HOW I DO THIS - Linda Higgins

This month, instead of presenting a bit of Port Clinton’s history, I’ve agreed to a request that I provide some insight into how I research and write the articles. Please don’t expect to learn anything whatsoever from this easy read as we begin the new year.

Although I’m quite familiar with the scholarly approach to researching, there’s nothing scholarly about my method here. One of the most difficult parts of the process, for instance, is deciding upon a topic. Friends and colleagues suggest most of them, because I tend to be curiously incurious. I do keep an updated list of these ideas near my computer, but that list more often than not disappears when I “reorganize” my files. Just part of the process.

The Ottawa County Museum is overflowing, almost literally, with memorabilia and files on our town’s past. The museum information on a specific topic is often from a personal viewpoint, so after reading these (truly) fascinating pieces of history, from diaries and journals, old newspapers and ledgers, letters, and so forth, I’ll copy pertinent sections to confirm facts by checking the books sitting on the museum shelves and in boxes. A remarkable source of facts is the museum’s curator, Peggy Debien, who’s easily able to corroborate or dispel information presented as fact by the many individuals who’ve contributed material over the years. Many of those contributors were in her class. It’s true: Just ask Peggy.

My next stop (on another day—I don’t want to overwhelm this tired old mind) is Ida Rupp Library, across from the museum on 3rd Street, to gather more insights into Port Clinton. These library and museum notes form the foundation of the article. Then, even if I’m familiar with the particular subject about which I’m attempting to write, I probably will take a trip to view it. Often, I’ll realize that I’ve passed by many times without knowing its historical value or that it even exists.

I use my home computer to pull up whatever background material might be available. Often, though, there’s nothing online to help illuminate the subject. Anything I do find I, of course, add to my file. The notes I’ve compiled make absolutely no sense at this point, but I simply input all of them in some semblance of order. By now, I’ve collected an overabundance of WORDS, far more than the limit of about 500 suggested for the article.

I set the very rough draft aside and do a final fact-check of my notes by comparing the most credible among them, which I’ve marked as such. When I return to the very rough draft to edit for size, duplicate material tends to pop out, easing the first round of editing. I continue eliminating WORDS until closer to the 500-word limit. This part of the process takes FOREVER, and tears of frustration tend to complicate. Retaining crucial information is my main concern, as the point of the article is to give the reader enough of a taste of the subject’s history to foster interest in further study.

I do major proofreading after I’ve decided the article is solid enough to finalize. I do not use the spelling- or grammar-correcting functions, as they’ve proven over the years to be unreliable, having been developed by people who can neither spell nor write. If I’ve made technical errors, I prefer to take responsibility for them myself. If there are factual errors, I prefer to blame everyone else. This article, by the way, is over the limit and may just stay that way.

Writing these articles has given me a stronger connection to, as well as respect for, this lovely little lakeside town, now my home. I welcome suggestions for topics at any time. And I hope that you’ll take enough of an interest in Port Clinton’s history that you’ll pursue your own reading and exploration. Supporting our town’s healthy growth has become for me a natural result of this learning experience. I hope you’ll join me as we gather the knowledge necessary to help sustain Port Clinton’s health.