Talking the talk

For the past few days I've been starting to lay the foundations for my novel, finally making progress on the few ideas I've had rattling around in my brain for far too long.

I'm developing the characters so I know exactly who they are, where they come from, how they behave etc. I'm nearly at the point where I can start putting together the first stages of a synopsis.

One component in the life of the protagonist is where she works, which is also quite crucial to the story I want to tell. I haven't established yet just what kind of work she is going to be in, it's something I really need to think about in order for the whole thing to work.

One of my main concerns, once I've found what she does, is making it seem real, authentic, with enough detail to be convincing.

This is going to be one of my first proper pieces of work and as yet I have not ventured too far into the realm of research. I think this is putting me off a little as I'm unsure exactly how to go about the research, and whether people would take me seriously enough to help me, being an amateur and all.

I really want to make sure that the lead knows what she's talking about, talking the talk, and that I can write fully enough to make it convincing.

Any tips or advice on any of this would be greatly welcomed, I'm very aware that this post makes me sound like a true novice.