Never waste good research, write about it

You have just finished researching in grand detail the history of agriculture in America and now, finally, you are ready to write that novel about a family driven out of the dust bowl. What do you do?

Please do not fall into the temptation of Herman Melville and include everything in the novel to the point that the readers are gasping for air and paging ahead to get past unneeded details that seem only there because the writer did the research.

Instead, write articles. Take all that research and craft articles from it and seek to get them published as well. This will get you a twofold benefit. Your novel readers will be thankful not to have the flow of the story slowed by details no one needs and your reputation as an expert in the subject will grow with every article you get published - making it more likely your novel will also sell better.