How to Write Convincing Technical Details When You're Not an Expert (Research Shortcuts)

Your protagonist is a neurosurgeon. Or a hacker. Or a forensic scientist. Or a lawyer. Your story requires them to be competent, knowledgeable, and convincing in their expertise. There's just one problem: You are none of these things. You don't have years to go to medical school or law school just to write your novel. But you also can't fake it—readers who work in these fields will notice errors immediately, throw your book across the room, and leave scathing reviews about how you clearly didn't do your research.

So you start researching. You read articles. Watch YouTube videos. Dive into forums. Ten hours later, you're drowning in information, still not confident about what your character would actually do in your plot scenario, and wondering if you should just change your protagonist's profession to something you understand better.

Here's what successful writers know: You don't need to become an expert. You need strategic research—knowing what details create authenticity, where to find information efficiently, when to consult actual experts, and how to present technical knowledge without boring or confusing readers. The thriller writer who makes doctors nod in approval after 15 hours of targeted research, not years of medical training. The mystery author whose detective procedures feel real after interviewing three cops and reading one procedural manual. They cracked the code: minimum research for maximum authenticity.

This guide will teach you how to write convincing technical details in any field: research shortcuts that work, what details actually matter for believability, how to use experts efficiently, when to be specific versus vague, and mistakes that instantly break reader immersion.

How Much Research Is Actually Enough?

It Depends on Three Factors

Factor 1: Centrality to Your Story

Main character's profession: Needs significant research. This is their daily reality. Readers who work in this field WILL notice errors. You must understand basics, common procedures, jargon, and daily reality. Can't convincingly fake this.

Estimate: 20-40 hours of research minimum

Side element: Character visits hospital once, has single court scene, brief interaction with specialist. Light research sufficient. General accuracy matters more than perfect specifics. Can stay relatively vague. Readers less likely to scrutinize.

Estimate: 1-5 hours of research

Factor 2: Genre Expectations

Thrillers/Contemporary: High accuracy expected. Readers often are professionals in the field. Errors break immersion immediately. Research thoroughly.

Science Fiction/Fantasy: Some creative license acceptable. Your world-building rules matter more than real-world perfect accuracy. Plausibility more important than precision. Can speculate beyond current knowledge.

Historical: Period accuracy critical. Anachronisms noticed instantly. Must research what was available/known in that era. But some dramatic license traditionally accepted.

Factor 3: Your Reader Demographics

Niche professional field: Small percentage of readers are actual experts, but those who are notice everything. Must be accurate enough to pass expert scrutiny.

General knowledge field: Most readers have some familiarity. Obvious errors stand out to everyone. Moderate accuracy required.

The Guiding Principle

Research until you can write your scenes without constantly stopping to look things up. Know enough that details feel natural in your prose, not obviously researched. When you can write character doing their job without questioning every word, you're ready.

Research Shortcuts That Actually Work

Shortcut 1: Start With Wikipedia

Not as your final authority, but as your roadmap. Use it for:

- Overview of topic and key concepts
- Essential terminology
- Related concepts worth exploring
- References to more authoritative sources

Read the main article. Note important terminology. Follow the references to detailed sources. Wikipedia is your starting point, not your destination.

Shortcut 2: YouTube and Documentaries

For visual and procedural understanding, video beats text.

Watch:
- Professionals doing the actual work
- Equipment being used in real contexts
- How people move in these environments
- What these spaces actually look and sound like

Search terms: "day in the life of [profession]" or "how [procedure] actually works" or "[profession] explains [topic]"

You'll absorb sensory details and procedural flow that text descriptions miss.

Shortcut 3: Podcasts by Professionals

Listen to professionals talking to each other, not explaining to laypeople.

You'll learn:
- How jargon is used naturally
- Common problems they discuss
- Cultural attitudes within profession
- Recent developments and debates

More authentic than articles written for general audiences because it's how they actually talk.

Shortcut 4: Reddit and Professional Forums

Find subreddits for specific professions. Read threads where real professionals discuss real problems.

Gold mines:
- Venting about common frustrations
- Asking each other technical questions
- Sharing war stories
- Revealing unspoken cultural rules

Search for: "I'm a [profession], AMA" threads or browse top posts in professional subreddits

Shortcut 5: Fiction Written by Actual Professionals

Read novels by people who worked in that field:

- Medical thrillers by doctors
- Legal thrillers by lawyers
- Police procedurals by former cops
- Tech thrillers by programmers

Study:
- What details they include
- What jargon they use
- What they explain versus assume reader knows
- How they balance accuracy with readability

These authors already solved the problem you're facing.

Shortcut 6: Textbook Introductory Chapters

You don't need entire professional textbooks. Read just the first 1-3 chapters.

First chapters provide:
- Basic concepts explained clearly
- Foundational knowledge
- Key principles
- Overview of common procedures

Enough to give you framework without overwhelming detail.

Shortcut 7: Consulting Actual Professionals

Your best source: an expert willing to answer specific questions.

