HOW TO AVOID FACT-CHECKING FOIBLES

By Megan Clendenan

 

When I researched my middle-grade non-fiction book CITIES: HOW HUMANS LIVE TOGETHER (Orca Books, 2023), I had a skyscraper-high list of questions. What materials were the first streetlamps made from? How did ancient cities grow food? Whose house was first lit up by electric power? My goal was to write an engaging, surprising, and 100% accurate book for readers.

But how do you find, verify, and keep track of all this information?  

 

Find

For CITIES, I consulted about 200 sources: interviews, peer-reviewed scientific papers, and archival materials such as newspapers and photographs. I look for primary sources as much as possible, such as interviews, letters, or other first-hand materials. Otherwise, I try to get as close to the source as I can. I don’t assume a news article got the information right. I find and read the research myself, maintain a healthy dose of skepticism and keep the question, ‘Says who?’ in mind.   

 

Verify

An expert’s eyes on your manuscript can be gold. For CITIES, I reached out to urban and environmental planners as well as professors of history (Finding experts is a whole other topic!). Several generously agreed to read sections of my manuscript. And I was glad they did, as even after I did my due diligence and had factually correct information, they provided expert context on my overall narrative. Their comments enabled me to rethink a few points, ultimately making the book much stronger.

 

Keep Track

I amass a mountain of notes and materials as I go. Organizing research is easily its own blog post – and check this one out! I know authors who use Microsoft OneNote or Google Drive, and others who use binders with hand-jotted notes on paper. I set up research folders and files in Microsoft Word, and keep track of sources with EasyBib, an online bibliography generator.

 

Ready for Fact Check?

After back-and-forth revisions with my editor, it was time for copyedits and fact check. This is such an important step to ensure the book is accurate! I sent my CITIES manuscript off with a bibliography. Phew! Done. Or was I?

When my manuscript was returned, I found it chock-a-block with queries. Faced with a tight turnaround, I sat down and dug in. I was confident I had sources for everything, but as I rifled through my research, painstakingly answering each query, there were moments of trepidation as I sought out exactly where I’d pulled each piece of information.

Time for a new system to smooth out the fact-checking process! Here’s what I do now. Maybe some of this idea might be helpful to you.

 

Annotate with Aplomb!

Before sending my manuscript to copyedits, I save a new copy and create an annotated version that shows my sources.

An annotated copy is basically your manuscript filled to the brim with comments or footnotes that indicate the source(s) for each piece of information, whether from a book, a scientific paper, or an interview you conducted. I also provide a full bibliography. It’s a tried-and-true system for many journalists, academics, and other researchers, and it makes good sense. Help your fact-checker help you!

It might seem like the best time to start your annotated copy is when you start writing, and that probably works for some writers, but I have a slightly different process. I do keep notes of all sources I’ve used for each section or chapter, and I refer to these notes as I create my final annotated copy, just before the manuscript is sent to copyediting.

The reason I fully annotate as one of my last steps is because I use this process to fact-check myself. Full disclosure: I dread this step! It’s tedious. But I’ve discovered places where I needed to revisit a statement and unearthed updated research that I may have missed otherwise. New research comes out all the time, and writing a manuscript can take years!

It’s work, yes, but after I hit send, I’m calm. I’m collected. I can sleep easy knowing that I did my due diligence to ensure an accurate book for readers, and, that any queries that come my way are most likely going to be easy….er… easier… to answer.

The next time I sent a manuscript for copyedits, it was returned with much fewer queries. Victory!

 

What’s your way?

Everyone has their own method of organizing – post any tips, tricks, or resources to share in the comments!

 

About the Author

Megan Clendenan is an award-winning children’s book author and freelance writer. Her books include Cities: How Humans Live Together (Orca Books, 2023, illustrated by Suharu Ogawa), a Children’s Book Council Librarian’s Favorite, Fresh Air, Clean Water: Our Right to a Healthy Environment (Orca Books, 2022, illustrated by Julie McLaughlin), which won the Green Earth Book Award, and the upcoming non-fiction picture book Just In Case: Saving Seeds in the Svalbard Vault (Charlesbridge, Fall 2025, illustrated by Brittany Cicchese). She has more books on the way! Megan lives with her family near Vancouver, BC. Learn more at meganclendenan.com.