editorial

Should Readers Be Expected to Do Research on the Topic Before They Read Your Book?

Irene Watson

Some of you are probably saying "huh?"    That's what my first reaction was too when I received this email from an author who wrote a true crime story and received a review from us:

I am puzzled by the comments about credibility.  In the back of the book I have explained who the sources were.  I have a feeling the reader is not well versed on the [removed] or the [removed.] [At this point she gave a run-down of justifications. Then she said] It seems like the readers should look into such things before they denounce the credibility of what the author has written.

This comment was to a reviewer's response after reading the book:

The lack of credible, named sources made the story less than convincing...[the book] was an amusing, entertaining book, and if taken as light reading, quite charming, but I would certainly not risk quoting it as an authoritative source on anything [removed]-related.

In defense of the reviewer she is well versed about the murder of a well known politician the author referenced in the story.  Regardless, the author should never expect the reader to know about every incident that is referred to in the book.  Actually, in many cases readers want to know more so that's why they choose to read the specific book. It is extremely important to let your reader know where the actual information came from.  If it's your own experience, say so...if it is given to you by an anonymous informant then say so but qualify the informant.  Don't just write it as fact because in reality, you don't know it is fact.

The author sent me another email:

I write True Crime stories.  They are actual cases, usually cold cases, that I have been hired to solve.
The last two books have involved [removed.]  It is important, if I want to earn my pay, to find people who know what really happened.  ANYONE, who is willing to talk to me, to give me facts, about the case IS NOT willing to give me their real name or they expect me to honor their wishes to remain anonymous if mention in the book.  They want to continue living and I don't want sued! In my last book, [title removed,] I was criticized for not using actual names of my sources.  One of them I never saw as she had a room partition between herself and me.  She was a show girl with [name removed] in Vegas and knew [names removed.]  At the time of the interview she was in her 80's.  Willing to tell me what she knew BUT without her name being used. That was just one example...there are so many others.  The same thing is true with the current manuscript I'm writing and I keep thinking back to the person who said I must identify my sources....I DON'T THINK SO !!!
Do readers and reviewers understand that my credibility and trust is gone with the wind if I do?  Trusting your advise and expertise, I'm asking you how to get around this?

Irene, please know that I appreciate your time in this!  But apparently, it is a problem that, surely, others have faced with reviewers. True crime is not a novel and the research is generally exhausting and often compromising.  To give the actual names of sources can be as deadly as the crime itself.

Actually, no...your credibility or trust is the last thing readers are thinking of.  Sorry, but that's a fact.  They want "true" facts and the only thing they want is informant credibility. Informants are just that - informants and their identity is to be kept a secret, however; there are ways to get around that and give the reader the credibility they are seeking.  Some suggestions are:

1.  Let the reader know that the informant is confidential - and explain, for e.g. that there was a wall between you and the informant.  Explain how the interview was arranged in the first place and give enough detail about the person to make her or him a real.

2.  Give the informant a name, explain it's a pseudonym but reference to an explanation. (Using footnotes or glossary.)

3.  Explanations/glossary could be at the back or front of the book but when the reference is made in the story there needs to be place the reader can go to find out about the informant. (These can be numbered.)  Also explain why the informant doesn't want his/her name used.

4.  Give as much information as possible about the informant without disclosing a name.  If in the case of a show girl, because there would be a lot of them and not only one, some detailed info can be given to make the informant more plausible.

5.  Explain reasons why they want to be kept confidential - who they feared and what they feared would happen if their identities became known. Don't assume the reader would have guessed they would be killed, deported or imprisoned.

6.  If using information from a newspaper or any other written words be sure to reference.  Even images of the article would give credibility readers are seeking.

7. Use pictures that would depict informants with their faces blurred.  There are a lot of royalty free images that can be purchased very inexpensively online.  Even though the face can't be seen there is a picture that gives credibility. The TV series "Dateline" does this all the time. They show people with faces blurred - we never question if it's the actual person and we assume it is.  Maybe it isn't, who knows?  We accept the blurred out face as being credible.

8.   Always think of "justification" when giving true claims....and explain they are only claims.

And remember, readers/reviewers will not research - they expect to get the truth from you, however; the truth has to be justified and authenticated.

Do you, as a reader, research the topic before you read?  Do you, as an author, expect your readers to do research before they read your book?

Do you have any other suggestions to add to this list?  I'd like to hear from you here

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