How to approach:
- Explain you're writing fiction and want accuracy
- Ask specific questions (not "tell me everything about your job")
- Offer to credit them in acknowledgments
- Respect their time (15-30 minute conversation)
- Ask: "What do movies always get wrong?" and "What would make someone in your field think 'this author knows what they're talking about'?"

Where to find experts:
- Your personal network
- Social media (LinkedIn, Twitter/X)
- Professional associations
- Local professionals (offer to buy coffee)
- Online expert platforms

What Details Actually Matter

Priority 1: Sensory Details

What does this environment/profession:

- Look like: Equipment, clothing, physical space
- Sound like: Machines, voices, ambient noise
- Smell like: Distinctive odors of that space
- Feel like: Textures, temperatures, physical sensations

Sensory details create authenticity more powerfully than perfect technical accuracy. Reader remembers how it felt to be there.

Priority 2: Jargon and Terminology

Professionals use specific language. Getting it right = instant credibility.

- Technical terms for equipment and procedures
- Abbreviations and acronyms
- Profession-specific slang
- What things are called by insiders versus outsiders

Surgeon says "I need a 10 blade," not "I need a scalpel." Detective says "DB" not "dead body." Small details signal insider knowledge.

Priority 3: Common Procedures and Routines

What does a typical day actually involve:

- Standard procedures
- Routine tasks
- Common problems
- Normal workflow

Focus on everyday reality, not exotic situations. Most professional work is routine.

Priority 4: Professional Culture

How do people in this profession:

- Talk to each other and about their work
- View outsiders or the public
- Handle stress
- Navigate hierarchy
- Define competence and excellence

Cultural authenticity matters as much as technical accuracy.

Priority 5: Common Frustrations

What do professionals in this field complain about:

- Bureaucratic nonsense
- Equipment problems
- Public misconceptions
- How media portrays them
- Workplace politics

Frustrations reveal insider perspective instantly.

When to Be Specific vs. When to Be Vague

Be Specific When:

1. Character is the expert: They think in technical terms. Vagueness feels false coming from them.

2. Detail creates atmosphere: "She adjusted the dosage to 2mg" feels more real than "She adjusted the medicine."

3. Genre expectations demand it: Medical thriller readers want medical detail. Legal thriller readers want courtroom procedure.

4. Detail is plot-critical: If the specific thing matters to your plot, name it specifically.

5. Showing character competence: Specific detail demonstrates expertise convincingly.

Be Vague When:

1. Character is not the expert: Layperson wouldn't know technical terms. Vagueness is actually authentic.

2. Detail isn't plot-relevant: Don't slow pacing for irrelevant accuracy.

3. You're not confident in accuracy: Better vague than confidently wrong.

4. Detail requires lengthy explanation: If you'd need to stop and explain it, stay vague instead.

5. Pacing needs to move quickly: Action scenes need momentum, not technical lectures.

Finding the Balance

Rule of thumb: Three specific details per scene usually sufficient for authenticity.

Too vague: "The doctor did some medical stuff and the patient got better."

Too specific: "The doctor administered 2mg of lorazepam intravenously at 0.5mg per minute while monitoring respiratory rate which decreased from 22 to 16 breaths per minute and checking oxygen saturation via pulse oximetry which remained at 97% on room air."

Right balance: "She pushed the lorazepam slowly, watching his breathing. Two milligrams should calm him without heavy sedation."

Mistakes That Break Reader Immersion

Mistake 1: Info-Dumping Technical Explanations

Problem: Stopping the story to explain details to the reader.

"The MRI machine, which stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging and uses powerful magnets to create detailed images of internal body structures, was..."

Why it fails: Character who works with MRI machines every day wouldn't mentally explain what one is.

Fix: "She prepped the MRI, checking the contrast levels." Trust reader to know or infer from context.

Mistake 2: Expert Character Explaining the Obvious

Problem: "As you know, Detective, DNA testing can take weeks..."

Why it fails: Other detective already knows this. No one talks this way.

Fix: "How long for the DNA?" "Usual. Three weeks minimum."

Mistake 3: Using Hollywood Version Instead of Reality

Common Hollywood myths:
- Hacking takes 30 seconds of fast typing
- "Enhance" images infinitely
- Lab results instant
- Defibrillators restart stopped hearts
- Silencers make guns whisper-quiet

Readers who know these fields recognize Hollywood errors instantly and lose trust.

Fix: Research real procedures, not fictional ones.

Mistake 4: Anachronistic Technology or Knowledge

Problem: Technology or procedure that didn't exist yet in your time period.

Historical novel set in 1950 with character using technology from 1980.

Fix: Research when techniques became available. Check timelines carefully.

Mistake 5: Wrong Jargon or Formal Language

Problem: Using terms no actual professional would use, or being too formal.

Clinical report: "The surgeon made a 10cm incision along the lateral aspect of the abdomen."
How surgeon talks: "I opened him up lateral side, about four inches."

