Research Your Way to a Book Readers Can’t Put Down
Historical Research – Let’s Talk Setting
In the last post, I shared some of my experiences and recommendations on researching setting. Now let’s hear from the others starting with a note from Jamie Carie:
They say research is like the volcanic mountain under the sea and the story is the island. I agree with that. You might not use eighty of what you learn, but if you don’t do the homework you won’t have the capability to form that beautiful island that someone wants to visit.
So now that we’re ready to build the foundation for our island, one of the first questions I asked these fabulous authors is how they picked their setting. For me, I’ve picked settings I knew, and then settings that would work with the story elements I wanted. Here’s what the others said:
I’m not sure if I pick them or they pick me. I start with a small idea of where I want the story to occur and then, as it progresses and I research the location, I often end up expanding. Vincennes though, my hometown setting in my third novel, was both easy and hard. I had to imagine this place I knew so well over two hundred years ago. It was like rediscovering the ground where I had grown up and added depth and meaning to some of my childhood memories.
Jamie Carie
I love Julie Lessman’s response:
I actually picked Boston when I started writing A Passion Most Pure at the age of 12, so I’m not sure I remember exactly why except that I loved that city and its rich history when I was in school. Ironically, when I started research for A Passion Most Pure, I discovered that Boston was considered the home of Irish America because of its great influx of Irish immigrants after the Potato Famine. But I DO know why I picked Ireland as the 2nd setting in the book! After reading Gone With the Wind at the age of 12, I fell in love with Scarlett O’Hara’s story and thereby, anything Irish. J
Thank goodness the novel I wrote when I was 12 is buried somewhere on one of Dad’s computers. Yikes! But if you haven’t read A Passion Most Pure, do. Even though Julie’s never been, she captures the essence much like Jamie Carie. There’s no doubt when you read these ladies books that the books could only be set where they are.
I was home schooling my four children and teaching them Nebraska history. My own fascination with the lives of the women who settled my state grew and I began to discover stories I wanted to tell. Since I live within a ten minute drive of the Nebraska State Archives, I can browse and research easily and there are enough stories in this state to keep several writers busy for several lifetimes.
Steph Whitson
Steph brings up a great point. Don’t forget State Archives. Those can be a wealth of information. I just (in the last week or so) got back a request for information I had sent to a historical society while writing Captive Dreams. It contains a map and photo of an Air Base in Kearney. Yes, my book has been turned in and even been through one revision, but when I get the content edit you can be sure I’ll check what I wrote against the photos.
DiAnn Mills takes a different approach to setting that works very well for her books. She picks the least likely place her hero or heroine would want to be. That’s a sure way to add some twists to your books. Kim Sawyer likes her setting to almost become another character in the story, so she tries to chose a setting that "fits" and will enhance the story.
One you’ve picked the setting you have to research it. Especially if you’ve never been. So what do these authors do?
I read everything I can find about it. Books, internet articles, Google Maps (have you discovered Google Earth and Google Maps? It’s awesome!) If I can visit the place personally, I do. There is nothing like seeing it for yourself, walking the streets, visiting the historical sites and taking lots of pictures.
Jamie Carie
And Nancy Moser has this warning about one popular website:
A warning about Wikipedia. Since it’s an online encyclopedia that gets its information from submissions from whoever wants to send in information, I always read the content with the knowledge of the possibly-questionable source in mind. Yet I’ve only found the information faulty a few times.
Steph Whitson loves to haul back dozens of books from libraries and immerse herself in the location before visiting.
Usually I visit the university library and haul home a couple of dozen books. The bibliographies in those books often suggest other sources. I also spend a lot of time at the State Historical Society Archives reading unpublished materials that relate to a setting, as well as newspapers on microfilm. Whenever possible I try to visit the locale, but not until after I've done a fair amount of research from the other sources so I can see more intelligently.
What a great reminder to use those bibliographies to lead us to more sources. I also love reviewing newspapers from the time to get the details right. Nothing helps me jump back in time and place more than an ad for groceries from the 40s….after “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” that is.
Kim Sawyer also likes trips to the library to confirm the details from a website.
Visiting a local library and checking out books on the history of the area helps a lot. If there is a college close by, see if you can visit their research section. I've found most librarians are extremely helpful. The Internet can be a good resource, too, but I double check anything I glean from the Web--anyone can create a website, but that doesn't necessarily mean the information is accurate. :o)
And DiAnn has a tip that will help us keep the characters grounded in what mattered at that time:
I also like to see what was going on in the world, DC, and on a state and local level. Those issues would be important to my characters.
Nancy Moser makes it a point to travel to her locations. With the exotic locales she has, it must be a great trip!
Since I’m writing about a real person of history, I try to travel to their home, or the area in which they lived. For instance, I’ve been to Salzburg and Vienna for Mozart’s Sister, England for Just Jane (about Jane Austen), and Mt. Vernon and Williamsburg for Washington’s Lady. Luckily, there are also websites for these areas and homes. I would think even if you’re writing about strictly fictional characters of a certain time, going to, or looking at real-people websites would help you get the feel of the setting.
Trips to the location are so helpful. But what if you can’t make the trip for whatever reason? Here are some suggestions:
Find people who are locals and/or experts on the location. Don’t be shy. Ask people questions. You will be surprised how delighted people are to help you.
Jamie Carie
I would specifically research ALL details as I needed them. For instance, I wanted to accurately convey the type of neighborhood and house that the O’Connors lived in, so I did a LOT of research on housing styles, park names, street names, etc. in the Southie neighborhood, including pictures from my time era.
Julie Lessman
My forthcoming novel ended up requiring that I set many scenes on Staten Island New York in 1886. I wasn't able to go off to New York (although I've heard the city library is a wonderful place). I did end up finding some excellent photos and other first hand accounts on the internet that were dated in the late 1800's.
Steph Whitson
Read, read, and read – everything from the clothing they wore, to vocabulary, to culture, medical, religious, farmer’s almanac. Anything that portrays the time and setting in an accurate manner.
I like the setting to take on a character. In other words, I want the setting to be an antagonist at times. Let the setting force the character to struggle that much more.
DiAnn Mills
www.victorianamagazine.com is a recent favorite...I wish I had found it years ago! I also go to Chamber of Commerce sites and click on the "history" button for the area. I've gleaned great details from community-sponsored websites.
When establishing setting, the little details make such a difference. What kinds of flowers grow wild in May? Is there a favorite fishing hole? If you look toward the eastern horizon, what kind of landscape will you see? By drizzling in details, you make the setting alive for the reader.
Kim Sawyer
Next time we’ll talk about getting the details like clothing right.
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