Very few people go to the extent of digging into existing research — original, authentic research — when they work on something. Be it writing a story or creating a consumer product or reporting on something.
The ones that have demonstrated a capacity to produce outstanding pieces of work, I think, have an outstanding ability to dig deep into original research (besides several other characteristics like being able to connect wildly unrelated things, come up with innovative, non-conformist ideas and more).
But imagine the mind and inner workings of a master craftsman who not only digs deep into existing research but — because he’s not satisfied with what’s existing (even though it’s good) — commissions his own research. Imagine the endeavor. Imagine the hunger for information.