I think the worst and most insidious procrastination for me is research. I will be looking for some bit of fact or figure to include in the novel, and before I know, I’ve wasted an entire morning delving into that subject matter without a word written.

Rollins is describing a common trap for writers—especially those who work in research-heavy genres—where information gathering becomes a socially acceptable form of avoidance. The quote distinguishes between research as a tool (serving the story) and research as a refuge (postponing the harder work of drafting). By calling it “insidious,” he suggests it can feel productive while quietly displacing the creative act itself. The remark also implies a practical lesson about process: at some point, a novelist must tolerate uncertainty, write forward, and return later to verify details, rather than letting the pursuit of perfect accuracy prevent momentum and pages.