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!