Journal Article: “The Information Behaviors of Fiction Writers: A Systematic Approach to an Understudied Information Community”

The article linked below appears in the latest issue of the School of Information Student Research Journal published by the San Jose State University School of Information.

Title

The Information Behaviors of Fiction Writers: A Systematic Approach to an Understudied Information Community

Author

Lisa Lowdermilk
San Jose State University

Source

School of Information Student Research Journal
Vol. 9 No. 2

Abstract

Within the context of creative information communities in general, fiction writers remain a relatively understudied community. This article seeks to rectify that gap by highlighting the information behaviors of fiction writers, including the ways in which they network, as well as the processes they use when writing. In doing so, it reveals that fiction writers of all genres have many experiences in common, such as the “seed incident” that serves as the starting point when writing fiction. In addition, it examines fiction writers’ impact on readers, with the implication that everyone–writers and non-writers alike–would benefit from understanding fiction writers’ information behaviors. Most importantly, this literature review argues that further research on writers’ authorial archives would greatly enhance our understanding of this group’s information behaviors. These archives are arguably the single most valuable tool to understanding both fiction writers themselves and the writing process in general.

Direct to Full Text Article
9 pages; PDF.

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