"You have to study a great deal to know a little," said jurist Baron de Montesquieu. Lincoln, metaphorically speaking, put it like this: "If I had six hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend the first hour sharpening the ax." Study and research are the surest route to the blank page. And while experience, reference literature, the Internet and specialized information provided by clients are the most common sources, nothing beats getting out and discovering things for yourself . . .