Studying a boundary-defying group: An analytical review of the literature surrounding the information habits of writers

•Research on the information behavior of writers is sparse; 10 core documents are analyzed.•The permeability of the literary field makes writers difficult to define as a group for study.•Legitimation, consecration, and professionalism are key concepts used in the design of research.•Findings focus on information seeking, but also on information sharing strategies and resources.•Literature on sister populations is identified as a relevant complement to the existing research.

This study presents an analytical literature review of the research surrounding the information behavior of writers, understood here as people whose written output is creative in nature and produced outside of the academia or the traditional news media realm. This group is understudied in library and information science, despite its obvious cultural and enduring link to libraries and archives. A qualitative content analysis reveals that part of the problem lies in establishing the boundaries of the literary field in order to operationalize writers as a group for study. The work of Pierre Bourdieu, cited in the literature itself, provides insight into how the concepts of legitimation, consecration, and professionalism influence methods and findings. However, while approaches differ, researchers tend to discuss similar information-related topics. Using literature pertaining to "sister populations", such as other artists or other types of writers, can help support the design of further research. Professional literature and mainstream media are also suggested as avenues for the study of the relationship between writers, information sources, and information professionals.