Research...what's your method?

I'm branching out a little.  For anyone that's read any of my pieces, you know my wheelhouse would be classified as Women's Fiction or Contemporary Romance.  Well, I've been teasing myself with a few pieces that will take me deep into other genres.

One of the pieces I've been researching will cross two: historical and paranormal.  Because they both will be new to me, I've been deep in research trying to lay the foundation for my story.  As a result, recently, I watched a PBS special titled "Death and the Civil War," which was inspired by Harvard President Drew Faust's book The Republic of Suffering.

Let me first say that while in high school and college, history class meant nap-time to me.  So, why would I decide to write this new piece.  I don't know.  It's been something that I've wanted to do for awhile, but I wanted to wait until I'd tackled a few other pieces, first.  Now, I feel like I might be ready, but I'm still terrified that I won't get the story quite right.

The only way to make myself feel a little more secure is by researching what I can about each piece of my idea.  After I have enough detail, then I'll tackle telling my story.

This documentary was so powerfully sad that it again made me wonder if my treatment of my story idea will work.  I don't know, but I can't quite let it go.

If you haven't watched this documentary, I would definitely suggest it.  But, I would definitely warn that if you come from a military background, or the southern part of the U.S. touches your world in any way prepare to cry and feel like you owe somebody something.  I wasn't prepared for the overwhelming feeling of love I had for the soldiers that served. And I was thankful that the military members of my family weren't subjected to the conditions that the truly brave men of the civil war endured.

Amazingly effective and entertaining documentary!

Watch Death and the Civil War Extended Promo on PBS. See more from American Experience.

What's your research method?  What tools do you use, and how do they affect you as you write?  Does it make you want to stop what you're doing or power through it to tell your story.