By James Hannibal @jamesrhannibal

The Search Engine Swamp. The Wikipedia Wastelands. The Data Doldrums. At the center of the author’s pirate map to story treasures, we find a dense bog where the blotted scrawls of the cartographer’s quill read, “Here be time-eating monsters!” It’s the Research Bog. Stay on the path, or you’ll never escape.

This blog is the second in a series of tips to help you focus your research. Last time we talked about preparation—taking in data daily to be ready for focused research when sitting down at the keyboard. Today we move forward into the research process to talk about one strategy to avoid getting bogged down. 

Mind Mapping

Use this before you research and while you’re researching. The first is the key to getting focused. The second is the key to staying focused. Think of mind mapping like a research targeting system. It’s helps you zero in on what’s important. It helps you stay on the path through the bog.

Some call it the webbing (I assume these are the Spiderman fans). Some call it the bubble method. I learned it as mind mapping, and you’ll see from the first photo that I use lines instead of bubbles. That’s only because I’m old and set in my ways. What you see in the picture is my research from The Fourth Ruby, where I delve into four famous jewels connected to England’s crown jewels. All the red is blood and betrayal. 

Despite my own line-centric habits, I believe bubbles are the best way to start. Mind mapping takes practice to make it effective. I use it for notetaking during my pastor’s awesome sermons, which hones my skill. Once you get the hang of it, mind mapping becomes a powerful tool.

Here’s how it goes.

Start with a whiteboard or a piece of paper. Software solutions are also available, but I like whiteboards. I made the example for you in Adobe Photoshop only because all my whiteboards are taken up with my three works-in-progress.

• Write your central focus in the middle of the board and circle it. This is your main idea “bubble.”

  • Example: Global Pandemic. Yeah, I know. Sorry. Stick with me anyway. 

• Draw three to five lines out from the main circle, ending each one in a new circle. These are your sub-bubbles. Label your sub-bubbles with topics related to your main idea. 

  • Three sub-bubbles surrounding your Global Pandemic idea might include Viral, Bacterial, and Neurological.
  • Keep your first set of sub-bubbles all on an equal topical level. If you can fit one of your concepts (like Bioweapon) under one or more of the other sub-bubbles, it doesn’t belong on this level.

• Now treat each of your sub-bubbles as a new main idea and create sub-sub-bubbles. 

  • Your sub-sub-bubbles for Viral might be Bioweapon, Vectors, Mutations, and Vaccine, while your sub-sub-bubbles for Bacterial might be Bioweapon, Vectors, Mutations, and Antibiotics.
  • Since you went a little extra creative at the first level by adding Neurological, your sub-sub-bubbles there might be concerned with possible causes like Stress, Viral, Bacterial, Weather. Two of your causes will get arrows that direct you back to other sub-bubbles, focusing your mind map.
  • Many of your new sub-sub-bubbles might fit under multiple sub-bubbles. Awesome! This doesn’t mean they won’t have little nuances that make them interesting as you keep working your way down the levels.

• Good job. Now get focused. Step back and look at your map. 

  • Where do you want to take this thing? Zero in on one section and erase the rest. 
    • Wait! Before you erase anything, take a picture in case you’d like to reference it later (more on taking pics next time when we get into organization).
  • What remains is the new epicenter for the continuing mind map. Keep going. Build more bubbles.
  • What stressors have no bacterial or viral causes might create a global neurological pandemic?

Okay. You get the idea—sub-bubbles lead to sub-sub-bubbles and so on. At the start, mind mapping helps you decide where you want your research to go. After you start your research, keep building and zooming your mind map as a visualization tool to help you stay focused on what’s important to your story. 

This month, try out mind mapping. Next month we’ll finish up this series by discussing a Research Bog emergency escape tool along with methods for tracking and organizing your research. In the meantime, stay safe and have fun.

Be sure to check out Part 1: Focus Your Research

As a former stealth pilot, James R. Hannibal is no stranger to secrets and adventure. He has been shot at, locked up with surface to air missiles, and chased down a winding German road by an armed terrorist. He is a two-time Silver Falchion award-winner for his Section 13 mysteries for kids, a Thriller Award nominee for his Nick Baron covert ops series for adults, and a Selah Award finalist for his Christian CIA thriller, the Grypyhon Heist. James is a rare multi-sense synesthete. Want to know more? Visit JamesRHannibal.com.