give the reader an immersive experience. Know when to dive deep, when to step back, and most importantly, when to trust your instincts and start writing.

What are your go-to research tips or favorite resources? Have you ever had a memorable research experience that added something special to your writing? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.