Researching the Past

Researching a novel in any genre is quite a big undertaking. But when writing in the historical genre, getting facts right is a golden rule. I know that I'm allowed some room to make things up and perhaps even place characters based on a real person appear somewhere they've never been. However, the essence of the historical era you are writing about must be based on some base of fact. I'm discovering that it's very important to develop a sense of place when writing an historical novel.

For example, The Duke's Shadow in reality spans two eras, the very late Regency and Victorian ages. Now, there are subtle differences that are important to both eras but which very much define them as being unique. Dress is one of them and moral attitudes is another. For the ease of my sanity and because the story actually begins on the cusp of a new time I have allowed myself some poetic licence and moved events so that they are set all in the Victorian era and so I can really concentrate on building a good 'sense' of place. I'm loving all the research, and if truth be known, I would have loved to have lived through this age, despite the restrictions put on women, I would have had fun trying to turn it upside down!  The one draw back is that it takes an awful lot of time and because I live abroad, access to a library is not available, which means I do everything online. And you know that not everything online can be verified, so a lot of caution is required.

So having had my first chapter critiqued over at Writers Abroad, I've got some very essential and constructive critiques to work with and I am trying to represent the world in which my characters live in. In my head, I know where they are but I have to somehow put this across on the written page.  Now off to readjust that timeline...

Until Later...

WRITING ZONES

How Comfortable Are You?
Writing is for many of us something we just have to do. It's not an option, it's a must do. Many writers develop their craft within a particular genre or style which they feel comfortable with and in addition perhaps like to read themselves (oh yes, we writers are readers as well!). The advice 'write what you know' are sage words from those who know better, but sometimes can be a little constrained. And writing isn't supposed to be about constraint, more like a free hand, because it needs to flow. I like to try and experiment with different techniques and most of the time I return to the one I feel most comfortable with - which is fine, no harm done and a lot learnt in the process and I'm thinking particularly here about my attempt at writing monologue. 


At Writers Abroad, we like raising the bar a little and dipping a toe in the water, so our next challenge has the choice of a crime story. I've only just started reading this genre, beginning with Rebus, then the Stieg Larsson trilogy and now the Jo Nesbo series. Can I write and scare readers half to death at the same time? I'm not sure, although I've loved these books so far, I'm not too comfortable now about tattoos or snowmen, so the impact these writers had on me is quite profound. I am known for a penchance for killing off my characters, but usually the death is one from illness, old age or fighting in a war or battle. Not a deliberate, bare faced kill. Thing is, I'm quite looking forward to it and have already been doing some investigation on the internet. Not just about techniques but real crimes (the story has to include one murder) and I felt a little nervous I must admit. What we writers can get away with in the name of our research
I'll let you know how it goes... and if anyone has any advice, I'm all ears!