Fix: Listen to how professionals actually talk. Match their cadence and vocabulary.

Mistake 6: Ignoring Recent Changes in the Field

Problem: Using outdated procedures or equipment. Fields evolve.

Fix: Verify your information is current (ideally from last 5 years). Note: Historical fiction obviously exempt.

How to Present Technical Details Naturally

Technique 1: Through Action

Don't explain. Show character doing it.

"She scrubbed in, feeling the rough bristles against her forearms. Two minutes each hand, elbows to fingertips. The ritual never changed."

Reader learns the procedure through watching character perform it.

Technique 2: Through Character's Expert Eye

Expert notices what layperson wouldn't.

"The weld looked fine to anyone else. But Sarah caught the hairline cracks forming where the temperature had spiked too high. Sloppy work."

Expertise shown through observation, not explanation.

Technique 3: Through Contrast With Novice

Novice learning from expert provides natural context for explanation.

"That's not a scalpel—that's a blade. The scalpel is the handle. We swap out blades between procedures."

Allows teaching moment without stopping story.

Technique 4: Through Professional Frustration

"I hate when people ask if I tried turning it off and on again. I'm a network engineer, not tech support. We're three layers deeper than that."

Reveals expertise while advancing characterization.

Technique 5: Drop Detail and Move On

Mention technical detail without explaining it. Trust reader.

"She adjusted the aperture to f/2.8 and shot wide open."

Photographers know exactly what this means. Non-photographers get the general idea (camera adjustment). Story keeps moving. Everyone's satisfied.

Using Expert Consultants Effectively

Before You Contact an Expert

Do basic research first. Understand fundamentals. Know terminology. Come with specific questions.

Experts are more willing to help when you've done your homework.

Good Questions to Ask

- "What does a typical day actually look like in your job?"
- "What do movies and TV always get wrong?"
- "What detail would make someone in your field say 'this author gets it'?"
- "What's something only an insider would know?"
- "What frustrates you most about your work?"
- "How would someone in your position handle [specific plot scenario]?"
- "Is [plot point] plausible? If not, what would be?"

How to Credit Experts

In your acknowledgments:

"Thanks to Dr. [Name] for medical expertise. Any errors are my own."

The "any errors are my own" disclaimer is crucial. You might have misunderstood or changed their advice. Don't let them take blame for your mistakes.

When the Expert Says "That Won't Work"

Ask: "What would work to achieve a similar result?"

Often there's a plausible alternative that serves your story.

If there's no alternative and your plot absolutely requires it: Consider whether the plot point is truly essential. If yes, use it anyway but acknowledge the liberty in an author's note if appropriate. If no, revise the plot.

Your Technical Research Action Plan

Phase 1: Foundation (Week 1) - [ ] Start with Wikipedia for overview and terminology - [ ] Watch 3-5 YouTube videos on topic - [ ] Read fiction by professionals in the field - [ ] Goal: Basic understanding and vocabulary Phase 2: Depth (Week 2) - [ ] Explore relevant Reddit/forums - [ ] Listen to 2-3 professional podcasts - [ ] Read introductory textbook chapters - [ ] Goal: Cultural authenticity and natural jargon use Phase 3: Expert Consultation (Week 3) - [ ] Identify expert to consult - [ ] Prepare specific questions - [ ] Conduct 20-30 minute interview - [ ] Goal: Verify plot plausibility and get insider details Phase 4: Integration - [ ] Write scenes with research naturally integrated - [ ] Mark uncertain details for follow-up - [ ] Have expert or beta reader from field review if possible - [ ] Goal: Authentic presentation without info-dumping Ongoing: - [ ] Note sensory details for authenticity - [ ] Collect jargon and terminology - [ ] Stay vague on peripheral details - [ ] Be specific where it matters most

Final Thoughts: Authenticity Over Perfection

You don't need to be an expert. You need to be convincing. There's a difference.

An expert knows everything about their field—the cutting-edge research, the rare exceptions, the theoretical debates. You don't need that. You need to know enough that readers who ARE experts nod along instead of throwing your book. You need the surface-level authenticity that comes from sensory details, correct jargon, cultural awareness, and avoiding obvious errors.

Think of it like being a good actor. The actor playing a surgeon isn't actually qualified to operate. But they've watched enough surgeries, talked to enough surgeons, and practiced enough movements that they're convincing on screen for two hours. That's your goal—convincing performance based on strategic research, not actual expertise.

Strategic research means knowing what details create authenticity (sensory, jargon, culture) and what details don't matter as much (cutting-edge techniques, rare procedures). It means 20 hours of targeted research instead of 200 hours of comprehensive study. It means consulting one expert for 30 minutes instead of going to medical school.

Your readers don't need you to be an expert. They need you to write a good story where the technical details support believability instead of breaking it. Get the feeling right. Get enough details right. Stay vague when you're uncertain. Consult experts for key questions. That's enough. That's how professional writers do it. That's how you can do it too.

Now stop procrastinating on research and start writing. You know more than enough.